Anna Marie's ACL Tear. I will be Better!

by Anna Marie

I'm 15 and I tore my acl playing in a high level travel soccer game, on April 9. It didn't hurt, I could still walk, but I knew something was wrong. I started physical therapy immediately after finding out it was an ACL tear. 3 weeks after tearing my acl, I can fully bend and straighten my knee. I ride the bike for 10 minutes everyday, and do simple exercises. My quad/thy muscles on my right leg have weakened unfortunately. I can even do yoga, and shoot basketballs, though I'm probably not supposed to. Surgery is May 9th, exactly a month after the incident. I can't wait as it will bring me closer to playing soccer again!

For all those who have recently torn their acl. It's not the end of the world! You'll be back to playing your sport before you know it. I know that through hard work, Ill be back playing soccer, at the same level I was before. Personally, my goal is to come back even better than before. I know that through therapy I can really focus on strengthening my core and my leg muscles. (my leg muscles were already strong before incident) but i plan to make them stronger, and increase my balance and flexibility. Your speed, doesn't come from your knees, it comes from your core, hamstrings and quads. So don't worry about losing your speed. In 3 months, the doctor said I'll be ready to run. Again I will work so hard in therapy that I plan to run before 3 months. Once I can run and bike, I'm going to get in the best shape I ever was. I won't be able to play soccer yet, but I will still be in top shape from running, biking, doing my physical therapy, swimming, and yoga! I plan fill up on protein, and all the other important nutrients that help the body to become stronger! In 6 months I think I'll be playing soccer again, and I will be better than before, so will you!
Good luck to all of you!