Well it appears another big name in the sports world has joined the growing list of folks who did big time damage to their ACL. If suspicions are confirmed, Tom Brady, the New England Patriot’s three-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback and reigning National Football League most valuable player, will be undergoing surgery for a torn ACL. Brady joins Tiger Woods along with what appears to be a weekly addition to this ever growing list – including myself (although I am not known in the sports world, only my world).
Before I tore my ACL and had surgery, I never noticed, let alone read, about ACL injuries. I did not even know what an ACL was before my injury. Now it seems all I see is ACL injury reports. Another report I read was about a Penn State player who tore his ACL last Saturday; last year he tore the ACL in the other knee. Talk about bad luck. I believe I now see at least one of these reports weekend, especially now with football season upon us.
It’s strange how one never pays attention to certain things until they affect him or her personally. I’m sure Lance Armstrong never really thought about cancer until the disease almost ended his life. Now it is his life! He founded Livestrong and the Lance Armstrong Foundation
and advocates to empower cancer survivors to live life on their own terms and to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer.
You also see this happening with other celebrities who fight for causes when their families or they fall victim to a disease or illness. However, because of this, those mere mortals, who are in similar situations benefit from this “celebrity exposure” as more light is shown on a particular disease and potential funding, research and medical advances/treatments could follow.
I am convinced that if big-time athletes who make big-time money and provide big-time entertainment would not be victims of ACL injuries, the advancement in ACL surgery that has taken place in the last 10 years would never have happened.
So thank you to all you athletes and celebrities for putting the spotlight on all the injuries and diseases you may have endured. The rest of us may have benefited.
P.S. I am now 16 weeks post surgery. I have ditched the exercise bike at the gym and am using the treadmill and elliptical. I still experience pain in the back of my leg when I sit (especially in the car) and stiffness/tiredness after the rehab exercises and walking. I go to Dr. K for another follow up on September 24. I am hoping I get the go ahead to start running.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
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