MY ACL STORY

Hello everyone :)
Around 7 months ago I tore my ACL and ever since then I sort of focussed on the negative points, and almost scolded myself for being so stupid on hurting myself on such a simple skill. So I decided that after surgery I would document my experience of the rehab and try to focus on the positive things that are happening with my recovery. I thought it would be good to look back on the good things from this whole ordeal, and also I thought it may help some other people who are going through this too, as I wish I had something like this to look at to reassure me that things were going to be ok.

Ok, so going back to the beginning:
I've always been an avid gymnast, ever since I was around 4 years old. I used to compete in competitions and I was actually quite good at what I did. Sadly, my local club shut down and I couldn't attend gymnastics anymore, this was when I was 10. It was only in 2012 that I got back into it all and it felt incredible to be back. Things were going so well and I was getting really stuck into what gymnastics was all about again.
However, back in August last year I had a bit of an accident! Whilst doing a pike jump off of the springboard, I was not quick enough to land in the correct landing position (with bent legs), meaning that I landed with straight legs *ALARM BELLS*. Instantly, I felt/heard a popping noise in my knee and I fell straight to the floor, and I knew from then that things were not good! I couldn't even look at my knee because I thought that I'd broken it or something.
One of my coaches ran over to me right away and started putting ice on it, but I was in such shock that I almost passed out - it was all very dramatic and extremely painful.

Me, 6 days after!

From that day, and for about 2 weeks afterwards I was in immense pain, and after seeing multiple doctors and nurses and receiving no answers, I was sent to physiotherapy. Here I worked on the flexion and extension of my knee and trying to get it back to normal. I was on crutches for about 2-3 months as I just couldn't trust my knee. From this point, I was constantly in and out of seeing my physiotherapist and my consultant. It wasn't until November that I had an MRI scan to see if they could find out what was happening, and it was in December that I finally found out I had torn my ACL. When I found out, I was more relieved than anything else because after 4 months of waiting and being told different things by different people, I finally had my answer and I could move forward. Of course I was extremely scared and nervous, and it was ok to be at this point. I'd never been to hospital for myself before so obviously I was bound to be nervous!

I was then referred to the hospital to have an appointment with a surgeon in January, and here it was confirmed that I would definitely be needing the ACL reconstructive surgery - but there was more waiting (surprise surprise), and this time it was just over 2 months. In this waiting time I was released from physiotherapy, and so I attended the gym at college once a week and I went for bike rides twice a week to get my leg muscles in the best possible place before surgery to ensure a more speedy recovery afterwards. And after just over 2 months of waiting my surgery was booked for Wednesday the 25th of March.

After receiving the date I was seen straight away for my pre-op assessment, where I was asked a million questions about my health and such. Following this I had a meeting with my surgeon for a final briefing and I also had to "sign my life away" (well not really, it was just to say that I understood all that was happening, but you know...). And then it was sorted and I was due to have my surgery on Wednesday.

This is just a bit of a background as to how I actually tore my ACL, and also it gives you more of an insight into the waiting times and how the process actually works. My next post will include the surgery and how the first week of recovery was, from the perspective of someone who actually went through it.
Let me know if any of you have ever torn your ACL, or have had any sports related injuries in general?
Stay positive and keep on being you x