Comming off of knee surgery

[Demondrew]

I am getting over knee surgery and I can't get into my correct stance anymore. Pre shot routine is shot to heck. Very frustrating. Everything I am shooting is off to the left. Is it just a matter of retraining my eye, working on getting my knee to bend like it did before, a combination of these or something else?
AARGH!
Andy

 

[pooltchr]

If you are still recovering from the surgery, you might just need to give it time to heal before you can resume your original stance and form. If the surgery is going to require a permanent change to your stance, you will want to try and get your head positioned over the cue the same way you always have, and work to find a comfortable stance that allows you to get there. We can learn to adjust to almost anything. Look at the number of players who for whatever reason are confined to a wheelchair who continue to play very good pool.

Any lengthy layoff from pool will usually require a little time to regain the shooting accuracy. You may just need to give yourself enough time to get back in form.

Steve

 

[Demondrew]

Thanks, like most pool players I'm looking for a quick fix.
Andy

 

[pooltchr]

Thanks, like most pool players I'm looking for a quick fix.
Andy

Implant a bionic knee! :grin:

Steve

 

[Demondrew]

Implant a bionic knee! :grin:

Steve

That goes in the other leg.

 

[CocoboloCowboy]

Surgury take time to heal! Relearning thing you once knew. I have lived almost 7 x 24 in a KNEE Brace since Early May of 09. Just learning to deal with pool like before the brace. New brace due in 3-4 weeks will be more restrictive, so I will learn again. Would rather be in the brace than deal with surgury by and the VA.

 

[randyg]

Hi Andy

Know how you feel. Had a left knee replaced on Feb. 24th this year. Played in the BCA Nationals on May 8th. PAIN. It was worth it, now I don't ever think about my tin knee. It gets better.....SPF=randyg

 

[Demondrew]

Thanks, I appreciate the empathy. I'll get there.
Thanks to all.
Andy

 

[D-Rock]

yup, same thing here after my hip. I actually duct taped a spray paint top to the bottom of my crutches so I had a place to put my pool cue while hobbling around the table!!

 

[berlowmj]

physical therapy

I am getting over knee surgery and I can't get into my correct stance anymore. Pre shot routine is shot to heck. Very frustrating. Everything I am shooting is off to the left. Is it just a matter of retraining my eye, working on getting my knee to bend like it did before, a combination of these or something else?
AARGH!
Andy

At this point, you ought to be religiously following the stretching & strength training routine prescribed by your physical therapist.

 

[Roger Illinois]

Recovery takes time

I understand much of what you are going through. I became disable in February 2007 after a fall from a ladder and not playing for 20 years. It has taken me 11 months, but I am nearly where I was 20 years ago. I proved it to myself this last weekend at VNEA state championships in Decatur, IL.
Just keep on keeping on, and believe that you can overcome. My faith in God has been more help than most can fathom. Prayer are answered but not always how and when we imagine.
I am working on becoming better than I was, and I believe that I will get there.

 

[pooltchr]

Randy, by the time they get finished you are going to haveall new superhuman body parts. How the heck are we supposed to be able to keep up with you?????????

 

[Jaden]

I just adjusted my stance.

I am getting over knee surgery and I can't get into my correct stance anymore. Pre shot routine is shot to heck. Very frustrating. Everything I am shooting is off to the left. Is it just a matter of retraining my eye, working on getting my knee to bend like it did before, a combination of these or something else?
AARGH!
Andy

I had patellar reattachment surgery 6 weeks ago. They drilled four holes through my patella shaved off teh front part of the patella and threaded sutures through the hole they drilled to hold the tendon in place while the bone healed over it creating a seal.

I was playing wearing a brace with no attached patellar tendon a week after the accident that caused it and I was playing a week after the surgery.

I just had to adjust to having a different stance. It wasn't a big deal to me because it was similar to a former stance I used.

Don't know if this helps

 

[Demondrew]

Thanks to all. Got the sitches out today. PT starts on Monday. I have been through it before. . . do what they say and you get better.
Got clearance from the doc to play regularly, but what I'm doing now is frustratingly beating balls around the table.
I going to start some simple drills to see if I can find my stance and stroke. Everything still is off to the left.
Again, everyone, thanks for the good wishes.
Andy

 

[genomachino]

Had 2 surgeries back to back...........

I am getting over knee surgery and I can't get into my correct stance anymore. Pre shot routine is shot to heck. Very frustrating. Everything I am shooting is off to the left. Is it just a matter of retraining my eye, working on getting my knee to bend like it did before, a combination of these or something else?
AARGH!
Andy

Hi there Andy,

In 1996 and 97 I had back to back knee surgeries. At that time I was on top of my game. I limped around until 2009.

I don't know what kind of knee surgery you had but you need to strengthen that leg. The muscles kind of wither especially having 2 surgeries in a row. If you don't work out much you need to start or if you do you need to really work on that leg alot.

Depending on your surgery you should know what you can do for excercise and not do any damage.

In 2009 I had an injection called sindvisk (chicken protien) injected into both my knees. My knees had been damaged from undiagnosed diabetes. I had been wearing knee braces on both knees for 5 years.

Now I use no braces. I think the injections gave the one knee some time to heal a little but the diabetes was wrecking all my joints. I had it for a long time.

Bottom line, if you have trouble excercising and the knee is too painful mention this sinvisk to your knee doctor. It had been available for a long time and my doctor never said a work. That stuff almost works like a miracle.

As far as aiming you don't have as solid of a stance as you used to. Plus it might be kind of hard for you to practice much. As others have said on here you will have to adjust. Your body will tell you what you have to do. But as far as the aiming it's all about the eyes. No matter how you stand your body will follow your eyes...........

Good Luck Geno..................

 

[Quesports]

Takes Time!

Back in early 2008 I had a PKA, six months later all the implants had come loose and I had stress fractures in the top of my tibia. Sept 2008 emergency surgery to a TKA total knee revision with a block of trabecullar metal to replace part of my tibia which had to be removed. It has been about 15 months since the TKA and I am actually feeling fairly well. I'll never have the range of motion again and likely not return to construction but that's life. My advice is to stick with therapy and work out as much as you can, it will get better. I still ride my racing bike on my trainer to keep my muscles strong and the knee moving. My knee still gets stiff at times but it is as good as it will ever be at this point and generally I can play as much as I want. Not a lot of fun but generally the outcome is good for most.
Good Luck!

 

[Demondrew]

Thanks for the good thoughts. Therapy is improving range of motion and strength. I still can't get the proper set of my leg for shooting, but I can get around the table now.
Getting better every day.
Hey!, That might make a good line for a song. . .
Andy

 

[BobN]

Do your physical therapy without fail. I had a unicondular replacement on my right knee in Feb 07, then, when that one failed, a total knee on the same knee in Jan 08, then, after forgetting my age and falling while flyfishing in the river 9 weeks after that surgery, set my self up for a third and final prosthesis done the day before thanskgiving in 08.

I'm over a year out now, and after three surgeries, just now getting really comfortable in my "old" stance. It took persistence, but stay after it, and you'll get it back. Right now, I'm recovering from a Carpal Tunnel release done last Friday and I'm playing better pool than I have in years. Everything is comfortable, I'm hitting center pocket and the cue ball just seems to know where to go.

By the way, I had the same problem when I first got the knee surgery thing finished. I was missing everything to the left. Problem was that I wasn't able to get the same balance that I was comfortable with before the surgery. That balance is back with the complete recovery, so the shotmaking just came back with it.

Best of luck,
Bob

 

[Demondrew]

Just an update for all those who took an interest. I'm back! Therapy three times a week, doing the exercises at home and staying away from the table for a couple of weeks at the advice of my therapist. Started shooting about Christmas week. Played some straight pool yesterday and ran thirty nine. But the important part is it was the first day I felt good at the table.

If you have knee surgery let your therapist know what you expect threapy to do for you. He gave me specific exercises to help with balance as well as strengthening for the knee. I feel the recovery is complete.

Thanks to all.
Andy