figure skating after a BHR

[coskater]

I am a figure skater going through my third incarnation.  I skate, badly as a child and when my health started to become an issue I decided to take skating back up, that was at the age of 36, I had been off the ice for 18 years.  I was grandfathered into the adult system at silver and then moved up to gold and then masters when I managed to pass my intermediate fs at the age of 41. I failed that test at the age of 18.

In July of 06 I had my first hip surgery for labral tears, torn ligimentum teres and impingments and sizeable microfracture.  Unfortunately it was not enough and I had to have a BHR in Oct 07. My first doctor referred me to Mr. Treacy in the UK, the surgery has been very successful. 

I have returned to skating and had several falls which terrified me but once I was past 4 months I was told that if the device was solid it probably wouldn't move.  I have amended my skating boots choosing to use a new technology that has a hinge at the ankle which requires much more strength but cuts the strain on my hip by greater than 40%.  I have gone through the first 4 adult moves tests and am back to about 75% of my prior strength.  My spins and dances are doing well and I will return to my Jr/Sr moves this coming week.  I have taken my time and won't jump until the 1 year mark.

For those not familiar with skating it is a very difficult sport, people always think it looks easy, that is the point-- it takes thousands of hours of practice to make things look easy.  When you watch those high level skaters remember it takes 500 attempts to get the idea of a double or triple jump, then it takes another 1000 attempts to start fully rotating the jump, another 500 badly landed but fully rotated jumps and then another 500 cleanly landed jumps and if your lucky you'll have the jump 75% of the time.  Spins have huge g forces as you learn new spins you will come out of a fast spin almost blind or seeing spots, with new rules positions must be done on multiple edges and in a variety of positions that require variation of the core position. The footwork takes days to learn and then you must increase the speed and learn to make all of these things look easy.  While I am not a high level skater, I had double jumps on occasion, learning to do this at an advanced age is very difficult, my height of 5'9" makes it almost impossible, spinning is very easy thanks to the laws of physics. 

So the next time you watch a skater ask yourself do they look up and present? Does it look effortless? Can you hear the rip of edges and do they flow across the ice? That is usually a good skater.

coskater
www.youtube.com/bouldersk8r

[Pat Walter]

Keep up the good work on the ice.

My husband and I use to ice skate 3 nights a week when we lived in Cleveland.  We didn't do anything fancy other than skate to great organ music back in the 70's.  I loved doing the trios.  We had a nice ice rink with 2 rinks next to each other.  They would open them both together for the adult skates and we had a wonderful large rink to skate.

That is how I meet my husband over 32 years ago!  No ice skating rinks down here in Southern Ohio where we live now.

Have fun. Skating is great whether recreational or figure skating.

Pat

[Dfalkowski]

If I can get a BHR, then there is hope for me.  I started ice skating when I was 48.  All I wanted to do is learn how to do xovers and skate backwards.  Got to do those as well as ice dance.  Even found a partner crazy enough to try to do death spirals.  In all our attempts, we were able to do 2 that were half way decent.  I had passed my first set of dances and was working on the second set.  Also passed my preliminary moves in the field.  I had wanted to try the Adult Nationals some day in dance but my hip has given me problems.  Not real pain but ROM issues.  Unless someone is there, I can't bend to tie my boot.  I also noticed that the leg is turning outward and the feel over the blade is different.  I hope to get back on the ice one day.  I can't see it if I have a THR.

[ladler]

started figure skating age 39- was instantly addicted (very strong ballet background) and taking 3  private lessons a week ( 2 figure one dance) but it all came to a crashing halt when I turned 44 and the hip pain got so bad I could not walk let alone skate.

I am 5 weeks post op - LBHR- contemplating banging out the other hip in a few weeks- and plan very much on returning to figure skating one of these days in the not far future.  My surgeon said we could talk about it at the 6 month mark.

I put my skates away as just seeing them this past year made me cry.  I was deep in the closet today looking for something and saw them and I smiled- reached out and gave them a hug.  I will skate again, of this I am sure.

[Pat Walter]

Hi
You will be back skating.  Don't cry over what was - dream of what will be.  I know of several skaters  -both figure skaters and hocky players back on the ice.

Check out Tom back on the ice with his surgeon Dr. Rubinstein  http://www.surfacehippy.info/tom807.php

Good Luck.

Pat