After experiencing pain and anxiety, footballers may find joy in being injured.

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Last week, I participated in a football match for the first time since December 14th. After fracturing the fifth metatarsal in my left foot, I had to wait 93 days before being able to return to the field in front of our home crowd in Munich. I was pleasantly surprised to find that I wasn’t as nervous as I thought I would be, and it was all thanks to my teammates playing incredibly well. We ended up winning 5-0 against RB Leipzig, and I was able to run out onto the pitch feeling good in my body.

I would like to guide you through the steps of my recovery from my recent injury, which was the most severe I have experienced since breaking the same bone in my other foot at the age of 17. The previous injury allowed me to immediately recognize the sensation when it happened again during our Champions League match against Ajax. I could feel the crack and inform my teammates about it even before the physiotherapist arrived.

The fifth metatarsal is a tiny bone located on the outer side of the foot, linked to the pinky toe. While it may heal on its own for an average person, football players often require surgery due to the intense stress and strain it experiences from frequent changes in direction. Luckily, my injury was only a small fracture and the bone remained in place. The following day at 10am, I underwent surgery where a screw was implanted to prevent future injuries.

Reflecting back, it’s not surprising that I developed a stress fracture as my body had been feeling like it was on the verge of breaking. I had been experiencing various issues, everywhere except for my left foot, and had recently expressed to my partner, Pernille, that I needed to push through until Christmas. After seven weeks at the World Cup, I only had a brief rest before starting training with my new club. Only a week and a half later, we had our first cup game, followed by the Nations League two days after. Given these circumstances, it’s understandable that something like this would happen.

Whenever a player on a football team gets hurt, people always want to know, “When will you be back?” However, I found it beneficial to avoid setting a specific timeline for my recovery. While my coaches and rehab coaches had a goal in mind, I never asked them about it. If I were giving advice to other players, I would suggest taking things one day at a time.

The initial post-operative days were challenging for me – I was immobile, in pain, and trying to come to grips with what was to come. Despite this, I chose to have faith in the course of treatment, beginning with five weeks of having my left foot in a protective boot. I was fortunate enough to be able to still go on a planned holiday to Gran Canaria during this time, where I spent my days relaxing on a sun lounger and swimming in the mornings. Upon my return to Munich, I continued wearing the boot for two more weeks and incorporating physical therapy exercises at the gym.

At Bayern, if you sustain a long-term injury, you will join the rehab group. Instead of working with your team physio, you will work with a dedicated physiotherapist and a strength and conditioning coach. This creates a smaller team within the team, and we have a great relationship where we can exchange experiences and provide support for each other.

After five weeks, when the boot was finally removed, people celebrated the news. However, for me it was a difficult process because I had to start walking again and endure pain. Most people would simply keep the boot on for another week or two and continue using crutches in order to avoid this discomfort. But as a footballer, the faster I could start walking, the faster I could begin running, and ultimately return to the field. This meant constantly pushing myself to the limit of what I could tolerate in terms of pain. Initially, there was pain from walking, then pain when I started running, and again when I increased my load. This constant cycle was exhausting.

I encountered a difficult situation when I attempted to run, but it didn’t feel comfortable, so I had to stop. It was a minor setback, but in that moment, I felt terrible and thought it would never heal. This happened on a Thursday in early February. I expressed my discomfort, saying, “I don’t want to continue, it hurts.” However, I was able to resume running on the following Monday. Prior to that, I had been using an AlterG anti-gravity treadmill, which utilizes air-pressure technology to lessen the impact on your feet. I was able to jog while carrying only 20% of my body weight.

Beginning 13 February, I resumed working with my rehab coach outdoors. While I had been using excellent jogging shoes with insoles, I became concerned about fitting my foot back into my narrow football boots. Therefore, on the first day, I opted to use a pair two sizes bigger to avoid any discomfort.

Following seven days of running in a linear path, I needed to incorporate more agile movements like sudden turns and directional changes. Following this, I progressed to sprinting and kicking the ball. My left foot is my preferred foot for kicking, although it can be uncomfortable with a screw present. Even presently, if I do not make a clean contact with the ball, it causes pain, providing a strong motivation to strike it effectively.

My first session training with the team was on 2 March but this almost felt like the hardest part because when you’ve not kicked a ball for two and a half months, you’re scared of picking up a muscle injury and you have to come to terms with the fact it will take some time until you’re back to your old self.

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It is crucial to act on intuition once more. When a player returns from an injury or is not regularly starting games, they may overanalyze. During gameplay, one is in the moment and everything comes instinctively.

I want to emphasize that each stage of the rehabilitation process is incredibly difficult, both mentally and physically. It can be challenging to find motivation when your well-being is dependent on the condition of your injured body part. However, one major positive is that I have been able to watch a lot of football again. Prior to my injury, I had grown tired of the sport and was only watching my own games. But now, I am tuning into the Premier League, Champions League, Frauen-Bundesliga, and WSL, and it’s like I have rediscovered my love and passion for the game.

When I returned to the field on Saturday, I was filled with gratitude for everything. As a result, I want to dedicate this to the individuals who have shown me unwavering support during this time. I am truly grateful to my family and Pernille for listening to my concerns. I also want to express my appreciation to my teammates and medical staff for motivating me every day. And a special shout out to all the Bayern fans for welcoming me back with open arms.

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Source: theguardian.com