six months ago, i tore my acl for the third time. i was distraught. heartbroken. devastated. i thought i would never play soccer again. i refused to have another reconstruction, not just because of the physical rehab but because i knew, mentally and emotionally, i just couldn’t go through that again.
so i asked my doc, can i try and play without an acl? his response: you can. but probably only 1 in 100 people can do it. are you that one person? probably not given your history of acls, but it’s worth a try. let’s start with three months conservative management and go from there.
i hit the gym hard for four months. i strengthened i stabilised and i succeeded. i returned to training and completed two pre season games, and tonight, six months after tearing my acl, i’m making my official comeback by playing in round 1 of the wnpl.
the truth is, no one really knows what’s going to happen in the future. my doc’s advice was based on sound knowledge. and the stats? those are based on the reality that not many people have even attempted to play without an acl. the more we challenge limitations, the more opportunities that will unfold. and not just for ourselves, but for others too. once we see one person achieve something, it makes it achieveable for us too. representation matters.
so are you choosing to be confined by the limitations of others, or are you choosing to defy the odds and lead a movement?