What comes after surfing?

[Outside]

Age doesn't always come at you with a lack of strength or flexibility, I'm actually good on those. Last year I was running on hard sand, felt a strain in my forefoot. The next time I felt it was a few days later when bodysurfing as I pushed off the sand to get the last little 20 foot ride onto the sand. Like someone shot me through the foot. Some kind of tendon tear (capsulitis and metatarsalgia were mentioned) in my forefoot, that along with my long standing Morton's Neuroma pretty much crippled me. Doc wanted to either put me in a cast or a boot, I went for working on footbed alterations and conservative self healing. For the past year I have been getting healed to the point that I can walk on sand again without re-injuring the foot. Now at a point where I can get back in the water. Podiatrist says it is combination of trauma and just a lot of miles. Hoping for the best, will be prone for a least the near future, mats and body surfing and no hard push-offs that stress the forefoot.

Best wishes nedsurf for a speedy and complete recovery. I have injured my toes a few times but your description brought back a late Fall session with friends after an end of season hurricane. Minor injury by comparison to be sure. The water temperature was just cold enough to require booties but I had left mine at home. I recall getting stuck in the lip of a DOH wave and tried in vain to drive the nose down the face. I slid my left foot as forward as I could slide it and forced as much weight as I could transfer to my lead foot. I hadn't noticed that in the cold water I'd lost all feeling my toes and was unaware that I had rolled my next to the big toe under the ball of my foot and when I stomped down my toe snapped. I recall feeling this kind of breaking a soggy nacho feeling but nothing else. Of course, I got rolled around in the shorebreak and made my way to the beach. Still nothing until I put my weight on it and the sand twisted the floppy end of my toe in every direction. I fell to my knees and then tried to walk on my heel but that would just sink deeper into the sand until the flaccid toe was pushed around again. I crawled on my knees back to my truck, drove home and taped the now craneberry colored toe to my big toe. I was reminded with every step how easy it is to take for granted when all systems are running freely. It sucked and is no where near the ordeal that you are fearlessly overcoming. My prayers go to you for a quick and thorough recovery and I wish you all the best. By the way, on the bright side, I now can guess pretty well when it's going to rain thanks to my repaired bony barometer.

 

[Skeg1]

Surfle comes after surfing in the dictionary.

Lol

 

[surf1ng]

Best wishes nedsurf for a speedy and complete recovery. I have injured my toes a few times but your description brought back a late Fall session with friends after an end of season hurricane. Minor injury by comparison to be sure. The water temperature was just cold enough to require booties but I had left mine at home. I recall getting stuck in the lip of a DOH wave and tried in vain to drive the nose down the face. I slid my left foot as forward as I could slide it and forced as much weight as I could transfer to my lead foot. I hadn't noticed that in the cold water I'd lost all feeling my toes and was unaware that I had rolled my next to the big toe under the ball of my foot and when I stomped down my toe snapped. I recall feeling this kind of breaking a soggy nacho feeling but nothing else. Of course, I got rolled around in the shorebreak and made my way to the beach. Still nothing until I put my weight on it and the sand twisted the floppy end of my toe in every direction. I fell to my knees and then tried to walk on my heel but that would just sink deeper into the sand until the flaccid toe was pushed around again. I crawled on my knees back to my truck, drove home and taped the now craneberry colored toe to my big toe. I was reminded with every step how easy it is to take for granted when all systems are running freely. It sucked and is no where near the ordeal that you are fearlessly overcoming. My prayers go to you for a quick and thorough recovery and I wish you all the best. By the way, on the bright side, I now can guess pretty well when it's going to rain thanks to my repaired bony barometer.

Ouchhhhhhhh. I have recently recovered from a big toe injury from a skateboard slam… it was super painful but nothing compared to your toe injury. That made my eyes water.

 

[Outside]

Ouchhhhhhhh. I have recently recovered from a big toe injury from a skateboard slam… it was super painful but nothing compared to your toe injury. That made my eyes water.

Thanks surf1ng. Just the gradient of experiences: mine is pretty insignificant compared to nedsurf's. When patients would ask "How are you?" or "Hows everything?" I'd reply that every time I have a complaint someone has a better one. Like everyone, I've had some hurdles along the way and then I'd read something like the experience shared by Ned, or Bruce Fowler, who deal with or have dealt with some major problems and overcame the worst of it. Without hearing their stories and those like them one can feel alone with our problems. Then you hear these inspiring Phoenix like recoveries and know that where all ducks in the same pond, floating along serenely, while underwater our feet are paddling madly to keep up. I hope this conveys my thoughts on this but like all the things I typt, I'll likely return to edit it and correct some spelling. -DT

 

[paipodude]

I used to worry about it, lose sleep over it, plan my entire life around it (job, family, etc)....not exactly sure when, but I guess I gained perspective at some point, no longer let it be the "end all be all" to life. The only one it was really doing any good for was me....no one else. That part bothered me, so I quit idolizing it and making it the number one priority and started using talents elsewhere. I know it's different for each of us, but for me, it lost its luster once I gained perspective and I saw it for what it really is....an extracurricular activity, like water polo, or soccer, or skating. There is a kid I used to follow on social media. He is one of the best LBers in Southern California, but his profile says "pajama time is all the time". I think that summed up surfing for me.....like "play time is all the time". NO...it isn't. There is also time to raise family, become a protector, be a better citizen for the community, defend women and children, etc....be an adult and a contributing member rather than a consumer. Surfing is just play time...that's all it is.....and if anyone has taken a look around at the world these days, play time (or pajama time) is definitely NOT all the time. Kinda shameful really. This probably doesn't answer your question, or maybe not what you wanted to hear, but there is really is life outside of this vain pursuit we justify by calling it "soulful" or "an addiction" or whatever. It's just play time....and that never really did anything for anyone worth talking about for more than 5 minutes.

There is a mental and physical benefit from being out in the ocean and riding the waves, standing, kneeing, prone, body... at least if one is not in a hassling overcrowded situation. Being out in the ocean is rejuvenating, the mind clears, you soak up some sunshine (some place more than others), get some exercise... many, many positives.

 

[paipodude]

On the paipo-bellyboarding spectrum, it isn't necessarily a panacea for the aged, but can be a great alternative to work around the disabilities that come at us at any age... and yeah, being Medicare-eligible (65+) does present many debilitating opportunities.

My surfing history started out as a longboarder, quickly to becoming a shortboarder when the Aussies showed up to Rincon PR in Winter 67/68. I also started bellyboarding at that time. By 1970, I was probably 90 percent riding prone. For the joy of it

For folks considering paipo/bellyboard surfriding, I'd suggest wandering over to the paipo forums or the Facebook page, for more input from practitioners:
https://mypaipoboards.org/forum3/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/72882930079

One consideration in working around different disabilities and figuring out what length/width of board would be best-suited, is asking the question, "How will I paddle out to the break, position and catch waves?" If your legs-to-feet are going to be a propulsive force and you will use your arms for paddling, you will want a board approaching head high. If you can use your legs to motor you around then a board sternum high (or ~80 percent of your height) might work very well. A little bit of board thickness (from the stringer to the rail) can mitigate width and length floatability issues). Beyond those specific factors the debate rages on skegs/finless, plan shape, rocker, materials... and so on.

I am approaching 70 and still riding a lot of different waves, but have noticed, looking back the past 15 years, that I am not going out in 12+ ft. much anymore or riding bone crushing shorebreak. Have fun!

 

[XXX]

I think the dudes at the 10:45 mark pretty much got it figured out!

Watching this made my morning session. Glassy but weak shifty peaks that would occasionally shack. Plenty of people who could catch, but few who could ride what was on offer. By sniffing around you could connect with brief sandbar sections that would pitch before moving into deeper water or, going the other direction, sometimes stand up and run. Custom made 5' paipo quad with flippers on the small flexy side. Sometimes the Universe makes clear that things will be what they are and making the most of it is enuff. Today's message was keep your head on a swivel when paddling in.

 

[JP]

Here is a video of one on my buddies Rick. He is 70+ and I think he found a solution. In addition to water time he makes videos for his YouTube channel and works with Sunova spreading stoke year around.

I love his channel. I think he is mentally younger than a lot of my friends.

I love his videos!