A Mental Fight
Nickname: – JA
Your Age: – 19
City: – Binghamton
State/Country (if outside U.S.): – NY
Sport/Activity: – Soccer
Tell Your Story / Post a Follow Up: –
Tearing my ACL was a feeling ill never forget, the pop, the pain, and the instant worry that it what just happen isn’t good. Playing D3 college soccer, as a freshman I dominated the field started in most of the games and played the full 90 minutes. as a sophomore i worked my butt off on and off the field and did everything to get ready for preseason. the 4th day of preseason i pulled my quad in a shooting drill and for 3 weeks was playing with it pulled. one game it wasn’t even a league game it was a scrimmage I didn’t go to the AT and heat, and I wrapped myself. the pain was awful playing so my coach took me out and choose not to start and play me the second half. our team was tied 1-1 and my coach needed a goal and asked to put me back in. I was in for a total of 5 minutes we scored, and i managed to take a wrong step and herd a pop. My teammates on the bench thought it wasn’t anything because it happen close to them and then when I came off the field one of the players who was behind me on the field was like “i heard a pop also” and from then, hearing those words i knew it was my ACL. I was mis diagnosed that my ACL was partially sprained, then when i met with a surgeon, he said my ACL, MCL, and medial meniscus was all completely torn and I did need surgery, after gaining full ROM before surgery, it took 2 hours of being drilled into to lose everything completely and im sure everyone knows this struggle. 16 years of playing soccer and my muscles wernt strong enough to lift my leg up. 2 days after surgery i was able to lift my leg up by my self 3 times and i was the happiest person ever. I got off to a slow start because the physical therapist I went to that was up near my college was awful. didnt push me at all. I was in the brace for 2 more weeks then i should of been and he required me to use 1 crutch for 3 weeks more then I should of! It took me 6 weeks to gain full flexion again but I did it! now I am 11 weeks out and making incredible progress. I am! allowed to run next week, my balance in my bad leg is 100% better then my good leg, my muscle is still atrophied but i was able to squat with 25 pounds on the bar. the feeling of progress after a traumatic event like tearing your ACL, is more of a mental fight. You have to be conscious that you cant favor your good leg because that putting yourself at risk again for your other ACL to be torn. You cant give up because it is extreamley hard especially the first month after surgery. the feeling of fullness you get or the painful brusing. it is awful, especially sleeping. I was lucky enough to be able to use a CPM machine for 4 weeks which helped alot.
Your Age: – 19
City: – Binghamton
State/Country (if outside U.S.): – NY
Sport/Activity: – Soccer
Tell Your Story / Post a Follow Up: –
Tearing my ACL was a feeling ill never forget, the pop, the pain, and the instant worry that it what just happen isn’t good. Playing D3 college soccer, as a freshman I dominated the field started in most of the games and played the full 90 minutes. as a sophomore i worked my butt off on and off the field and did everything to get ready for preseason. the 4th day of preseason i pulled my quad in a shooting drill and for 3 weeks was playing with it pulled. one game it wasn’t even a league game it was a scrimmage I didn’t go to the AT and heat, and I wrapped myself. the pain was awful playing so my coach took me out and choose not to start and play me the second half. our team was tied 1-1 and my coach needed a goal and asked to put me back in. I was in for a total of 5 minutes we scored, and i managed to take a wrong step and herd a pop. My teammates on the bench thought it wasn’t anything because it happen close to them and then when I came off the field one of the players who was behind me on the field was like “i heard a pop also” and from then, hearing those words i knew it was my ACL. I was mis diagnosed that my ACL was partially sprained, then when i met with a surgeon, he said my ACL, MCL, and medial meniscus was all completely torn and I did need surgery, after gaining full ROM before surgery, it took 2 hours of being drilled into to lose everything completely and im sure everyone knows this struggle. 16 years of playing soccer and my muscles wernt strong enough to lift my leg up. 2 days after surgery i was able to lift my leg up by my self 3 times and i was the happiest person ever. I got off to a slow start because the physical therapist I went to that was up near my college was awful. didnt push me at all. I was in the brace for 2 more weeks then i should of been and he required me to use 1 crutch for 3 weeks more then I should of! It took me 6 weeks to gain full flexion again but I did it! now I am 11 weeks out and making incredible progress. I am! allowed to run next week, my balance in my bad leg is 100% better then my good leg, my muscle is still atrophied but i was able to squat with 25 pounds on the bar. the feeling of progress after a traumatic event like tearing your ACL, is more of a mental fight. You have to be conscious that you cant favor your good leg because that putting yourself at risk again for your other ACL to be torn. You cant give up because it is extreamley hard especially the first month after surgery. the feeling of fullness you get or the painful brusing. it is awful, especially sleeping. I was lucky enough to be able to use a CPM machine for 4 weeks which helped alot.
"Could I have been playing harder or faster so I would have avoided being hurt? When I received a photo of the play that caused my injury I felt better..."
Leave a Reply