From Injury to Inspiration: An Athlete's Advice for Others Recovering from Injury

Olivia first came to Shriners Children’s Erie in seventh grade after injuring her left knee during a soccer game.

Initially believed to be a sprain, she began physical therapy to start her recovery journey. However, after continued pain and repeated re-injury, an MRI revealed that she had a torn ACL.

"When I found out I tore my ACL, I was at such a loss," Olivia said. "I had never experienced a major injury before, so I didn't know what was next. Lucky for me, I knew my physical therapist was ready for whatever my MRI report said."

Olivia underwent ACL reconstruction surgery and returned to physical therapy at Shriners Children's Erie twice a week. The recovery process was demanding, but the support of her care team helped her stay motivated. Soon after completing rehabilitation, a shoulder injury during swim season brought her back for another round of physical therapy.

Just when she thought her injury journey was behind her, Olivia experienced another setback. This time, she tore the ACL in her right knee, along with her meniscus and cartilage. Though devastated by the diagnosis, she felt confident returning to the therapy team that had supported her through every challenge.

Following surgery and months of dedicated rehabilitation, Olivia was cleared to return to activity in October 2026.

From ages 12 to 18, Olivia navigated multiple injuries, surgeries and extensive rehabilitation. Through it all, she met each obstacle with determination and resilience. Today, she hopes her story encourages other patients facing similar challenges.

In her own words, Olivia reflects on the challenges and triumphs that defined her recovery journey. Through years of perseverance, Olivia learned that recovery is not defined by setbacks but by the strength to keep moving forward.

The Advice She Wishes Every Recovering Athlete Could Hear

Trust in the plan that is made for your life. Trust your body, trust your mind and trust your care team.

Physical therapy is very intimidating. Without a strong foundation of trust, you will not have a steady recovery. And do not be afraid or ashamed to ask for help. You don’t have to be strong and independent all of the time; you’re allowed to need help.

Just because you are injured doesn’t mean you are any less a part of the team.

A huge thing for me when it came to sports was the relationships I already had. My friends showed up for me during my injury and supported me through the whole process. I also still went to every practice, competition and every event like I was part of the team and helped where I could. That helped me stay connected.

Shriners Children’s Erie is truly such an amazing community to be a part of because everyone treats you with love and respect regardless of if you are their patient or not.

If I didn’t have an open and candid relationship with my physical therapists, I think my journey would’ve been much harder. They became two of my best friends. I looked forward to PT because of them. I made a relationship with every therapist, not just the ones I worked with. On days when I didn’t feel like going to PT or finishing my run, my therapists encouraged me every single time. When I made an accomplishment, we celebrated and cheered. If I didn’t have this community to look forward to, I probably wouldn’t have enjoyed PT as much, if at all.

Look at this challenge as a way to get stronger.

If you’ve already been through one surgery, injury or setback, there is absolutely no reason you can’t do it again. You’ve already proven your strength, and now you can make it even stronger. I completely acknowledge that injuries are hard and you don’t have to be positive all the time. But when you can, positivity makes a huge difference. I've learned not to take anything for granted, whether it's something small or something big, because the comeback is always bigger than the setback.

Take a minute to look at how far you've come and don't lose sight of what's still ahead of you. Sometimes it's important to stop and appreciate the progress you've already made. Progress doesn't only come from a change in measurements or an increase in weight. Whether you see it or not, your body is recovering every single day. Pause, reflect on how far you've come and trust the process. You can do hard things.