Return to bad tennis

[imgetinold]

Well, there's no other way to put it.

Seven months out, I got on the court.  I have to say that some of my tennis-specific muscles in the hip weren't yet up to the task.  For example, hitting a two-handed backhand requires a forward lean-into-the-step onto my right (operated) leg.  It was very weak.  I also could not really run much down, so I let several shots go that pre-surgery-Andy would have run down.

Fast forward three weeks:  Tennis leg muscles are MUCH improved.  Backhand is no problem, except the part about sucking at tennis.  At this point, other than running down the hardest balls (which I don't), mobility is no longer an issue.  The biggest problem is not having played tennis in 18 months.  I don't get into the right position to hit, I stink at the net, my timing is off, etc...  It will come back, but it's not pretty.

[John C]

Hi Andy,
Congrats on getting back into tennis. I had to stop playing for 10 years because of my bad hip, and getting back into it after resurfacing has been one of the best things ever. I did wait a year after the surgery, but my hip has loved tennis ever since. I play about 1.5 hours averaging about 4-5 days a week during the summer. It seems like all of the quick small steps in tennis moving off the balls of our feet are ideal for our hips, though like you point out, lunging for shots may not be the best. Dr Amstutz did have it on his list of sports that may shorten the life of a resurfacing, but I have convinced myself that being smart about how I play may keep it from being a problem.
Enjoy being back on the court!

[imgetinold]

Thanks, John.

I actually played quite a bit on Sunday (after exercise biking in the a.m., and walk/trail running 4 miles...mostly walking).  I found out that was too much.  I do believe it was the tennis, not the other, as I have done those other things repeatedly. 

Anyway, I have been quite sore the last two days.  I even emailed Lee Webb (Dr. Gross's surgical assistant) to ask when it was okay to go back to tennis.  She said six months, so I'm good.

I'm sure it is still the hip getting used to the stop/start of tennis - like you said....the quick, small steps.  But, it feels good.

[lyn]

Hi Andy,
I haven't played tennis in 2 yrs , because of my hip. I'm 12days post op now and desperately looking forward to playing again. I'm afraid playing will jar the componants. I play just doubles usually but play at a 4.0 Level which requires a lot of movement, even for doubles. Were you worried about your hip and damaging it somehow. I talked to Dr. Gross about that n he said after 6months I could go back to tennis,  but I know I will be scared to play..lyn

[imgetinold]

Hey, Lyn.  I wasn't really even thinking about damaging it, since I've felt so good.  However, after overdoing it, I needed the reassurance from Lee.

Are you in Atlanta, playing in ALTA?  Just curious.  I've never played USTA, but imagine I'm somewhere between a 3.0 and 3.5.  Probably 3.0

[bluedevilsadvocate]

Andy -

Your return to tennis sounds very much like mine.  I essentially stopped playing in the spring of 2009 due to problems with my shoulder and hip.  I had shoulder surgery in September, 2009, and was told no tennis for 1 year; then I had my LBHR in October, 2010, and was again told no tennis for a year.  So, it wasn't until this past spring that I resumed play.  Frankly, I felt like a total klutz.  Timing was way off, movement was like an ox.  Court coverage had always been the best part of my game, so it was pretty discouraging.

Well, fast forward about 5 months.  A few weeks ago I had a pretty good outing, including scrambling all over the court, and one of my playing partners said to me after the match, "You're back."

Of course, I'm not completely back.  And at the age of 64, I kinda doubt I will ever be completely back.  But it's getting better and better, and I love being able to again track down and return shots that my opponents thought were outright winners.

Best of luck and much success to you!

[lyn]

Hi Andy,
I'm in Albuquerque, and I played usta at 4.0 level, not that I'm good, but it does get competitive, and you do have to move a lot, you know lunging, side to side, up, back, etc. Its not exactly gentle on your hips. I'll have to just see how I feel getting back into it. I'm a small boned women and want to be really careful with my bones. Lyn

[tennisgirl]

Hi Guys,

I've been AWOL for awhile and have had a pretty rough recovery, but am getting there, albeit slowly.  I still have aches all around my leg and at the incision, which is frustrating.

Last weekend I was in Hilton Head for my annual tennis girls weekend, and decided to give it a try, and I did pretty well.  I couldn't run down some balls, but that was to be expected.

For you Atlanta area folk, I am playing my first ALTA match since surgery this coming Thursday.  Hope I can last the match!  Will let you know how it goes.

Mindi

[hernanu]

Hi Mindi, it's fine to be awol - glad you're getting there, not glad it's going slowly. Did they tell you what the cause for the aches is?

Congrats on the tennis outcome, and on your first ALTA match. Good luck!

[imgetinold]

Mindi......it's good to hear you're on the mend!  I followed your trials and tribulations from right after your surgery, and was hoping your absence was good news, not bad. 

Good luck with the match!  I am back on my neighborhood team as well, but putting myself as "last resort" for this season.  Probably won't play a match, and that's fine for now.

On another note, I played my wife a set last weekend and I took 4 games from her........an improvement from 1 game 2 weeks ago!

Andy

[seawolf]

Hey gang I use to play tennis nationally and then just got burned out and away from it for 35 years.  I had my hip done last August in 2011 and in June of this year I stepped back on the court.  By July I was playing well and in August I was competing against kids half my age and younger.  Now that it is October I am playing like I did when I was 18 only not as quick around the net as i use to be and the game has changed a lot since the 15 ounce wooded racket days.  My goal is to play the national senior circuit next year if everything else holds together.  I figure if I am going to wear this puppy out it is going to be doing something I love.  I did not get a new hip to sit on my butt...LOL  What have found very useful though is deep tissue massage.  I had it done on my hamstrings, quads and how working on hips.  The is a lot of damage done with this surgery in other parts or the leg and it am trying to correct this as much as possible.   The more muscle's that open up the better and better I get around the court.  The last 6 weeks have been incredible and I am getting to balls I watched go by not that long ago.  Now all I have to do is figure out what type of racket is best for me.  What happened to the 2 choices I use to have!!!!!   Hang in there gang and just keep playing and playing and playing.  The more you play the better and stronger you get and that is at least what I am experiencing.

[imgetinold]

Congrats, Seawolf!  I wish I could claim to be that good.  As fate would have it, I have been put in the lineup for this Saturday.  My skills are still sorely lacking, particularly consistency-wise.  We'll see....

[hernanu]

Nice report, Seawolf! good to see you enjoying this.

[lyn]

Thats great to hear Seawolf...did you have a HR or a THR...lyn