I had surgery to repair the ACL in February 2010 and was back in the gym by June, but rushed things too quickly and ended up re-tearing my MCL in September.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
In some ways the ACL tear was a blessing. I had hesitated to return to elite gymnastics after the 2008 Olympics. I told myself I had already accomplished so much, and the road was just going to get harder if I continued.
I tore my ACL playing basketball.
I had to wait a while to get the scans back but it shows nothing in terms of needing surgery which is good. I hurt my AC joint and I just need to strengthen it. There is an outside chance to start training by the end of this week and if not than the start of next week.
I had to have shoulder reconstruction.
My back was just destroyed after pregnancy. I almost had to have surgery, until I did Pilates and rebuilt my body.
I was hospitalized five times in 2011 because of my skiing. Fracturing my left shoulder twice, snapping my anterior cruciate ligament once and smashing my scapula into five pieces.
I had a breast reduction.
The thing is I have no ACL. So unless I get surgery, there's nothing really magical that I can do that's going to make it better. I just can get my leg stronger, my muscle stronger and try and support it a little more. But that has a small impact. My knee is loose, and it's not stable, and that's the way it's going to be from here on out.
I retired because I had a knee injury, my cartilage was wearing out, it was painful and I couldn't put in the four hours of practice each day that I needed to.
Even when I was hurt with triple ACL reconstructive surgeries, there was a target on my back. I had to come back and fight through it.