I've seen many people assume that they would never return to 100% athleticism post LL surgery. I am trying to better wrap my head around this and please consider my own analysis of the matter. Hopefully many of you who have gone through the surgery can offer their opinion.
My biggest gripe is that most of us are not "elite" athletes for our respective sport at the highest levels (college level, olympic, professional), instead many of us were quite athletic and high performance compared to our peers. I believe it is from this amateur (but fun) perspective in which many of us ask whether or not we can get back to "100%" athleticism post surgery.
To be at "100%" athleticism means to regain the highest potential your body could perform with external resources professional sportsmen would use today -> diet/ nutrition regimen dialed in, exercise/ professional trainers dialed in, sleep cycles dialed in, + other supplements to attain the highest physical level your body has the potential to be in to get to "100%" potential athleticism.
Given that most if not all of us did not have all these external resources to even know what our elite athletic potential was before, wouldn't it make sense that if we dedicated more focus on dialing in these factors post surgery we could quite easily mean get back to our former level, if not even more so if we are both motivated, had a good doctor, good recovery, etc?
Obviously if you were an elite olympic athlete, with all external resources and regimens dialed in, you will not be back to your 100% after this no matter what. But honestly, as amateurs is it really misguided to say that you have the potential to regain your former ability in agility, strength, balance, etc. and even beyond if you are focused on doing even more than what you did before surgery to get to a higher athletic potential? Let's say after surgery you have more time, drive, and resources to dedicate gaining ability back to the sport you love to do. Wouldn't it make sense that you should be able to regain former functionality and maybe even more so?
I'm not an elite athlete trying to win gold, nor am I professional athlete. I am however athletic, and regarded as so by my peers. I love lifting weights with a nice physique, I love to surf 4-5 times a week, and I love to dance (more freestyle at festivals) as I have great rhythm, coordination, and strength (I would hope to regain this at the same level post surgery). I also would like to play soccer again like I did in high school and be able to at least get back to my former level (not elite but competitive fun with my peers, think varsity level). I would also like to do BJJ (brazilian jiu jits) again as a blue belt, and hope to regain my former abilities same as before.
Would it be too naive to assume that I would not be able to do any of these as well as before forever despite my plan to further dial in the resources needed get back my former agility, strength, balance, etc or even beyond my former abilities?
Would love to hear from those that were athletic before their surgeries, specifically those who were determined to regain athletic function. How are you holding up?
I just turned 29, and as a 5'4 man I am thinking of gaining 3 inches from LL (around 8 cm??). Athletic function and the ability to walk/ run normally (without looking weird), and gaining former athletic ability + even more so is important to me and one of the biggest reasons why I have held back. At the same time, my world would absolutely change for the better with new height, and believe it will only benefit all aspects of my life. Please give me some insight or encouragement, thank you all much love!