Baltimore Ravens’ quarterback Joe Flacco suffered a season-ending ACL injury last November. That injury, which was confirmed by MRI to include a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee, was the reason Flacco missed his first game since being drafted by the team in 2008.
When it comes to ACL injuries, there’s a long line of professional athletes before Flacco who have sustained the same or a similar injury, only to bounce back stronger than ever. And yet, there are also athletes who have torn an ACL and never played again. So what makes the difference between returning to play and benching a career after a serious knee injury?
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I recently spoke with a journalist, Don Markus of The Baltimore Sun, who wanted to know my thoughts on whether Flacco would bounce back from this injury and subsequent surgery. The medical answer to the question was fairly simple: Most athletes coming back from a major knee operation are functionally ready after six months. However, I also told Markus that the psychological recovery after such an injury is often tougher and longer.
I like the way that journalist Kevin Seifert put it in his ESPN article several weeks back: “Remember, despite the advances of modern medicine, full and immediate recovery from ACL injuries should not be taken for granted.” He’s right. No matter the sport, an ACL injury for any athlete is a big deal. Recovery from surgery notwithstanding, the rehab process after knee surgery is intense, demanding and for many — exhausting. It’s tough for some to get through, especially those who are so used to performing at a specific level of function. Working back up to that place takes a mental fortitude and commitment that not everyone possesses. As I put it to Markus: “A lot of these guys have never been hurt before, always in the back of their minds, it’s ‘Can I come back from this?’ It’s really trying to prove that they can come back and play.”
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Although the mental component to enjoying a complete recovery from an ACL injury is significant, it doesn’t mean that the skill of the surgeon and rehabilitation team is meaningless. Of course it matters. No matter how mentally tough and determined you are, you can’t bounce back from a knee injury that wasn’t repaired or physically rehabilitated correctly in the first place.
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For Joe Flacco, all seems to be going well with his recovery — both physically and mentally. In fact, in a recent game he completed 21-straight passes against the Jacksonville Jaguars — a team record and just one away from the NFL’s single-game record. Accomplishing such a feat is incredible for any professional football player, but for one who sustained what many worried would be a career-ending knee injury less than a year earlier? It’s astounding. And I hope it serves as inspiration to professional athletes, weekend warriors and anyone who needs to come back from an ACL injury. It is possible — with a great medical team and a mind-over-matter determination.
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Returning From an ACL Injury originally appeared on usnews.com
