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N. Alexander: "Long road of pain and struggle"
Nick Alexander, who sustained a serious knee injury in a fall in the mixed team competition at the Nordic World Championships in Falun, underwent successful surgery a few weeks ago.
The American now wrote on his facebook page, that during the operation it turned out that the injuries were even more serious than originally diagnosed. "All of the cartilage and bone that had been free floating in my knee has been removed, the damaged cartilage and bone will continue to heal naturally. The meniscus tear was actually worse than what could be seen from the MRI and a more significant repair was conducted. Healing time should not be longer than first expected even though the damage was worse than we anticipated. The damage to the MCL was also more significant than what was diagnosed from the MRI but this was taken care of and should also not prolong the recovery period. A bit of my hamstring tendon was removed and used to replace my torn ACL."
Over the next weeks and months the 26-year-old will now focus on physical therapy, before he will be able to start training again. "I haven't been able to do much for the past four weeks since the surgery and what I have been able to do is quite painful. Nonetheless it is what it is and I still have a great deal to do before I am ready to jump. There is a long road of pain and struggle ahead but I am motivated to push through it with a positive attitude and return to the hill when the time is right and my body is strong again", he wrote.
After the first examination early March the doctors expected a necessary break of about six to nine month after the operation until Nick Alexander will be able to start jumping training again.
Source: fis-ski.com
The American now wrote on his facebook page, that during the operation it turned out that the injuries were even more serious than originally diagnosed. "All of the cartilage and bone that had been free floating in my knee has been removed, the damaged cartilage and bone will continue to heal naturally. The meniscus tear was actually worse than what could be seen from the MRI and a more significant repair was conducted. Healing time should not be longer than first expected even though the damage was worse than we anticipated. The damage to the MCL was also more significant than what was diagnosed from the MRI but this was taken care of and should also not prolong the recovery period. A bit of my hamstring tendon was removed and used to replace my torn ACL."
Over the next weeks and months the 26-year-old will now focus on physical therapy, before he will be able to start training again. "I haven't been able to do much for the past four weeks since the surgery and what I have been able to do is quite painful. Nonetheless it is what it is and I still have a great deal to do before I am ready to jump. There is a long road of pain and struggle ahead but I am motivated to push through it with a positive attitude and return to the hill when the time is right and my body is strong again", he wrote.
After the first examination early March the doctors expected a necessary break of about six to nine month after the operation until Nick Alexander will be able to start jumping training again.
Source: fis-ski.com
