Unknown Major Knee Injury: Kayla N. Interview
Kayla N, a current freshman, suffered a major knee injury last fall. As an active athlete in volleyball and soccer, this injury had a tremendous impact on her ability to play both sports. In this interview, Kayla talks more about her injury and shares what she learned from the experience.
Questions:
Describe your injury.
My injury happened during volleyball practice. I dived for the ball and as I was getting up, my knee locked, making me unable to walk or get up. The trainer had to come and help me out with crutches. I still don’t know exactly what happened. After my MRI and talking with my trainer, I learned that the fluid in my knee would stiffen up and cause my knee to lock [pseudo knee locking, specific injury is unknown]. Now, I have to wear a brace during physical activities to prevent my knee from locking.
When did you develop this injury and how long did you have it for?
I developed this injury in September 2023 and I have been living with it ever since.
How did this injury affect your ability to perform?
This injury limited my playing time because my coaches saw it as a risk factor. I rarely played on the court to prevent worsening my condition. I spent multiple games sitting on the bench waiting for the right time to get put in. Although I overcame this injury in volleyball, the switch to soccer made it worse. In soccer, my knee locked during the timed mile. My soccer coach was made aware of my injury and started viewing me as a risk as well.
How did it affect you mentally?
My injury led me to think about my future in volleyball and soccer and how I was not going to reach my fullest potential in each sport. That thought suffocated me for weeks. When my trainer told me there was nothing I could do about it, my heart dropped. I almost wanted to give up everything. That was until I decided to try soccer for the first time. Still healing from my injury, I decided to give it my all in this sport.
What was the recovery process like?
Every morning before school, I would rush to my trainer's office to do stretches and workouts. This lasted the rest of the volleyball season following my injury which was about a month. I tried to do as much as I could to prevent my knee from locking again.
What did you learn from this experience? What advice would you give to athletes who might be going through something similar?
I learned that you have to pay attention to your body’s needs and your health to become the best version of yourself. Even when you're pushing through an injury, you should still try your best in your sport and never give up. If you want to try to do something, go all the way. If you don’t, then what’s the point?
Kayla’s knee has healed significantly since September and it doesn’t lock up as much as it used to. Despite still facing some lasting effects of the injury, Kayla continues to strive to become a better athlete. Now midway through soccer season, Kayla is working hard to excel and improve her skills on the field. Kayla is determined to make the most of her situation and not let the setbacks of her knee injury drag her down.