OSTEITIS pubis is an injury normally associated with rugby league and football players – not those who surf for a living.
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Port Macquarie surfer Matt Banting knows differently after the injury forced the 21-year-old out of the Pipeline Masters in Hawaii.
“I’ve been carrying a pelvic injury for the last 10 weeks. I still competed in the two previous competitions but it just wasn’t right,” he said.
“I couldn’t surf because I was in too much pain so I decided to come home.”
It’s a double blow for Banting as withdrawing from Pipeline means he will not be a part of the world tour in 2017.
He will have to return to the men’s Qualifying Series in pursuit of a place in the top 34 surfers in the world.
Banting said the pain over the last couple of months simply became too much.
"I lost a lot of drive over the last couple of years, but I wouldn’t change anything."
- Matt Banting
“It was a sharp referring groin pain, excruciating when sneezing or doing anything like that,” he said.
“I couldn’t free surf and was only competing in heats so was glad to get the MRI done and get the definite results.”
Banting was diagnosed with L4 and L5 trauma – a wear and tear injury resulting from spending time in the gym.
Despite the setback, Banting remained upbeat about returning to the World Tour in 12 months time.
“The last two years haven’t been the happiest two years of my life because they’ve been the most pressuring,” he said.
“I lost a lot of drive over the last couple of years, but I wouldn’t change anything. Everything happens for a reason.
“Outside of my fifth place in France a couple of months back I haven’t done too much that I’ve been happy with.”
Banting said it was a reminder that money doesn’t always buy you happiness.
“You can have all the money in the world, but a lot of people can’t handle it and it’s definitely been a learning curve for me,”
While not an ideal Christmas present, the setback won’t effect Banting’s sponsorship chances.
“It’s a new chapter and I’ll be starting fresh; it’s time to get back to work,” he said.
“I can’t wait for the body to be 100 per cent.”
Banting will now spend time away surfing up on the North Coast before returning to Port Macquarie for Christmas and then starting again in 2017.
“It’s now a 12-month program to re-qualify back on the WQS.”
“It’s a new chapter and I’ll be starting fresh; it’s time to get back to work."
- Matt Banting
