Read my hips: it's a slow road to recoveryMichael Gleeson
July 7, 2011A MONTH ago, before his third hip operation this year, Richmond defender Kel Moore's playing days were in limbo.
Two operations in a month - one on each hip - and a positive meeting with his surgeon has given hope that the Tiger backman will return to senior football. But not this year.
The Richmond player will not be able to run again until at least October or November at the soonest. From there, it is a matter of building his body back to playing again. But at least he will play again and hopefully unrestricted and pain-free, which is a vast improvement on the outlook at the start of the season.
''I always thought I would get back, I am not sure they were as confident … everyone I spoke to said I needed this work done and I would have a very short career without it,'' he said.
Moore has had multiple operations on his hips since the end of last season. He had the first operation in September last year, another in February this year, then a third operation last month on the right hip and only last week the same operation on his left hip.
''The surgeon is now confident I will be back playing and so are the fitness and medical staff at the club,'' Moore said. ''The surgeons are confident now - and so am I - that I will be able to start running again in October-November. Then it is still a long road back after 12 months not playing to get the work in the legs and body.
''If I didn't love footy I would have hung up the boots and said, 'It is too hard'. But I love it and I have been through tough times at Richmond. I can see the good times coming and want to be here.''
Moore suffers from degenerative hips and has bone spurs that had worn away virtually all of the cartilage in the hip joints. The surgeons went in and shaved and smoothed the ball joint, which should provide some comfort and freedom of movement.
''I know I will need hip replacements in years to come … but hopefully these operations prolong that a bit too,'' he said.
''But the feeling was that if I got this work done, it would wipe out this year - but it should mean I can play for another two or three years.''
It was a case of less is Moore.
The news comes at a good time for the Tigers, whose difficulties in key defence were starkly illustrated on the weekend against Carlton in a performance coach that Damien Hardwick admitted was embarrassing and their worst of the season.
Richmond's problems in defence have been magnified by the injuries to Moore and young prospects Dylan Grimes, David Astbury and Ben Griffiths, who have all been denied the chance to add games of experience in the position. The club hopes the long-term key position roles will be filled by some, if not all, of these players.
Moore still hopes and expects that he can be one of those players.
A new and eye-opening experience during his recovery and rehab periods has been to spend time with the club's recruiters and forwards analysts. It has been part of his football education while his recent surgeries have forced him to put his ''work experience'' on hold with the Victoria Police - a job he is sampling with a view to what might happen next in life.
After his last meeting with his surgeon, he is hoping he has several more years crossing the white line before possibly joining the thin blue one.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/read-my-hips-its-a-slow-road-to-recovery-20110706-1h2j5.html#ixzz1RKrTYBxL
