“that’s quite the scar you have there”

I was at one of my sister’s friend’s grad parties yesterday sitting there eating cake. A random lady came up to me and said “Wow, that’s quite the scar you have there!” pointing at my long kneer scar from my ACL surgery. Honestly, I was a little surprised…nobody had ever been so brutally honest about my scar!

I honestly don’t mind my scar. I mean, it’s part of me, right? It’s part of my history. I would not be the same athlete that I am now if that had never happened. I honestly know that I am a much different basketball player than I was before I had my injury. I had no limits to what I would try to achieve…I could play more than half of every game for an entire season, guard the best player on the opposing team and drive to the basketball several times without fear of getting fouled. This season, I had to change my game completely. I became a better passer, I shot a lot more shots from the outside and restricted my game to avoid injury, and my coach only played me for half the time I got the previous season because my knee couldn’t take it.

It doesn’t sound good, but I honestly felt just as important of a part of my team as I ever had. I did a lot of little things that helped impact my team and our success greatly. And, at the end of the season, I got the overall sportsmanship award given out by my school for all sports teams. My injury helped me to become a more well-rounded and team oriented player. I even think this changed me for the better off the court.

So when I see my scar, and when others see it, I want people to know that it is not an all around horrible thing that happened. It helped me to learn and to overcome failure. When I got hurt, I feel like I got hit to the bottom, and had to build my way back to the top to be successful in basketball. And I truly think I did.

I hope you all who have had this experience can find some light in the situation as well!

10k race after ACL surgery…ek!

Well, Saturday is going to be a test. I played a whole season of basketball this year, and I’m more nervous about running in a road race this weekend. I’ve been training for weeks and truthfully my knee kind of hurts after running outside. But I am excited to accomplish this. 6 miles! I can’t wait to be done and know that I am capable of doing that a year and a half after knee surgery. Go acl recoverers…accomplish your goals! Don’t let your knee stop you!

Yesterday I reached a huge stage in my life … I graduated college!!

And since this happened, it really got me starting to think about the past 4 years of my life at college and with playing basketball. And although I did tear my ACL during my junior year, I have started to realize how lucky I am.

I have read stories about young kids that have torn their ACLs at crazy ages (some under 10!) and they can’t even fix them yet because their growth plates aren’t even close to being closed. Imagine that…having to wear a knee brace in middle school, and probably through a good amount of high school! That’s just unimagineable to me…

Which is why I feel lucky.  I made it through playing 3 sports a year from 3rd grade all the way through high school. And I was blessed to earn a scholarship to play basketball in college, which I have always been extremely thankful for. I never had a serious injury until I was 20 years old. I missed half of a season of basketball and was back playing at the beginning of the following season. I am now 22 years old, I have my health, my family and friends, a college diploma and although it is sometime’s sore and achy, I have a perfectly fixed knee.

SO this is just my kinda knee-reflection as a new college grad and former college athlete. Don’t let this injury bring you down! Whenever I start to feel bad for myself, I always remind myself that it could be worse, and my knee problem is bad, but it can be something to come back from, better than ever!!

My coach taking pictures of me and my teammate at graduation!

How is your knee today?

I have done a lot of blabbering about my knee, other peoples knees, and people who write about knees. Although I am sure you enjoy reading such posts (I hope) I really am interested in YOU.

I want to know if you want advice or if you want to share your story. Everyone who knows about ACL tears whether it be because you have torn yours, know someone who has torn one or you just want to know more…

ASK me questions!

TELL me about yourself!

and DON’T FEEL AFRAID to tell me how you feel about the ACL injury!

–Libby

Different types of surgery…what kind do you choose??

Something that makes a HUGE difference on how ACL surgery pans out. Basically, the generally idea that some people (including myself before I got hurt) don’t know is that there are several options for surgery when it comes time to make decisions.

GRAFTS are what are used to make new ACL ligaments. There are generally three options for doctors when it comes to repairing ACLS: they use the petellar tendon from the same or opposite leg, the hamstring tendon from either leg or a cadaver tendon from a donor’s leg.

Some people even choose not to have surgery. Afterall, if you are someone who is not ever ever EVER going to participate in highly competitive athletics for the rest of your life…then maybe just clearing out the torn ligament might be the way to go. But there are really pluses and minuses to whatever decision is made…

The patellar tendon. Often described as the most secure way to go, with 1/3 of the tendon being removed, as well as a piece of the patellar bone and tibia. Often, patients who use this graft compain about knee pain and trouble kneeling for as much as up to three years post surgery.  However the patellar tendon acting as an ACL is known to be about 33% stronger than the original.

The hamgstring tendon. The stability of this graft is often questioned, as well as its reliability. However patients who have used this graft have better success with losing pain quickly after surgery. The patellar is known as a stronger tendon, though.

Donor graft. Mostly a patellar tendon from a donor will be used. However, often the patient’s body will not accept the tendon, and rejection of a tendon can mean it is not strong and will inevitably tear again. It can be done arthoscopically, though, which is this surgery’s biggest advantage. Infection also is a risk.

So at this point you’re probably wondering what my suggestion is, and maybe even what graft my doctor used.

My ACL was repaired with a patellar tendon. And, not surprisingly, my knee pain is still fairly significant after 1 year and 3 months later. I cannot kneel unless on a very soft surface, but I also have been playing competitive college basketball since October 15th and have had no issues with my graft. I did have one bone bruise early in February, but this is common with all ACL surgeries.

I feel as though I am my most confident because my doctor used the patellar graft from my same knee. I wore a knee brace all basketball season, but my doctor said it really was not necessary, as the graft was so strong. SOOO in conclusion…it’s really up to the doctor. However I feel that the patellar tendon is the strongest for a highly-competitive athlete.

Why Do ACLs tear?

This summer when I was doing my rehab post-surgery, a lot of the times I really started to think about ACL tears. Why do they happen? Is there a rhyme or reason? Is it random?

I found a book at my house (my mother tore her ACL as well when she was in 8th grade playing basketball) about girls and the severity of ACL injuries from sports. The book is called “Warrior Girls” by Michael Sokolove.

I enjoyed reading this book because it gave a solid insight into why women in particular are more likely to tear their ACLs. The author did a ton of research and really could not attribute one factor over another as to why this happens so often. However, he did have a couple clues…

After the passing of Title IX in the early 1960s, there have constantly been an increasing number of women in athletics. This has something to do with more and more injuries coming about. Afterall, we are relatively new to this! Some theories suggest that women run in a more upright position than men, thus affecting the way we make sharp cuts in basketball or change direction in soccer. Another theory says that because our quad muscles are extremely strong in proportion to our calves is a likely reason why women tear ACLs.

However there was a striking chapter in the book “Warrior Girls” where an orthopedic doctor compiled a group of thirty videos, each demonstrating how different athletes tore their ACLs. The videos were of men and women athletes, and all featured situations where the athlete was in a competitive setting with a defender in close proximity, all which put extra stress on the player’s legs. Also, some athletes were in the action of jumping, and landing on a flat foot, causing the tear.

Basically what can be concluded from findings like these is that there basically is not set reason why it happens. A lot of doctors believe in different theories, but at this point in time, it can be stated that there is no specific reason for ACL tears. It isn’t a picky injury, it’s kind of like a right-place-wrong-time kind of deal. Can it be prevented? VERY debatable. Basically, it’s just an unlucky fate!

I really did like this book, though. There was a lot of good information for people who have torn their ACLs to read. There are stories of athletes who have done it one, two and three times…which can be sad to read, but these girls have shown amazing resilience and their stories of recovery and never giving up is very admirable.

Tell me about YOU!

The whole purpose of my blog is to help people to feel some sort of solice when they experience a serious injury like an ACL tear.

I also want to educate people who have not experienced this injury. It is likely, especially if you play sports, that you at least know ONE person who has had an ACL injury that required surgery. Seriously, who’s ever seen one of these before (below)?

If you’re answer is YES…I’m not surprised. If it’s NO…you are lucky!

I know at least 5 athletes at my school that tore their ACLs last school year alone.

SO….my point is..tell me your story!! How have YOU been affected by ACL tears???

Wes Welker, you’re the man!

I am a diehard New England sports fan. Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics…you name it, I watch it. I’ve lived in New Hampshire my entire life and cannot get enough of the pride, success and atmosphere provided by NE sports teams. So, as you can probably imagine, when Wes Welker hurt his knee in 2010…yeah, HUGE bummer…

It was actually strange for me because Wes Welker and I literally tore our ACL and MCLs in the same week of January, and had surgery in the same week of February. And although I probably should not  have done so, I constantly tracked his progress to recovery and compared it to mine. Yeah. Bad idea. NFL player vs. DII women’s basketball rehab…not quite the same. When I was watching ESPN four months after Wes’s surgery, I learned that he had started doing full drills at preseason practices, while I was still averaging 20 minutes on the ellyptical and not running. It wasn’t all depressing though…

Just to think that this injury could happen to a superstar, who would have thunk it! And, in fact, it happens all the time! Injuries are so common in sports, and the “injury bug” is not immune to anybody. I know that women are more likely to have an ACL or knee injury, but it made me feel a little better to know that I literally could not have done anything else to prevent my injury. Wes Welker, a professional football player who makes millions and trains all the time, couldn’t avoid it, and I am sure he has tried. Strength and agility training can help to prevent ACL tears, but nothing is guaranteed. Wes gets PAID to play football, and what did he have to do when this happened? DEAL WITH IT. It’s not a fun fate, but ACL injuries CAN be recovered from…and in some cases in speedy fashion!

Wes started running at 4 months…I ran at 5 and a half months. He started playing in games by opening day…so did I, but my opening day was 2 months later than the Patriots. But really, who cares? Recovery is recovery…slow or fast, you WILL get there!!

All braced up, good as new!

Oops! Surgery on the wrong leg…

The day of my surgery, February 10 2010, was almost a disaster.

First of all, I had to get to the surgeons office at 6 am. Ew. Second of all, I had a slight cold and my nose is running, and anyone who knows anything about surgery knows you can’t go under with anesthesia when you’re sick. And third, they almost operated on the wrong leg.

I had to sign a consent saying that they were doing surgery, and there were risks, etc. I signed it and almost give it back to the nurse when something caught my eye. It said “ACL repair of the left knee.”

“NOOOO WAIT!” … yeah, that’s what I yelled at the nurse.

My right knee was the one messed up. Wow, I dodged a bullet on that one…

Did you know?

Random fact today.

There are several different types of tendons that can be used to replace a ruptured ACL, most commonly used are the hamstring tendon, patellar tendon or a cadaver tendon. And even though your ACL was strong (obviously not strong enough…) you new ACL is even stronger!

When the petellar tendon is used as a replacement ligment, it becomes about 33% stronger than the original ACL.

Imagine that…you may THINK your knee is worse off when you tear your ACL, but  essentially it makes you STRONGER.

SO, no matter where you are in your recovery process…know that you CAN and WILL get back to where you were before. Your knee is bionic!