From Setback to Comeback: Lauren and Taylor’s Journey to ACL Recovery

By Lauren Wilcox and Taylor Wilcox, Cadence Staff, Kinesiology Students at the University of Toronto & Varsity Lacrosse Players

How did you tear your ACL? What graft or approach did your surgeon use?

Taylor: I tore my ACL playing a Varsity Lacrosse game with the University of Toronto. When getting in front of an opponent when battling for the ball, a pivoting movement caused the axial coronal collapse of my knee inwards. My surgeon used a graft of my patellar tendon for the reconstruction. 

Lauren: I was playing in a lacrosse game where I was running to catch the ball and had to cut and come to a quick deceleration where I felt a pop and instant instability in my right knee and fell. What surprised me most about this injury is that this movement was one that I had done a thousand times playing lacrosse which left me puzzled. My surgeon used the patellar tendon graft. 

How far along post-surgery are you now, and how are you feeling now? Is there anything you can and can’t do now that you weren’t expecting?

Taylor: I am almost seven months post-surgery and feel that my physiotherapy, including mobility and strength training, balance, agility and coordination exercises, and a running program, has paid off. Devoting time each day to my recovery since day one post-surgery, I've noticed gradual but substantial improvements. Now, being at a point where I can play the sport I love again makes me feel capable and as if I can return stronger than before. At this point in my recovery, I believe I can do most things that I was expecting to do, however, I was not expecting my knee to still feel discomfort along the graft site when doing exercises that place large amounts of load on the knee such as leg extensions. 

Lauren: I'm just a little over a year post-surgery and have been cleared to return to full sport. It's been incredibly rewarding to fully participate in lacrosse practices again and to regain my muscular strength and endurance. I feel proud of my perseverance during the early stages of rehabilitation crucial for regaining mobility and working on motor control and balance which allowed me to progress to jumping, running, and cutting. However, I wasn't expecting to experience stiffness and anterior knee discomfort this far out from surgery. As I've increased the intensity and duration of my workouts, likely due to the nature of the patellar tendon graft, I still encounter some stiffness. Despite this, I feel like a stronger, more well-rounded athlete. Setting goals, making a plan, journaling, and connecting with other injured athletes have turned this injury into a valuable experience.

What was the most challenging part of the recovery for you so far?

Taylor: The most challenging part of the recovery for me so far has been managing and balancing recovery with a university course load and additional placement and leadership commitments. I tore my ACL during the first month of school in September and then had my surgery in November at the start of the reading week which meant that my physiotherapy sessions three times a week were scheduled around a busy class schedule. After reading week was over, I attended classes only on my second week out of surgery and still with the Zimmer brace. This was challenging because having two previous years studying kinesiology at UofT, I knew that doing well takes lots of time dedicated to school so fitting in time each day to do physiotherapy took lots of planning. Though this was a challenge, it taught me that dedicating time to focus on myself can be done while still managing school responsibilities. 

Lauren: The most challenging part of the recovery so far has been feeling a loss of control and a shift in my identity as a lacrosse athlete. As someone who has always given their best effort and worked hard in the gym and on the field to stay strong and healthy, this unexpected injury was frustrating. I knew there was nothing I could do to change the fact that I would be out of lacrosse games for a minimum of nine months. However, making progress in my rehabilitation exercises, eating nutritious meals, getting good sleep, and doing more of what I enjoy helped me regain control. Although I could still partially participate in practices, my role during tournaments and games changed from being an active player to a cheerleader and supporter on the sidelines. Not being able to contribute to the team's success in my usual way was a tough adjustment, but it allowed me to develop my leadership skills off the field and empathize more with injured teammates. All in all, navigating this challenge presented me with an opportunity to cultivate strength and resilience.

What is your goal with rehab?

Taylor: My goal with rehab is to not only completely restore my pre-surgery strength and lacrosse skill and ability, but I want to take this as an opportunity to become an even stronger athlete physically and mentally than before. There is a big psychological component to injury including mental stresses of not playing sports but also using mental imagery as a way to stay connected with the skills that are unable to be completed physically. My goal with rehab was to have a holistic view of recovery including physical strength and skill, and mental toughness and flexibility so I feel my best heading into the next lacrosse season. 

Lauren: My goal with rehab is to continue pushing my strength and lacrosse skills to new levels while enjoying the process of becoming the best version of myself for the upcoming lacrosse season. I aim to incorporate fun and creative ways to increase my power, agility, and endurance, such as swimming, group fitness classes, and team runs. Overall, my goals are to have fun, consistently work toward minimizing any ongoing stiffness, and improve my strength and lacrosse skills.  

What have you learned about yourself in this process?
Taylor: This recovery journey has taught me that at any point what you love to do may be taken away from you. In my case this was lacrosse. No matter how much I wanted to play in that next game of lacrosse after my injury, I couldn’t. Now I have a deeper appreciation for not only playing sports but also being thankful for living an active lifestyle and modifying activity to enjoy and reap the benefits of activity no matter what. 

Lauren: Through this journey, I've learned to approach setbacks with resilience and determination, embracing the journey of healing and growth. My journey hasn't been linear and the ups and downs highlight the value of patience and listening to my body. I developed my belief in the power of having a positive growth mindset and learned the importance of being adaptive, flexible and tackling challenges head-on with optimism, hard work and confidence.

Lauren (left) and Taylor (right) Wilcox

Lauren and Taylor Wilcox are Patient Experience Managers at Cadence Physiotherapy, fourth year Kinesiologiy students at the University of Toronto, and compete for the Women’s Varsity Lacrosse Team at UofT.