I figured my body always would be able to repair itself. I think all of us believe that - until you begin to age and get hit with deteriorating joints.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
Aging is mostly the failure to repair.
I replaced three joints in my hips and one in my knee. I'm hoping that other knee doesn't have to be done. It's one of the toughest things to overcome.
Not many people know, but my joints are extremely hypermobile, and that's why I'm more prone to injuries. That's why most of my major injuries were with the joints. I had a career-threatening wrist injury where picking up a fork to feed myself was a problem, and the thought of playing tennis again was so far from my mind.
The body doesn't recover like it does when you're younger.
There are a lot of myths about my injuries. They say I have broken every bone in my body. Not true. But I have broken 35 bones. I had surgery 14 times to pin and plate. I shattered my pelvis. I forget all of the things that have broke.
Old age is a wonderful time of life. At least, that's what everyone tells you. But let me tell you: it is not true. What's true is that your hips, knees and ankles gradually give up on you - everything is quite dreadful, really. And it was a terrible thing to have told us because we believed it.
If you constantly pound your muscles, they'll never have time to repair.
I believe in aging gracefully.
I only have so much ring time that my body can endure. I've had four surgeries on my knees, arthritis in my neck, separated my shoulders, broken my nose. I'm just gonna hope that science advances faster than I can deteriorate. Because what am I gonna do? Put a perfect body into the ground? What's the point of that?
Fortunately, I'm very healthy, and my body is still intact. It hasn't aged very much, I feel like a very young 56. I exercise regularly, and when I do, I always learn new things about my body.