ACL-hit footballer’s plea for more support

After becoming one of the most recent female players to suffer an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture, a football player is raising money to pay for career-saving surgery.

Everyone “everyone fears” when Lucy Connolly-Brame, 20, plays for Hashtag United, an Essex-based club, in the FA Women’s National League South.

In light of concerns about the high number of ACL injuries, she is now calling for more financial aid for female footballers who play outside of professional leagues.

A band of tissue in the knee joint is known as the ACL. It facilitates quick, precise turns and pivots, and keeps the knee in motion and maintains its stability.

When I felt a pop in my knee while running, it sounded like a water bottle was squeezing.

I just knew when I fell to the ground. I informed my captain, “It’s my ACL.”

One of the worst injuries, according to the doctor.

Every player fears it, but I never imagined it would occur to me. I knew I would miss the entire season when I recovered from the pain.

The defender felt the need to go private after a lengthy NHS wait that lasted up to a year and months of recovery.

I discovered the cost of the surgery after the NHS said the wait was too long. I can’t afford it, in my opinion, because I have £12,000 in my pocket.

Crowdfunding enabled Connolly-Brame to “be amazed” by the support and raise more than $ 9 000 with assistance from Hashtag United.

The organization started out as an exhibition team in 2016 before transitioning to league football. Canvey Island is where the first team of women plays their home games.

Reece James, a star of Chelsea and England, gave her another £2, 000.

Players in fully professional leagues, such as the Premier League and English Football League for men, and the Women’s Super League (WSL) and WSL2 for women, are represented by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).

Third-tier female players are without support as a result. Connolly-Brame and her coworkers are seeking change.

Other Hashtag United players have been injured in the ACL.

Private surgery was crowdfunded by Emma Samways.

The stages are very challenging, she said. Having the diagnosis, finding a consultant, and the injury. The recovery is both physically and mentally. Such a lengthy journey.

“I’m afraid of doing it again, but I’ve already taken precautions with private health care.” I want to have it in all the women’s soccer clubs.

Former Ipswich Town physiotherapist Jimmy Reynolds of England, who used to play for Ipswich Town, described it as a growing issue with the women’s game.

“Few hundred percent of the ACLs I see are female, and the percentage is rising.” It’s a significant problem.

He claimed that possible factors may be to blame for the differences between the anatomy of women and men, including the hip-to-knee angle.

“Competitive, game time, and load are all growing exponentially,” he says.

Spencer Carmichael-Brown, the founder of Hashtag United, stated that tier 3 level sports organizations needed to do more to protect players.

He expressed his frustration with the rising incidence of ACL injuries.

We are frequently compared to the third tier of men’s football because we are in the third tier of women’s football. However, we lack their kind of money. Every team makes a significant loss.

A spokesperson for the FA Women’s National League said in a statement that “player welfare is of paramount importance.” In 2023, we improved the criteria for all tier 3 and 4 clubs.

We are very sorry to hear about Lucy’s injury, and we wish her a smooth and quick recovery. “We remain committed to advancing research, policy, and medical education.