Staying in the Game

For all the amateur athletes out there who are runners, soccer players, tennis players, swimmers, skiers, yoga enthusiasts, speed walkers, softball players, kickball players, picklers, joggers, rowers, weight lifters, dancers, cyclists or any of the other dozens of recreational sports people engage in just for the enjoyment of moving, keeping active, competing or being part of a team, this Dinner with a Doctor is for you.

Gathered around a table on the Emory Point General Muir’s patio, this evening’s dinner is hosted by our two guides for the evening: Anna Cruz, an Emory physical medicine and rehabilitation physician and assistant professor of orthopaedics, and Bryan Whitfield, an Emory orthopaedic surgeon and assistant professor of orthopaedics. The questions started even before the entrées were ordered. 

“I’ve Had Three Knee Surgeries. Can I Keep Playing?”

Several panelists want to know about their knees. One asks whether multiple ACL tears mean the end of high-impact sports. Another wants to know whether repaired knees ever truly return to “normal.”

Whitfield is candid.

“Unfortunately, once you have an ACL tear, you are at significantly higher risk of arthritis down the line,” he says. “Even when it’s fixed, it’s never quite back to what it once was.”

“Reconstructing it does lower the risk compared to not fixing it, but it doesn’t reset the clock.”

Staying active matters. Strong muscles—especially around your hips and core—protect the knee. 

Recovery Isn’t Rest—It’s Strategy

One panelist admits they now avoid playing intense soccer games two days in a row. Another asks if there’s a smarter way to recover between games without giving up a sport entirely.

Cruz reframes the question.

Recovery isn’t just about stopping—it’s about redistributing stress. Cross-training, strength work and spacing high-impact activities can extend an athletic life by years. 

“My first question is always: what are your goals? What do you actually want to be able to do?” she asks. “It’s not about stopping activity—it’s about figuring out a strategy.”

Sometimes that means playing one game instead of two. Or staying after the game for the social part but sitting out the second match.

Fitness, Cruz notes, isn’t only physical. Sports provide community, identity and mental health benefits that matter just as much as cardiovascular numbers.

“I Keep Chasing a New Sport Because Something Always Hurts”

Running becomes swimming. Swimming becomes weights. Weights become dance. Dance becomes another injury. 

This cycle resonates deeply around the table.

“You’re not alone in chasing one sport to the next. A lot of people are doing that as their bodies change,” says Cruz.

Aging tissues behave differently. Tendons lose elasticity and recovery takes longer. Pain doesn’t always mean damage—but it does mean something needs attention.

The answer isn’t abandoning sports entirely, it’s choosing the right mix of activities and accepting occasional flare-ups as part of an active life. “Flare-ups are going to happen,” Cruz says. “The question is how we keep them from derailing everything.”

“Sometimes it’s not about playing more or less—it’s about playing smarter.”

Strength Training Is the Unsung Hero

Both experts return repeatedly to one theme: strength training.

“A lot of these problems come from a sitting culture,” says Whitfield. “The muscles that protect the joints just aren’t doing their job.”

This doesn’t have to involve extreme lifting or hours at the gym. Just a few times a week, focused on large stabilizing muscles—glutes, core, hamstrings.

“Gluteal strengthening is extremely important for your knees,” Whitfield says. “The way your kneecap tracks depends a lot on what’s happening up at the hips.”

“Ten to fifteen minutes, three times a week, of core and glute work can make a real difference—and it doesn’t require special equipment.”

Core stability protects hips and backs. Hamstring and quadriceps work reduces ligament injuries like ACL tears. 

“As we get older, we lose strength—that’s going to happen. Strong muscles are how you protect your joints,” he says. “Tendons aren’t as soft and stretchy anymore. That’s why strength work becomes non-negotiable.”

It’s also smart to work on balance, from taking part in an organized practice like tai chi to a rotating, single-leg stand at various times during the day. Better balance means less falls. 

Warm-Ups Aren’t What You Think

Stretching gets an update, too.

Passive stretching—holding a pose—is less useful before activity. What matters more is active movement, particularly before starting an activity. “Active mobilization before you exercise is huge—leg swings, squats, moving the joints, not just bending over and touching your toes,” says Whitfield.

“If you’ve been sitting all day and you’re about to go play, you should spend five minutes waking your body up first.”

Prepare your muscles for what’s coming. Ten minutes can be enough. But skipping it entirely, especially after a sedentary workday, is an invitation to injury.

When Should You See a Doctor?

The rule of thumb is simple:

• Seek immediate care for: a fall, a traumatic pop, a sudden loss of function or visible swelling.

• Use watchful waiting for: soreness or stiffness that improves within two weeks. 

• Make the call for: pain or dysfunction that lingers beyond that two-week window.

“Most of these things will settle down on their own but if they don’t, that’s when you get it checked out,” Whitfield says.

In some states, like Georgia, physical therapy can be accessed directly—no prescription required—for several visits. A short personalized course of PT can provide a helpful set of exercises.

“And if you’re a cancer survivor wanting to return to an active lifestyle?” asks a panelist.

“There are very knowledgeable oncological PTs for specialized rehabilitative treatment,” says Cruz. 

Aging and Adaptability

For female Weekend Warriors, say the experts, menopause is a time to take stock of your health and your options. Hormone changes can impact energy, mood and flexibility. 

The conversation turns to shoulders—particularly frozen shoulder, a condition several female panelists have battled quietly.

Cruz makes an important distinction: “True frozen shoulder involves a significant loss of motion, not just pain.” Shoulder pain can also be from conditions like tendonitis or bursitis.

Frozen shoulder can last for weeks or months, but often resolves over time. Physical therapy, injections or manipulation can speed recovery. If persistent limitation remains, see a medical provider.

Aging, someone sighs, is relentless.

“Yes,” Cruz replies, “but it’s also negotiable.”

The Takeaways 

As dessert plates arrive—cheesecake and chocolate cake, no apologies—the group reflects on what they’ve learned.

Aim to stay engaged, adaptable and informed.

Better glutes. Better balance. Smarter warm-ups. Fewer heroics, more consistency. Adapt to aging, but don’t give in to it. 

And above all: choose movement that brings you joy, whatever game, sport or activity that might be. 

Because as one panelist puts it, watching life from the sidelines is far worse than the risks of getting back in the game.

By Mary Loftus, Photography Jack Kearse, Design Peta Westmaas