Patellar snapped in half.

[crabmeat thompson]

seriously ... what do you guys do when you can't surf? have you found other vices/ hobbies to get a release from? how do you burn your frustration off?

a few years back when I couldn't surf, I played basketball in summer and league in winter to keep me occupied. but now, I'm probs too old for that. So I'd need to totally recalibrate myself. Maybe I could take up photography seriously ... but even then I've never been much good at watching good waves be surfed while I document it on a freaking camera.

what do youse do?

[Beerfan]

Gym. I can get on the excercise bike as well. Part of my rehab ( that will realistically take another 6 months + to get as close to 100% as possible ) is squatting. Just about every possible variation of squats. Front squats, back squats, split squats, ball squats, one legged squats, bosu squats, 90degree squats. Then there's Romanian dead lifts, weighted step ups, one legged hamstring bridges, calf raises, wall sits. Wood choppers, and a thousand more. It is nowhere near as fun as surfing but i know it's helping me get back to surfing eventually.

[Donweather]

BF your rehab routine sounds very much like mine. I'm on the exercise bike every opportunity I can get. Physio said you can never do enough bike.

Braithy its doing my head in not being able to surf. That's why I haven't really looked at a weather chart of forecast for the last 6 weeks!!

[Spoon]

I have done a shitload of walking, read a lot of books and am trying for the 20th time to learn the guitar and am actually slowly progressing. I go down the beach with my mate for a coffee but that gets frustrating. I was hoping to be being allowed to swim by now so I am hoping that the surgeon gives me the ok next week. I have a trip to Plomer in Oct which was supposed to be my reward for getting back in the water and I am getting a little concerned I am not where I want to be at this stage yet. I think I underestimated my surgery.

[crabmeat thompson]

Ah shit hey. Good luck with it guys.

I moved to Alice springs when I tore my Achilles. Couldn't bear being near the ocean.

Good thing now is I never take a day in the water for granted. You guys will be there at some stage.

[Beerfan]

Seeing a doc today for a medical clearance to go back to work. No idea what a medical clearance means, but i think I should have no problems. My physio is writing a report for me to go back to work, but work require a clearance from a doctor.

I'll be ecstatic if I get it, and think I should but you never know with these things. I mean, I could get a super strict gp who expects me to be able to perform ballet or something dumb.

Seeing the surgeon on wed and I'll be asking about taking the wires out. Then it's a matter of finding a 4 week gap where I can get time off and the surgeon is free and the wires will come out. Then I'll worry about surfing.

[Beerfan]

Go back on sat. Excited and a little nervous .

[Beerfan]

So, I saw the surgeon. He's happy to take the wires out but wants to leave them In for 12 months, so march. By the time I book in, probably may or June next year.

I at least have a time frame now.

Looks like I'm going to be trying to surf with the wire in. Can't just wait that long without trying. I'm going to smash the gym/rehab for another month or so, then get the longboard down, clean the dust off, and apply a fresh coat of wax. Stuffed if I know how it's going to go, but I'm keen to find out.

[Donweather]

Did you ask him why he wanted the 12 mth timeframe?

[Beerfan]

Yeah, he believes if it gets taken out too early, that all the force whenever I straighten my leg will go through my patella. He'd like to give it a year to get as strong as it can. Not what I wanted to hear but jeez, if I got them out and it happened again, mate, I'm pretty much fkukked. So, I can't really argue about it. Do it once, do it right.

[Spoon]

Just got back from the surgeon, got the ok to start swimming in pools over 27 degrees, I had to laugh as said only breast stroke and dog paddle no freestyle. The good news is if it feels strong enough feel free to try a surf in 4-6 weeks. Just avoid cold water I plan to spend the next 4 weeks doing my stretches at any given chance and giving the rubber straps and pulleys a good work out. Just need a tiny day to get back into it and to decide whether to take out the 9'1" Tollhurst which is a bit lighter or the 9'6" Bob Brown for easier catching. Getting excited.

[Beerfan]

I'm hoping to do similar. Give it another month of squatting etc and then try to get the 9'1" wet. Might even just prone a few peelers if I can't get up.

October 1st or thereabouts it is then !

[Donweather]

OK, the biggest exercise the physio is demanding of me this week is to fecking go surfing!!!

So I’m back!!!

You can guarantee now the surf will be sh1t for the next 4 weeks at least!!!! And I’ve just looked at the latest forecast and it’s fecking howling onshore for the next week++!!!

FFS!!!

[steve shearer]

Don, you won't get you clean three foot beachies, but there'll be shitloads of surf at the Points.

[Donweather]

Yeah thanks Steve. Not my idea of a fun easy surf to ease the knee back into it. Shit fight on the points with a thousand other turds all trying to chop up my knee!!!!

[steve shearer]

onshore at the Points might spread the load......at least you'll get your paddle fitness up for Indo.

[Beerfan]

Nice don, I'm planning on getting in the water in the next few weeks. Bit nervous, I think it's small n fat on the longboard for a few months. Better than not surfing though.

You going to wear anything on your knee in the water ?. I've been told I might want to wear one of those neoprene sleeves. I've got one with a hole around the patella. Being neoprene it'll work fine for the water, although it kind if stiffens up the bending of me knee so I might not wear it.

I was planning in waiting til the wires come out but shit, that's 6 months away. I'll stick to dribbly waves and see how I go.

[Donweather]

BF my physio is not a fan of braces. He'd much prefer my knee to be stronger than wearing a brace. I just need this east coast low to feck off south so I can get a clean fun 2-3ft surf for my first surf back in the water in 2.5mths.