ACL Journey

Sup, I'm Josh.

I really didn’t anticipate tearing my ACL, but I guess worse things could have happened. To this day, I’m still shocked. I play basketball casually, hooping a few times a week alongside lifting weights. I’d heard of ACL tears, but mostly in professional athletes, so I never thought it could happen to me. I’ve had my share of ankle sprains and minor injuries, but tearing my ACL felt like something out of my league. So, when I heard a pop as I came down from a rebound, I honestly didn’t think much of it. But boy, was I wrong.

At first, I was in denial—hoping for the best-case scenario. But after seeing my physio and getting the scans, there was no denying it anymore. I kept asking, “Why me?” It didn’t make sense—I was just playing for fun and I took care of my body. Eventually, though, I accepted it and started planning for surgery. A part of me considered not going through with it, but the uncertainty of that path, along with stories of people worsening their situation by avoiding surgery, pushed me toward getting it done.

As I write this, I’m about 70 days post-surgery and feeling pretty great (for now)! Looking back, I’m glad I delayed surgery until after the summer. It gave me time to focus on prehab, which I now recommend to everyone. Prehab was a huge factor in my early success with physio. Plus, it allowed me to enjoy life a bit—like experiencing surfing with one ACL (something I hope never to do again).

Two things have really helped me through this process. The first was mentally preparing myself for the long, 365-day journey ahead. I know some people are back to sports in 9 months, but why rush? Accepting a longer timeline has helped me manage expectations, avoid disappointment, and give my body the time it needs to truly heal. The second thing has been journaling, something I only started after the injury. There are so many emotions that come with this journey. Some days, I’ve found myself crying in bed, and other days, I’m fired up about an exercise I crushed at the gym. It’s a rollercoaster, and journaling has been my anchor—an outlet for all those thoughts and emotions that no one else can fully understand.

People often think that after a few months of recovery, you’re back to normal. They haven’t been through it, so they don’t know—and that’s okay. But journaling has been a way for me to be truly honest with myself. It’s allowed me to track my progress, re-read my thoughts on both good and bad days, and keep everything in perspective. This journey, while long, is filled with small wins and valuable moments, and focusing on those has made me a more grateful person.

That’s why I created this site—a place for you to journal and let your emotions out. During my time off post-surgery, I dove deeper into coding, and this site became my baby. It’s far from perfect, but just like the ACL journey, I’m taking it one day at a time, and I know it’ll get better. I hope this site helps you through your journey, and I truly wish you the best. Godspeed, and good luck to everyone on the journey to recovery!