I've picked up some soreness in my left heel and my right knee. having last two nights off has helped. But now my back and shoulders are sore from all this snow removal!:confused:

I know of a couple referees who have had knee replacements, and continued to run the courts. I've been of the understanding that it's not really a good idea though. What has your orthopedic surgeon told you about going back to the hardwood?

ortho advice
 

His advice was this. Just like normal knees the more active you are the more wear and tear they get. Thus the more active you are the faster they wear out. You can sit on the couch all the time and get a few more years out of them but is that really the reason you wanted to get them in the first place? He said limit jarring them, ie jumping etc...but otherwise do whatever I want to, to be active, keeping in mind I may be wearing them out a little more quickly.

After 12 knee surgeries I am putting a Carticel Implant on my To Do list in about 2 years!! Hopefully by then a microfracture won't be necessary.

Rich, don't make the same mistake I made and allow that knot to develop without seeing a podiatrist. I have an appointment next Wednesday. I'm interested to see what treatments options I might have.

I stretched it out well tonight and it feels better than it has in a week. No problems during the game. A little tight after a long car ride, but that's not unexpected.

If the stretching exercises don't make it better in a week or so, I'll head to the doc. I'm not used to pain since I lost a fair amount of weight -- and I'm not liking it. I went without ibuprofen, since I forgot to take any with me.

12? wow...mark schlereth tips his hat to you.

thanks all for the input on this thread. have already tried the achilles stretches and ordered the achilles gizmo. bring on the last month of the season!!!

Hydrate before and after games. I am suffering through achilles, shin splints, and plantar pain. Stretching is vital but a fellow football official showed me a trick with athletic tape. Wrap once around arch for plantar pain and take a strip vertically up achilles and one wrap top and bottom will give you support on achilles. I keep a small piece of theraband to help stretch achilles... Good luck.

I ended up at the doctor last week for my Achilles. He said I had very good strength, probably just a bad case of Achilles tendinitis. He prescribed me a once-a-day anti-inflammatory and I bought some new workout shoes with stability insoles that provide better support. I also took the week off from my usual cardio routine.

Fortunately for me, I was off on a business trip Monday through Wednesday (I didn't have anything scheduled -- my first Tuesday off all season) and my Thursday game was postponed due to a teacher sickout. So I only worked one game last week and had chance to rest.

Back to my usual routine on Monday -- an hour of cardio at lunchtime and a game in the evening. I'd say the foot is at about 80% and once the game starts pretty near 100%. The inserts in my officiating shoes have helped.

Yeah, it's all about the kids!

Well, in WI its sure as heck not about teachers, nurses, EMT's ........ maybe it's a good lesson to learn early in life :(

I didn\'t lose a single game, though. They\'re making up Thursday\'s game. My kid will make up her one day of school at the end of the year. She\'ll be there -- unless we have something else planned, of course.

Working a juco men\'s playoff game tonight. I\'ll need the heel if they run up and down like they did the last time I worked them.