Carissa's ACL Story

by Carissa
(Oregon, WI, USA)

Hey everyone! I tore my ACL playing soccer. I play Center Midfielder on my school's soccer team. I had the ball and was dribbling down the field when I saw one of my forwards was open so I passed, but the other team intercepted, lucky (or not so lucky) for me the girl had a bad trap and the ball came back my direction. I was trying to beat another girl to the ball and I pivoted on my left leg. I felt this weird tearing in my left knee and hear this POP sound. The next thing I knew I was laying on the ground in some pretty intense pain. The Referee was asking me if it was my ankle and I remember thinking, Uh..Yeah, its my ankle that's why I'm holding my knee! But anyway I had some severe pain from behind my knee toward the outside.

When my coach and Dad got out in the field they helped me to my feet and helped my off the field, they practically carried me because I couldn't put an weight on my knee whatsoever.

I stayed for the rest of the game(which we won!) and then my dad took me in to the Urgent Care. We waited forever and ever but finally we saw a Doc and got x-rays done, by this time the pain had really gone down and I was convincing myself that it was just a sprain and that it was nothing serious. Yeah, I'd be out for the season, but the season was practically over, and there's always next year right?!

The Doc came back in and told me that the x-rays were fine, but I should have an MRI done just to check. The ER gave me crutches and a brace that I was supposed to wear for the next couple days.

We had the MRI done and the Doctor called us and told me that my ACL was torn. We got the call while my mom and I were out shopping, I was really surprised and in shock for awhile I went home and looked at a calender. It really hit me then that I was out for 6+ months. The hardest thing right now is knowing that I'm not going to be playing volleyball and probably not basketball my Senior year.

We scheduled my surgery with a very good surgeon who specializes in this type of knee recon. so I feel pretty good about that side of things. It really helps knowing that the Doctor is really good at what he does. I'm still really nervous about surgery, and the therapy after. My surgery is July 16th.

Today I have a PT appt. because my range of motion isn't what it needs to be yet for surgery.

I have a good friend who also tore his ACL this year and is 4 1/2 months post op. He was just cleared to start jogging and jumping so its a huge encouragement to know that someone else has been through this and made it out fine.

Thank you for this site! Its soo cool to read about other ppls experiences! Thanks!