ACL Non Operative

Just recorded a story so many need to hear.
Professional Muay Thai fighter Corban Harvey was told she had to have surgery to repair her ruptured ACL or give up her career.
13 weeks later she was cleared to return to combat training and now she’s fully healed and winning fights again.
Can’t wait to share her story…

We all sometimes feel defeated with these injuries. You can’t get back the time you spent out. You fear reinjury more than ever.
Unfortunately it’s part of life. We progress further and the challenges get harder.
But it’s not optional and the negotiables are only how we respond.
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, this message stands stronger and louder than any intrusive thought of pity or self doubt.
I rise. I rise. I rise.

Serena Williams reads "Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou Serena Williams reads 'Still I Rise' by Maya Angelou.

We've just paired 14 more ACL Buddies!
Check your junk mail if you registered and haven't seen an email.
There are still 5 more kneehabbers awaiting a suitable pairing, so hit the link below to sign up.

Join the ACL Buddy Scheme Recovering from an ACL injury can be a lonely process. It’s hard enough staying on track, but doing it on your own, with all the doubts and concerns, makes it so much harder. That’s why we’ve…

Tonight on the ACL Non Operative Podcast we'll be talking about managing your mental health during a long-term injury with Ryan Goodband.
What we want to know is, what is the number one support you have leaned on during your recovery?
It could be a person, a principle or even a podcast...

Okay finally, finally time to put to bed the debate about whether you can cope without an ACL.
A year on after his rupture (no surgery, just rehab), group legend Stuart Rainbow just trail ran over 200km, literally running the soles off his feet without his knee giving out.
Let’s show Stuart some love…

Not got time for a long work out?
Alternate incrementally increase weighted wedged squats and deadlifts to hammer virtually every leg muscle in one 15 minute blast.

Simple message.

Questions please…
Our next podcast guest was part of the Cross Bracing Protocol trial.
Pep, who previously had surgery on her other ACL, is back up and running after a successful heal.
What would you like me to ask her about going through this new recovery approach?

We've paired 16 people with ACL Buddies over the last few days (check your inbox if you registered).
But we still have 14 other rehabbers awaiting a suitable partner, so if you want somebody for support on your recovery journey then sign up here:

Join the ACL Buddy Scheme Recovering from an ACL injury can be a lonely process. It’s hard enough staying on track, but doing it on your own, with all the doubts and concerns, makes it so much harder. That’s why we’ve…

Back in March, 2023 was turning into quite a tough year for me.
I suffered my 2nd ACL rupture and was struggling with being a new dad.
In some ways, I felt I’d lost my purpose, even though it should’ve been more obvious than ever before.
I feel fortunate that I was able to eventually channel that into what has been a pretty incredible journey of learning, growing and sharing.

Rare that, as an Englishman, I’d say I’m proud.
But 9 months since 2nd ACL rupture and at 38 years of age, I’ve just broken my lifetime 5km record.
I’ve not actually practiced this distance much, so it’s a real testament to the training required to recover non operatively.

This interview provides us with something different to your usual ACL discussions and focuses on something undervalued and misunderstood in rehabilitation – nutrition. While we can get a bit distracted in the debate between op or non-op, this discussion brings us back to the main focus of this podcast, getting us back to what we love as quick and safely as possible after injury....

How to fuel a faster ACL recovery with Trisha Stavinoha This interview provides us with something different to your usual ACL discussions and focuses on something undervalued and misunderstood in rehabilitation – nutrition. While we can get a bit distra…

Dr Stephanie Filbay is on a mission to provide patients with a more balanced, evidence-based advice when considering their ACL recovery options. As the author of a ground-breaking research paper on ACL healing, and a prolific debunker non-operative misconceptions, her knowledge in the field is world leading. Speaking from her own experience of a graft re-rupture, Filbay tells us what needs to change to prevent potentially unnecessary surgery and improve surprisingly low return to sport rates....

Dr Stephanie Filbay: most ACL injury patients are not receiving accurate advice Dr Stephanie Filbay is on a mission to provide patients with a more balanced, evidence-based advice when considering their ACL recovery options. As the author of a ground-breaking research paper on…

Recovering from an ACL injury can be a lonely process. It’s hard enough staying on track, but doing it on your own, with all the doubts and concerns, makes it so much harder. That’s why we've created the ACL Buddy Scheme, pairing together rehabbers to support each other along their journeys.

Join the ACL Buddy Scheme Recovering from an ACL injury can be a lonely process. It’s hard enough staying on track, but doing it on your own, with all the doubts and concerns, makes it so much harder. That’s why we’ve…

Danielle Jordan-Taft was leading a golden generation of Jamaica Rugby Football Union players towards their 1st Olympics.
As one of the squad’s senior figures, she had history and the realisation of a life’s dream in her sights.
But then a 2nd ACL rupture threw it all into jeopardy.
“We we’re doing a really good job considering there’s no funding,” she told the Non Operative podcast.
“So it means the world and to think we’d gone through that preparation and I was out was really upsetting.
“I’m not a crier really but I sat there and cried in a really busy (hospital) waiting hall. Everybody is staring at me. I’m wearing my Jamaica kit so I stand out with all these multi colours.
“I was devastated. I knew what it meant because of the rehab I had to go through before. We’re on the Olympic pathway so for me it was the end of a dream of ever making the Olympics.”
Listen to the 1st two episodes of Dani’s alternative pathway to the Olympics here:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/6daA8i2y6owc0DX2EAE3Si?si=2cKYT9KKSwCbG21IS0rf2w

New episode: Dani's decision time.
After coming to terms with her ACL rupture, Dani's hopes of making the Olympics are looking bleak.
With surgery booked and her life-long dream less than a year away, Dani has to decide which is the best pathway to get her to Paris.

Non Operative Ep. 6: Decision time for Dani by The Non Operative: recovering from an ACL injury without surgery After coming to terms with her ACL rupture, Dani now has to make a decision as to which pathway will give her the best chance of making the Olympics.

All episodes now available on Spotify: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/tim-clement

"Nonsurgical management of isolated ACL tears is likely to be successful or may be recommended in patients with partial tears and no instability symptoms...who do light manual work or live sedentary inactive lifestyles," American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.
Stuart Rainbow: hold my beer

Non Operative Ep.6: Stuart Rainbow's journey from ACL rupture to 200 mile run "I was completely blown away that you could get away with not having surgery and honestly without a word of a lie I feel like I haven’t even done an ACL now....

Who else do you want to hear from on the The Non Operative podcast?

Episode 1 of the Non Operative podcast aims to encapsulate what brought me to the point of creating this podcast.
It was a discovery process for my physio and myself and I think we were both shocked by the progress and benefits, returning me to sport in half the timeframe surgery would have required.
For those who experience an ACL injury, I'd consider this a must listen to understand what's required to avoid surgery.

Non Operative Ep. 1: Meet the physio who returned me to sport just 4.5 months after my ACL rupture In the first episode of the series, I speak to the man who helped me halve my recovery time. Rick Whitehead is a Physiotherapist at the Sports Injury Clinic ...