{"id":1325,"date":"2025-06-02T18:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T17:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/sywf\/?p=1325"},"modified":"2025-06-06T16:04:57","modified_gmt":"2025-06-06T15:04:57","slug":"acl-injury-and-the-road-to-recovery-a-chat-with-sheffield-wednesday-ladies-defender-aleks-fox","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jusmedia.co.uk\/sywf\/2025\/06\/02\/acl-injury-and-the-road-to-recovery-a-chat-with-sheffield-wednesday-ladies-defender-aleks-fox\/","title":{"rendered":"ACL injury and the road to recovery: A chat with Sheffield Wednesday Ladies defender Aleks Fox\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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As the pace and intensity of the game picks up, so too does the frequency of injuries to players, who can be sidelined for weeks, sometimes months, over the course of the season.\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For Sheffield Wednesday Ladies<\/a> defender Aleks Fox, who suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury in May 2024, recovery has not always been easy, whilst trying to balance work and day-to-day life alongside coping with such a serious ligament injury.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI went up for a header and my knee twisted as I landed, and it gave way on me,\u201d said Fox. \u201cIt didn\u2019t hurt originally, everyone says with such a serious injury that it\u2019s agony, but I just had growing pains and struggled to get back to my feet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cIt was bizarre really, I drove home after the match, and went to work the same day. My knee had doubled in size but the growing pains remained the same.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was only over the next few weeks I would twist my knee in a certain direction and I would just fall to the ground. That\u2019s when I decided to go to the doctors, who referred me to A&E.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is an ACL Injury?\u00a0<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

An ACL injury <\/a>occurs to a tear or sprain in the ligament which connects the thigh bone to the shinbone in the knee, with recovery expected to take six to nine months. Injuries of this severity most commonly occur in sports like football, where stopping and sudden changes of direction, jumping and landing put strain on the knee.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

ACL reconstructions have the highest recovery burden, and account for nearly one third of playing time lost due to injury. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Road to Recovery <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

With such serious injuries, players can be side lined for up to a whole season. Fox, who had surgery in September 2024, has been out of action for Sheffield Wednesday Ladies for the whole of the 2024\/25 campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s frustrating for me, because I don\u2019t like going to watch knowing I can\u2019t be involved in any way,\u201d said Fox. \u201cA couple of years ago I injured my tibia, fibula and ankle and had a cage over my leg. I obviously knew I couldn\u2019t step onto the pitch, whereas this time I feel I\u2019m fine to play but I know I can\u2019t.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mental Side of Injuries <\/h1>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy previous injury helped me prepare mentally for this ACL injury. I knew I needed to get back to the physio straight away and I knew what I needed to do to prepare for recovery. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy mum and dad have been really important. They have always encouraged me to get back on my recovery straight away. My coaches Andy and Kieran have been checking in on me regularly, and I have been to a few games over the course of my recovery, but I find it frustrating if the team are struggling for players or we are losing, and I can\u2019t come on to help the team, I just kick myself.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read more: From music mixing to dog boarding: a Sheffield Wednesday Ladies manager\u2019s life beyond the touchline – SYWF<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fox in action for Sheffield Wednesday Ladies. Credit John Cresswell. <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are multiple stages during the recovery process. For Fox, it was important that her recovery was done in a timely, but efficient manner to allow her injury to fully heal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn the first few stages there are a lot of check ups with the doctor, post surgery. I had to wait for the stitches to heal, and then I attended swimming sessions on a Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon to slowly get movement back in my knee. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u270d\ufe0f RETAINED
We are delighted to announce that Aleks Fox has committed to the club for another season!

Look forward to seeing you back out there next season
More retained player announcements coming soon #OneTeam<\/a>#SWLFC<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/JMHXjKGqYe<\/a><\/p>— Sheffield Wednesday Ladies FC (@ShefWedLadies) May 28, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>