Any basketball (or other contact sport) playing donors out there?

[Andrew Aharon]

Please share your post- donor nephrectomy experiences with me as I am considering my return to basketball.  Hard for me (a mere mortal) to relate to the experiences of Mourning and Elliott playing ball after receiving transplants.  My surgeon did not rule out future play but told me to try avoiding contact near remaining kidney (not the easiest thing to guarantee).

Did you quit?  Resume playing?  How long post-op did you take before starting to play again?  What level of play (competent, hack, etc)?  I'm interested to hear any and all successes and failures.  Thanks.

[Fr Pat]

My only sport is running, so I don't have any experience to offer you regarding other sports. However I have read that some donors play it safe and wear some sort of protective padding to reduce the chances of injury to the remaining kidney. It might also be helpful to investigate how many basketball players suffer kidney injuries during play. I haven't heard much about such injuries but I don't really know.
   best wishes,
   Fr. Pat (donor, 20020

[Andrew Aharon]

I'll answer my own post for future reference re: how long after surgery before playing basketball.  I first played at 7.5 weeks post-op.  She told me the kidney is well protected by muscle, and she didn't think I needed extra protection (flak jacket, padding, etc).  I felt fine playing and running full court, but I took it easy and did not jump much for rebounding.  I also avoided picks (on guys who I thought would run me over) as I did not want to expose my abdominal incision scar to a blow--instead of covering my jewels, I covered my abdomen.

[elephant]

Dear Andrew,

I'm glad you've been able to return to your favorite sport.  Make sure you don't dehydrate during summer games.

Love, elephant

[PA-C]

First-time poster here!

I am a potential donor; however, I do perform sports physicals. The idea that a person needs 2 kidneys to be cleared for contact sports is falling out of favor because the chance of injury is a theoretical one, not backed by enough evidence to sneeze at.

I will be more concerned about getting knifed in my neighborhood... (I guess I should buy some mace.)

[salman004]

I don't play contact sports; but I do play badminton at a very competent level.
Restarted games 3 months post donation (had some minor complications which delayed the restart).
Currently I'm 5 months out, and I feel that I've got the rhythm back - say at least 90% of it. (I have slightly adjusted my game play by being moderately offensive, as against highly offensive earlier; to adjust mostly for the stamina and strength part).
Every day, however, I go back home with some stiffness in the stitch area (probably due to overusing the muscles due to jumps and smashes); but the good thing is that even the stiffness has come down drastically. (It helps to take a break of a day or two in a week to recuperate).

Meanwhile, I believe the advice to not engage in contact sports is mostly aimed at being cautious in games like American Football, Rugby, Boxing, etc. than games like Soccer, BasketBall, etc. (I admit it does have some contact involved unlike tennis/badminton).

Advices from my personal experience (although I'm still on the learning curve):
1. Take more care of your stitches and area surrounding it than the other kidney
2. Take a break of a couple of days in a week (it really helps the stitch area to calm down)
3. Water, water, and water.

Best Wishes.

[Fr Pat]

Dear "PA-C",
     How about a T-shirt with: "Kidney donor. Please stab only on left side. Thanks." ?.
              Fr. Pat

[Big Maico]

While I don't play the Normal sports, I do engage in what some call a high risk sport!

I ride Motocross ( dirt bike on a race track) where I fly over jumps & ride through whoops (rolling bumps) that cause one's body to take a lot of impacts! I stated back after 6 weeks & my recipient, the Wife & several others said that much too soon.

But when my recipient went in for her 2 month check up, the Doctor asked her how I was doing?

When she complained that I was out riding my Dirt Bike the Doctor asked her how I said I felt. She told him that I said I was fine! He told her to let me keep doing it & my body would tell me right away if I should keep riding.

About 2 months ago I had a hard crash, but do to all the protection I ware I really did't suffer any injuries, just really sore.

What I'm trying to say is listen to your body, it will tell you if your over doing it!

Howard