I did a thing last week.
For the first time in 12 years, I played a game of basketball!
It seems crazy now, but I played regularly until I was
59. I didn’t play in high school,
choosing football instead. But I kept
playing whenever possible. Intramurals. Pick up games in the HPER
building at UT. Anywhere I could find a ball
and a basket.
After college, I played pickup basketball wherever I could
find a game. Springbrook Park. Sandy Springs Park. Everett Park. The Courts
at the Candy Shop in Alcoa.
I played in Parks & Rec leagues back when the “over 28”
league was considered the “old man’s” league. I played a few years in a church
league, but that one got too rough.
We had a standing game at noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays at
Maryville College and one on Sunday evenings at Maryville High school. That one went on for decades.
In 2013, my right knee problems just got too bad. I couldn’t
run, couldn’t cut. Never could jump much so that wasn’t impacted. After going off ibuprofen for a week before a
colonoscopy, I was achy for days.
So I quit playing basketball. I could still ride my bicycle without pain so
I had to be satisfied with that.
But oh, did I love playing basketball! Loved it.
In my dreams, I never missed, made great passes, and rebounded like
Dennis Rodman. But only in my dreams.
After I quit, I missed playing dearly.
But it just wasn’t prudent. Then,
in 2019, I had my right knee replaced.
The result was life changing. It had been years since I could run—now I
could run.
During the 2019 football season, before I got my new knee, a
white-hat referee made fun of how slowly I moved onto the field. In 2020, with a new knee, I made a point to
sprint past that same official on my way onto the field.
Yet, returning to basketball was never on my radar. I often thought I might be able to play
again, with the new knee and all, but never did. No real opportunities came up. Then, a patient of mine suggested that I join
this group of “older” players for a weekly game. She assured me I would be
fine.
So, I showed up. And played. It wasn’t really an “older”
group, but I didn’t care. For an hour
and a half I played, without coming off the court. It was heavenly. I couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn door
but the basics of my game were still there.
And although I doubled my Aleve before bed, I didn’t really hurt that
much. I do plan to go back but my work schedule often interferes.
For years, patients with knee replacements were told that
they could only do sedentary activities, like easy biking, golf, walking, maybe
doubles tennis.
I’m not going to tell you that you can do anything on a
replaced knee, but I know for certain that you can do more than you could
before replacement. Do the rehab and be
smart about it and you can do most anything. Although I still don’t recommend
jumping out of perfectly good airplanes.
