ALMetro360

A Road to Recovery B Y K IMBERLEY C ARTER S PIVEY P HOTOGRAPHY BY S TEPHEN P OFF L ET ’ S FACE IT , BEING AN ATHLETE ISN ’ T EASY . I T INVOLVES MORE THAN COMPETING IN SPORTING EVENTS AND WEARING A “ COLORFUL ” UNIFORM . F OR DECADES , CONTENDERS ALL OVER THE WORLD HAVE ENDURED THE RIGORS OF INTENSE TRAINING AND CONDITIONING , SORE MUSCLES , STRAINED LIGAMENTS , AND EVEN BROKEN BONES . W HILE MIND OVER MATTER REMAINS TO BE THEIR “ HOLY GRAIL ” MANTRA , SPORTS ARE CERTAINLY NOT FOR THE FAINT OF HEART . T O BE AN ATHLETE , IT REQUIRES DEDICATION AND TRUE GRIT … LOVE OF THE GAME . hen it comes to endurance, stamina and agility, 70-year-old Dan McGinty is no amateur. A disabled U.S. Army veteran re- siding in Wetumpka, Alabama, who’s known as a lifelong endurance athlete for bicycle riding, took an unexpected health journey in 2016. Like most people, he enjoys doing the things he loves (recreational activities) and some of his favorite hobbies, including bicycle riding, playing in a band, traveling and home renovation projects. But unfortunately, those things were becoming quite difficult to do at the level he was used to. As a sportsman, McGinty was familiar with the normal aches and pains that typically wouldn’t slow him down. For five years, however, he expe- rienced hip, lower back and upper leg pain and stiffness. Imagine being physically fit and enjoying the things you love and then struggling with day-to- day mobility while walking long distances, driving for more than an hour, sitting in one position more than a fewminutes, getting up from a chair, or picking up items off the floor. Those were the alarming circumstances McGinty faced and he realized he needed to seek treatment. After seeing his regular physician, his test results revealed arthritic hips with bone-on- bone contact. LIVING WELL ......................................................................................................................... 40 AL/ Metro 360 www.almetro360.com W