The road to recovery.
As athletes, we feel invincible. Despite what I had been told I was completely convinced that a serious injury would never happen to me. I had heard doctors, athletic trainers, and even coaches describe the "pop" that more often than not accompanied an ACL tear but I always seemed to push these conversations to the back of my memory. Then one April day in 2016, when I least expected it, it happened to me.
I tore my ACL during the end of my freshman year season. For competitive athletes in high school, this was the most important time to get in contact with college coaches for recruitment. This injury couldn't have come at a more inconvenient time for my future soccer career. I was convinced I would not even be able to complete my high school soccer varsity career, let alone begin thinking about a college one. Although a the time it was hard to believe, I now realize suffering from this injury taught me many valuable lessons about perseverance and never giving up.
I remember the day like it was yesterday, even though it was about two years ago. I was playing for my high school team and we were playing in the Burlington showcase tournament. I was particularly excited for this weekend because this would be the only tournament our team would play in all year. As I laced up my cleats, I was feeling extremely confident in my level of play and was ready to help lead my team to a tournament victory.
The game began like any other game, we were dominating but the other team was not going down without a fight. I was marking a girl who was much bigger than myself, at the time a little freshman, but I knew I could handle her and I kept repeating the words "contain, don't let her get around you" in my head. I won the ball and now it was time to prove I was capable of maneuvering around her. But while trying to shield the ball from her, my left toes stayed planted in the ground as I tried to turn. I remember hearing the "pop" and experiencing excruciating pain shoot around my knee. I fell to the ground crying and holding my knee, not really sure what just happened. Within seconds the athletic trainer arrived to evaluate me and carry me off the field. By the time I was on the sideline, my knee was purple and had swollen up like a balloon. The athletic trainer assured me that I would be back on the field in no time but my gut feeling was telling me something different.
So I finished that tournament on the sidelines which was very challenging for me mentally. Upon arriving home, I received an MRI and the results were very far from what I had hoped. When the doctor told me I had tore my ACL it took everything in me to hold back the tears. I felt as though my whole word was crashing down and it was leaving me without the one thing that had always been in my life: soccer.
I only had one choice and it was to face this difficult reality and start taking steps toward my recovery. At my pre-op appointment, the doctor explained the surgery and recovery process. He told me that I had a long
road ahead of me, but I would get through it and become an even better player.
My recovery was a team effort and I never felt like I was alone. After surgery I used crutches for a few weeks before I was able to hobble around on my own. I was crazy to see how much muscle I had lost in the couple weeks I was non-weight bearing. The muscle in my left leg at one point was half the size of my left. As soon as I was able to walk confidently, I wanted to be back on the soccer field. Although I wasn't allowed to play, I attended every practice, game, and team dinner. I was determined not to lose my connection to my team and the sport I loved. I made it my goal to help me teammates and coach as much as possible. If I couldn't be on the field, I wanted my teammates to know they had my full support and they could count on me from the sidelines.
Throughout the recovery process, every week seemed more exciting than the last. I still remember the day I was cleared to begin jogging. Granted I was out of shape and every step felt awkward on my newly repaired ACL but I was excited to begin joining my teammates back on the field for conditioning. In total, it took me seven months to get back on the field playing non-contact and nine months to fully return to the game. I learned to never take a single game for granted. For me this whole recovery process was hard at times but it also was one of the most rewarding things I've ever accomplished.
road ahead of me, but I would get through it and become an even better player.
My recovery was a team effort and I never felt like I was alone. After surgery I used crutches for a few weeks before I was able to hobble around on my own. I was crazy to see how much muscle I had lost in the couple weeks I was non-weight bearing. The muscle in my left leg at one point was half the size of my left. As soon as I was able to walk confidently, I wanted to be back on the soccer field. Although I wasn't allowed to play, I attended every practice, game, and team dinner. I was determined not to lose my connection to my team and the sport I loved. I made it my goal to help me teammates and coach as much as possible. If I couldn't be on the field, I wanted my teammates to know they had my full support and they could count on me from the sidelines.
Throughout the recovery process, every week seemed more exciting than the last. I still remember the day I was cleared to begin jogging. Granted I was out of shape and every step felt awkward on my newly repaired ACL but I was excited to begin joining my teammates back on the field for conditioning. In total, it took me seven months to get back on the field playing non-contact and nine months to fully return to the game. I learned to never take a single game for granted. For me this whole recovery process was hard at times but it also was one of the most rewarding things I've ever accomplished.
Today I step on the field for every game and play as though it will be my last. Everyone will have different ways of coping with this process and that's okay; staying involved with your team will keep your mindset on your goal of recovering to your full potential. The biggest challenges that we face can be the most rewarding to overcome and today I am stronger both mentally and physically than I ever thought possible.