It was an ordinary team match on a typical autumn evening in Sakskøbing. In the sports center’s hall A on courts 2-5. Between their first team and Vordingborg 2 in the top series in the Lolland-Falster Kredsen.
My team match season number……47, that’s about it!
The weather was perfect for badminton! Dark and full of moisture and rain.
Actually, I shouldn’t be playing at all.
Last week I received a digital invitation (….summons?, invitation?) for hip surgery on November 27th at 07:30.
The fact is that in the last 4-5 months I have been on the pitch for a maximum of 60 minutes a week. The hip, or corrects the pain, but probably mostly reason….after all, has not allowed more. And even the few minutes of play have meant quite a lot of trouble in the days that followed, getting socks and shoes on the right foot. But those few minutes have been necessary. It is hard to do without the game and the community!
But on Wednesday evening, I played a team match that, in the larger perspective, was completely insignificant. As a reserve. I want to believe. The second within the last month. Decided to take some medical help, 800mg of ipren an hour beforehand and do a thorough warm up. Basically, I have banned all painkillers in these months, after several years before with a combination of 1 g of panodil and 200-800 mg of iprene – depending on mood and feeling, several times a week when I had to play.
Regular medical pain coverage doesn’t work. It is unsustainable. Silly. Unreasonable. But then, that’s how we often are, us older and worn-out amateur players. We simply want to enter the green rectangle, almost regardless of the cost.
But it’s not just the hip that it’s crazy about.
Groin pain is a well-known, accompanying symptom, and in addition a stiff lower back and sore gluteal muscles due to the tensions that it wholly or partially unconsciously accompanies when the hip hurts. An injury often causes pain elsewhere in the body due to the compensatory movements and tensions.
And on top of that comes a sore right shoulder. Ouch ouch. More pity!
I’ve simply been doing too many arm stretches and shoulder exercises at home on the living room floor lately. In other words, in addition to the exercises which were primarily supposed to strengthen the muscles that must be cut through by the surgeon during the upcoming operation. I have performed the strengthening and stretching exercises daily since 2017, when I became seriously aware of hip wear and tear and the future replacement of biological bone with titanium or a plastic alloy.
In other words, my body is ready for the procedure.
However, the operation has been postponed until after Christmas and New Year due to the shift schedule at my workplace. This year, it is my turn to take the 24-hour round-the-clock duty at the housing facility on the 21st-22nd. and December 24. And that roster could easily be jeopardized if complications in the form of inflammation or the like arose. My managers didn’t want to risk that and asked me to postpone.
My God, 2-3 months from or to, after years of preparation doesn’t mean much. Just getting ready for July 2025 when we are a small group of badminton players including family making a return visit to our Japanese friends in Tokyo. I don’t think I’ll be able to get enough of that? I think so. Recently, in Kolding, at an Italian restaurant with my boyfriend and older sister, I met Erling Schulz. A former club friend. He said he was skiing only 3 months after his first hip surgery. It will probably work. This is standard operation. Assembly line operation.
It is now day 4 after the match at Lolland. Wednesday’s iprener made me almost pain-free on the pitch. But the repressed pains have subsequently taken their revenge.
Has it been worth it?
What a question.
Of course it’s worth it!
….and necessary!
“At our age, the unlearning curve is fairly steep downwards with standstill and inactivity. It’s the worst thing you can do at our age. Stop up. Stand still. Take a break. The muscle and fitness reduction is colossal. The built-up strength is pulverized with express speed. It’s actually a little scary how quickly it happens.”
“At my age, both body and mind must be kept active. Constant. Regularly. With movement, exercise and sport. Everything counts. Also taking the stairs rather than the escalator and elevator. And the mind with reading, curiosity, continuous updating in relation to the outside world and new learning. The development train rumbles out there with ever-increasing speed and I must honestly admit that it is difficult to keep up. The urge to get off the train and just watch it go on, drive on, drive by, from a soft chair is tempting. But it doesn’t work.”
From my post “The fight on the half court. A revival” 25.12.2019
As I said, we badminton players do stupid things to be allowed to play with rackets and shuttlecocks.
Silly, but completely conscious choices.
We accept the pain afterwards with open eyes.
Life must be lived, and for us it is almost life to play this game.
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Badminton magazine ❤️🙏🏻🇩🇰 Per Damkjær Juhl
