DLR Waves striker Kate Mooney has given some insight into her road to recovery coming back from a torn ACL injury.
Speaking to finalwhistle.ie’s WNL show on Wednesday night, Mooney spoke about how the initial diagnosis was very disappointing, aside from the obvious reasons.
“I enjoyed my time at Shels, I just moved to get game time. I found myself being the most confident I had been while playing football and then in the second game, I tore my ACL, which is probably the worst injury a footballer can get.”
“I felt that I was happy and then it was all taken away from me, but I think with my mindset throughout the whole injury that I worked so hard. I was back within nine months, back running within four, so having that injury has made me stronger.”
“I’ve worked on muscles that I never even knew that I had and I think I’m stronger now than I was before, so in a way it’s a blessing in disguise, but I hope it never happens again.”
The DLR striker also told finalwhistle.ie what the moments instantly after having such an injury were like.
“When it happened I went straight into panic mode. I heard a click and I didn’t know whether it was just air in my knee or something like that. I felt pain and then I didn’t feel pain so I tried to go back on and play but then I heard two more pops so I went back down.”
“I remember watching the game in hospital because I heard Galway had equalised. Thankfully, Katie Malone managed to pull through for us. At this stage I wasn’t in much pain so thought it mightn’t be the ACL, but eventually the worst nightmare came true.”
Once the news hit however Mooney was fortunate that an ex-teammate knew someone who could help the recovery.
“I didn’t have that much swelling so they were able to operate within two weeks. I was very lucky to know Niamh McLoughlin (from Shelbourne) who was able to pass me on to Dan Withers in Santry, which is the best place possible to go for an injury like the one I had.”
“She sent me onto a great physio and I’ve been working with him for 12 months now and he had me back within 9 months and I couldn’t be more grateful.”
Mooney is also studying to be a nurse, which helped along the way.
“The experience of being a nurse definitely does help. You know what medication you’re taking, you know what’s happening when they’re taking blood pressure, so it definitely helped a lot.”
Since her return Mooney has been steadily coming back for DLR Waves. Her excellent goal for the U19’s against Shamrock Rovers last weekend at Tallaght Stadium is an indicator that regular first team football may be nigh.
Mooney got her first post injury WNL goal for the Waves Saturday against Sligo Rovers, netting an 81st minute winner off the bench. Hopefully for Mooney and DLR, this is the first of many.
