Back on Track- Ella’s Comeback Story
Recovery isn’t just about what you do in the physical therapy clinic — it’s the grind behind the scenes, the silent reps when no one’s watching or telling you to do it. It’s the commitment to come back stronger, faster, and more focused than before the injury ever happened. This is the recipe for a successful comeback…
During her sophomore year of high school, Ella tore her ACL and meniscus playing soccer, facing a tough journey of relearning how to walk and trust her knee again. Recovery tested her patience, but through consistency, determination, and the supportive team at Omaha Physical Therapy Institute (OPTI), she regained her strength. Now a collegiate cross country and track athlete, Ella is back to doing what she loves—pain-free. Her story is a testament to resilience and the power of expert care.
What was your injury? How did you injure yourself?
I tore my ACL and meniscus playing soccer my sophomore year of high school.
What was the most challenging aspect to your recovery?
The most challenging part of my recovery was trusting my knee and learning how to walk normally again. I was often scared to put weight on my knee because I was worried it would give out or it would hurt. So, learning how to walk and when to flex my quad was foreign, and I didn’t expect learning how to walk to be so difficult.
What did you learn from your experience being injured?
Something that I learned from being injured was to be patient and consistent with things. I am an impatient person and I wanted to return to playing soccer and my knee to feel normal again. I was consistent with my exercises and trusted all of the advice my physical therapist gave me and it helped me tremendously. The consistency made me trust my knee, and trust my ability to accomplish anything in life.
What did you enjoy most about PT at OPTI?
I loved coming to physical therapy because OPTI was such a warm and friendly environment. All of the PT’s were social, and the patients would chat with each other, and I loved all the exercises and drills we did. OPTI was great about incorporating exercises for your sport into your recovery and they knew you as a person not just as a patient which made it extra special.
What advice would you give someone that is recovering from an injury?
I would tell them to be patient, everyone comes back at a different time but it never means you are behind. Stay consistent with your exercises and while injured find hobbies that you enjoy and normally might not have time for.
What have you accomplished since coming back from your injury?
After tearing my ACL, I was able to come back and play two more seasons of high school soccer, and run one season of cross country. I now run cross country and track in college, and can play soccer, lift, and ski with no pain. My knee feels normal and I don’t have any pain all thanks to the wonderful staff at OPTI!
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