ACL Recovery after Football

by Aaron Harris
(NY)

I am a 16 year old male who worked out intensely for the past 3 years to get where i am in sports. Daily training that started at 2:15 and ended at 9:00. I gained 50lbs in muscle and increased my speed tremendously to get the starting spot on my highschool football team as half-back, and break numerous track records. Well, this year, 3rd game of the season i had every athletes worst nightmare. Running with the ball i planted my foot to dodge a linebacker, and pop. My knee felt like it crunched. The sound was very very discomforting. Thinking nothing of it i limped off the field and saw a doctor the next day because of the swelling in me knee. Turns out i tore my acl, mcl, and meniscus. My dream of running college track , he claimed, was over. Im getting my surgery in 3 weeks, and the recovery is supposed to be 8 months. Screw him. i am going to work my ass off in PT, and train every possible way over that time to recoup my leg for summer training. This injury at first made me incredibly depressed, and if your reading this i know how you feel. All your hard work seems like it was for nothing =[. I hope to recover and train harder then i have ever imagined so that i may reach my goal of college sprinting.

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ACL Recovery after Football

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Mar 30, 2011
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im there with you
by: vann

iv been playing football since the fourth grade in pewee now that im in high school thats all that was on my mind was being on varsity well the very last game of my sophmore year to end a perfect season and start my varsity cereer in the last quarter i was playing linebacker and while planting my foot to make a tackle a gaurd cut me tearing my acl mcl pcl and minicus its been 4 month post op and even though i went into this thinking it was going to be hell it has been hard but iv been seeing lots of improvment and even though it gets so boring and takes so much time and work i know its all towards playing on friday nights but i feel your pain man well be back just the same... with a nice shiney brace

Jan 20, 2011
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Yes
by: Aaron

Im 3 months in, already up to a 180 squat. Well be back in no time. Thank you for the support, at times the passage really helps. Glad to hear your running. No one can tell us our potential as athletes

Jan 04, 2011
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I know how you feel
by: Brendan

I'm sorry to hear about what happened. I share the same dreams as you, and this past football season I tore my acl, meniscus, and my gastrocnemius (calf muscle). I tore it early in the season and every doctor i went to told me something different. first they said sprained knee. then they said meniscus, then i got my mri and it showed all 3 tears. I got a second opinion in a bigger city and there i was FINALLY 8 weeks after the initial injury getting surgery. I was told that i might be slow the first year in track and he told me to prove him wrong. So ever since surgery i've been loyal to my therapy and have been rehabbing hardcore. at about 8 weeks my progress was so great that the doctor cleared me to actually start running.. Keep the right state of mind, don't let what the doctor's say get to you, and work hard to be the very best you can be. I believe in you as I believe in myself. you can do it!

Nov 15, 2010
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thx
by: Anonymous

I really appreciate the comments, i just got the surgery with the patellar bone graph and am a week in. surgery blew but the pain is gone and i should be walking in another week. After you tore it how long until you could sprint again? share your story on the site im very interested!

Nov 10, 2010
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Keep it up!
by: Anonymous

First off, I am sorry to here about your knee going through this no matter what way you look at it sucks but keep your head up. You are 16 and still have a lot of time before college. 3 years ago I was in the exact same position as you. I wanted to play soccer at a D1 college and junior year I tore my ACL. Now I'm playing in college so it is possible. You have the right attitude in mind because if you want to come back, you will be able to. An ACL tear isn't a career ending injury. Since I play soccer I see at least one ACL tear on my team a year and they all come back. It is a long process and there are times where you may feel like you aren't improving but give it time and it will heal and you will come back. Good luck!

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