Q&A: How one youth basketball player got back on the court

9月27日


At UP there’s no one-size-fits-all model. We see patients of all different shapes, sizes, athletic abilities and ages. Recently we had the pleasure of treating Bruce, a student who came in to get seen for his ACL recovery post-surgery, after his trainer recommended him to the clinic. 

UP Medical



Author / Lauren  PT / Amarildo  


Bruce had been playing in a basketball game when he landed and twisted his knee leading to an ACL tear. He received a special type of repair with an internal brace augmentation: the internal brace acts as a secondary stabilizer after repair, which can potentially allow accelerated rehabilitation and return to sports, while resisting injury recurrence. Due to his young age the operation surgeon put him at 90% odds of needing a reconstruction surgery in the future. 



While we don’t typically feature many of our younger patients, Bruce was keen to share his story and his battle against all odds of needing reconstructive surgery, with special thanks to his therapist team…



Q1

Can you tell us a little bit about your recovery story?

I started off with a steady recovery that seemed a bit faster than expected. But, I ended up having some minor setbacks…. (About 8 months into the rehabilitation he had a second fall during a low intensity practice, which potentially re-tore the area, although the MRI didn’t show any structural damage).  Despite that, I was able to achieve full recovery after a year of hard work and consistency.



Q2

Good for you for maintaining consistency! What types of testing were you put through?

I went through all of the standard UP Clinic tests such as the YBT , FCS SL  SLTRX, along with some discharge tests and even mental check sheets.



Q3

You said the recovery took a while due to setbacks – how long were you coming into UP for?

The recovery process from my first time coming into UP, and being formally discharged was actually one day shy of a full year! During the earlier stages, I would go see Amari about two to three times a week, but later on it started gradually being less frequent, with me going every week, or every other week.



Q4

During that year, were there any memorable moments that stand out to you?

Re-tearing my ACL was something I won’t forget! Fortunately when I came in the next day and was told it wasn’t too bad, was a big relief. It definitely kept me from quitting!



Q5

What was your hardest challenge during this period?

Honestly just reminding myself to do my exercises every day, and overcoming my mental roadblocks after setbacks.



Q6

You should be very proud of yourself for pushing through – especially when it felt mentally and physically challenging! Do you have any advice for anyone dealing with pain or looking for recovery support?

It helps a lot when you have so many great people surrounding you and helping out with your recovery journey. During my experience I had a team of memorable people that I won’t forget – Amari, Frank, and others that were there to support me for almost a full year.

 And, because I got discharged, I even got a T-Shirt and a funny picture with Amari!


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