I coach a HS girls track program. Several weeks ago my #1 senior sprinter went down in a soccer game with a knee injury. She went to a sport specific orthopedics clinic and had an MRI and all the standard stability testing. The doctor, who does all the local university sports injuries, specifically knees sat her down for results and said the following:
You have torn your ACL. The meniscus is perfectly healthy and all other sctructures in your knee are perfectly healthy. We can operate and you will lose your senior year of track, or we can do some very intensive 7 days a week strengthening exercises of the quad, hamstring, and calves and you should be able to sprint with no ill effects come track season.
I was shocked by this. The girl, her family, and myself are going through a very nervous time right now, because of all the ACL horror stories you hear. But he said as long as she doesn't hurdle, jump, or throw running should be fine. The issues at work here are her desire to run at the next level. She does have a couple of schools calling and keeping track of her. Also, the amount of financial aid she gets for track will go a long way in determining her college choice as she does not come from a financially stable family. So there is a lot riding on her senior year of track.
My question is this: Has anybody else ever been through this type of situation or know of any success stories for a situation such as this?
I think we all need a little reassurance here.
