New Soccer season !!!

[hernanu]

And just got notice from the group that we're starting our twice per week games; I was also put on notice that they had cut me slack the last couple of years, but no more. It's time (right 1 year, 10 months - left 1 year 6 months) to test the two hips out doing the Ronaldo shuffle  .

I'll probably play my usual forward and be a vulture, or maybe central defense (although the cutting is extreme on defense), to ease into the games (right). I've been doing the treadmill, weights, lots of stretching and strengthening of the side (cutting) muscles. I've also dropped about 30 pounds since the surgery, so the stress will be lower. Plan on continuing that, but since my measured 0 body fat mass is 200 lbs, can't say I'll ever be a complete lightweight.

A little scared but a whole lot excited. Just like anything good in life.

[OtterDriver]

Good for you Hern!  Enjoy your rewards!

Bruce

[ScubaDuck]

Yea Hern!  I would love to play a pickup soccer game again.  But I played keeper in high school.  I played all over the field in intramurals and an adult league.  But I have tendancy to drop back rather than push forward.

Let us know how it goes.

Dan

[hernanu]

Thanks guys, most of these players are 20-30 years younger, so I figure they can do most of the running. 

[Oroberto]

Hi, I am 54 years old. I am from where the futebol (soccer) is not a game, it is a passion! The country that participated in all world cup! Five times world champion! It is easy to answer..
But lets go to HIP-HR.
I had a HR surgery in my left hip by Dr. De Smet in May 2010. I come back to play futebol six months later, but I confesse that it was not like before. There is some pain after 40 or 50 min. Everything is all right wiht my x-r. By the way, I keep doing a lot of PT by myself.
What is important now is to stay among my old friends playing in a smooth way and after drink a beer and eat a delicious barbecue (not too much!).
Good luck for HR athlets!

[hernanu]

I agree roberto... I play with a several of your compatriots, folks from Europe and more than a few freshly graduated college players.

I'll be putting in full games, so I expect some pain at the later stages. Hopefully the weights, martial arts kicks and running I've been doing will help, but I'm also looking at this as therapy, for my hips to strengthen the stabilizing muscles more, and for my mind in that I can get back to something I love.

You were about 3 months ahead of me for my first one (8-24-2010), and about 6 months ahead on my second, so it's good to know you can do a full game without a lot of pain. Did you find any particular moves or kicks harder on you?

It is very cool to be able to share all of that with old friends, thanks for checking in, it does ease my mind a bit about it.

[hernanu]

Finally was able to get out on the field. Felt strange at first, especially the sprints. It took a bit to get going, but a full hour's game, running the field, cutting, even some pivot and kick. All felt smooth and fine.

No soreness at all on the hips, muscle soreness, but that's three years layoff talking. I even did some defense on a couple of breakaways, with the quick cuts. Amazing to me that I kept up and blocked a couple. My working out, weight loss, etc. paid off, not eating air at the end.

Sweeeet..

[ScubaDuck]

Congrats Hern!  Doesn't feel great?  I know that I marvel every time I run or even walk without pain.  They can't wipe this smile off my face.

Dan

[Kiwi]

Awesome to read Hern. So glad you've got out there doing what you love, you deserve it mate. Keep up the great work!

[hernanu]

Thanks guys - day after, slightly stiff back and calf muscles, but no hip soreness at all.

Can't help but beam with good feelings, since I really did not hold back much. I did notice a bit of weakness in sideways movements, and was slower in the initial push from walking to sprint (as well as in slowing down to a full stop), but otherwise very well.

I also didn't notice any limping or strange gait, all of my teammates said it looked pretty smooth.

[Dan L]

Incredible Hern, congrats my friend, more good things to look forward to for those with 2x metal hips.
Thanks for sharing,
Dan

[Tin Soldier]

Cool, looking forward to doing the same this summer.  I'll be shy a couple months of a year on righty in June, so I'll need to start super slow and only play with friends at an easy pace.

Watch out for the young stupid men that don't know how to take it down a notch and the idiot refs that let the game go to pot.  That's what worries me more than me damaging myself, it's being taken out be a vengeful player.     

Let us know how the sprinting comes along.  I'm really curious about if and how long it will take to get back to full speed.  Being a sweeper, that's what I was good at.  None of this fancy footwork. 

[hernanu]

Amazingly enough Tin - it was the tracking back on defense that was the most challenging. I play with a lot of latin / european players, and they were really using quick cuts / stepovers to try to get by. I did stay with them most of the time, but could tell my smaller muscles were working.

No pain though, stretched a couple of times to intercept the ball with bent knees, settling the ball after catching it in the air, etc. went fine. We play twice a week until late november, so I expect a lot of improvement.

Jumping for headers was probably the worst of my game, elevation is something I did not spend much time on during recuperation, but the jump itself was OK, the height was laughable.

I'll watch out for the stoopids, I am not small, though so hopefully they will downshift due to the impending crash. A friend of mine needs both knees done when someone took him down from behind in a league game. Some people are jerks.
 

[Tin Soldier]

I just played soccer for the first time in 2 years, last night.  It was on my wife's coed team with a bunch of old friends.  We did play against a bunch of 25 year olds, but they were farily easy-going.  I was so nervous ahead of time.  Butterflies in my stomach, sweat, the whole deal.  I played defense and when the offense came down on me, crap that was freaky feeling.  It all eased over.  I got in a couple entanglements, a little push here and there, sprint, stop, turn, and a pass and it was like old times.  Probably took about 10 minutes for me to feel comfortable, mentally.  Otherwise, physically it didn't feel much different than before.  My kick was feable, my lungs burned, but the speed was nearly like it was before HR and the sharp turns were surprisingly easy.

It felt great, I was stoked to be out there again.  Afterward we all celebrated (not my new hips), the end of the indoor season, and had some pizza and beer.  Like old times.  We have a freindly summer pickup season coming up that I'm really looking forward to. 

[David]

nice Tin...congrats...

[ScubaDuck]

Tin-

Way to go!!!!  It has to feel great getting that first game behind you.  I would have to say you are braver than I am.  I am not doing any twisting or cutting until one year.  The running is the most aggressive I am getting right now.

Dan

[hernanu]

Awesome, Tin. It does come back quick and I was surprised by how natural the turns were. I expected a lot more issues with that.

[Kiwi]

This is great news for you both, Tin & Hern. I get very encouraged when I read these sort of victories, as I think soccer is probably just as physical as squash. A lot of changing of direction, pushing off each leg on different angles, lunging, jumping etc.
Lately I think my biggest challenge has been my mind second guessing whether I should go back to playing or not, but this thread is given me a good boost. When I mention that I intend to play squash again, some folk just look at me sideways & think I'm kidding myself. These non believers make me more determined to be the guy with the hip replacement that can still play a bit of squash. You guys are already proving you can do it with your soccer games.
Excellent work - keep up the progress reports!

[hernanu]

Good game today, played mostly defense, which is actually a very good workout for those small muscles. All the Portuguese players were psyched about the upcoming Euro matches, so had more oomph than usual today, so good workout covering them.

Got a little bit of soreness (not much) in the groin area of my last hip (right), so will do the tennis ball thing when I get home. Otherwise, everything checked out, a little bit of slowness on the first step, so had to give the more quick players a little more respect than usual when covering them.

Had several breakaways come at me, covered most of them fine, the turn and run worked just fine. I'm really starting to get confident on my hips, kicking the ball is good, the heavier kicks are actually easier than the ones that require more control. I think all of that is because my smaller muscles need to be brought along.

I actually did a jumping header, twisted in the air from a corner kick and almost scored. I was just psyched to get up fairly high and twist, land without any pain. Yesssss!!!!!

Really good so far.

[Kiwi]

Wicked Hern - keep it up mate!