[LifelongLoner]

I am posting this in the men's section in the hope that others will understand what it means to be athletic.

I have been a tennis player for decades. It was my passion and main social outlet. Over the years, I've had a litany of injuries but my passion for tennis did not wane. But now it seems that I will have to give up playing because of arthritis in my feet. After playing doubles, I cannot walk without extreme foot pain. Just standing is excruciating. The tennis court surface does not matter be it a hard court or a softer clay court. The pain lasts about 24-hours. I take Advil and rub my feet down with Ben-Gay. I have arches in my sneakers and wear thick padded socks. The pain would be worse without them but they are not enough to prevent what I go through afterwards.

Giving up tennis would create a huge hole in my life. Any sport where standing and/or running is involved is out of the question. I feel devastated. Watching tennis on TV only makes me want to play. I don't know what to do.

[redCanine3669]

some sports are "high-collision" physical activities that have a greater chance of injury. also maybe you are playing too much tennis. If you frequently do physical activity that works a muscle, that muscle can experience overuse. Try doing other activities that work out other body parts. You can try juggling while sitting down. You can also maybe do some boat rowing.