Hayley Banach felt her knee give way as she turned to run for a hit on the left field. The multi-athlete had torn her anterior cruciate ligament. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
In an instant, Hayley’s plans for summer and fall changed. “I just wanted to play,” she said. But she would not be able to play the softball season with her travel team. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
“At first it was hard to believe I had to have an operation and all,” said Hayley. “But a lot of people helped me.” She said her mother and friends were there for her. (Courtesy photos | Christine Banach)
Shortly after surgery, Hayley began working with physical therapist Jolene Bennett, PT, in the Spectrum Health Medical Group’s outpatient rehabilitation program at the Visser YMCA. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
The first few days of recovery and physical therapy were difficult, Hayley said. “I just knew that if I wanted to go back to exercise, I had to do it,” she said. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
“I can see myself playing volleyball and softball again and doing fun things like tubing with my friends,” said Hayley. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
Hayley made progress every day. And when school started on August 23, she was able to walk through school without crutches. (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
“It’s life changing for a 14-year-old,” said Hayley’s mother Christine. “But she’s been through it and every day it’s getting a little brighter for her.” (Chris Clark | Spectrum Health Beat)
The softball flew into left field and Hayley Banach turned to run for it.
Pop.
She felt her knee give way.
She tried to run after the ball, but couldn’t. She was lying on the grass in pain when the referee, her coach, and her father ran to check on her.
“I just wanted to play,” she says. “I was frustrated that I couldn’t play.”
Hayley, a 14-year-old freshman at Hudsonville High School, had torn an anterior cruciate ligament.
In no time her plans for summer and autumn changed.
No more travel softball games for the season.
No chance to play volleyball with the high school team.
But Hayley found a silver lining – she saw the support of her family and friends as she recovered from her injury. And with the help of her medical team, she is looking forward to the day when she can swing a bat and hit a volleyball again.
“At first it was hard to believe I had to have an operation and all,” she said. “But a lot of people helped me. My mother was there for me after the operation. And my friends came over and visited me. “
“Pre-qualification” surgery
Hayley’s injury occurred on July 18th while participating in a softball tournament with her travel team, the Lakeshore Storm.
The next day, her mother contacted them The Spectrum Health orthopedic sports medicine team and went to see Hayley Jason Lazor, DO, a non-surgical specialist.
“As a non-operating doctor, it is our job to investigate these acute injuries,” said Dr. Lazor.
With an examination, x-rays, and an MRI, he diagnosed the tear in her ACL.
“The ACL is the main stabilizing ligament in the knee,” he said. “It is more appropriate to call it the athletic ligament in the knee. It is heavily used in many athletic movements. “
An ACL tear, which usually appears as a non-contact, pivoting injury, is quite common, he said. Approximately 1 in 3,500 Americans will rupture an ACL each year.
Like Hayley, athletes usually feel a “pop” when it happens. Sometimes they hear it too.
It can sound like a piece of celery when broken in two, said Dr. Lazor.
If an athlete wants to return to the same level of activity, he advised an operative reconstruction of the ligament.
A surgery date was set to bypass the Banach family’s vacation plans.
In the meantime, Hayley was undergoing pre-treatment in preparation for the operation.
Mariah Supianoski, an athletic coach on the sports medicine team who works with athletes at Hudsonville High School, taught her exercises to increase muscle strength in her legs, improve mobility in her knee, and reduce swelling.
She used electrical stimulation to activate the quadriceps, the muscles in the front and sides of the thigh.
“When you have a knee injury, the quadriceps shut down,” said Supianoski.
“It’s really important that this quad muscle wakes up and starts working again before it has an operation. The more muscle memory you have, the better you can restore it after the operation. “
On August 6th, Hayley was operated on in the hospital as an outpatient Spectrum Health South Pavilion Surgical Center.
James Lebolt, DO, an orthopedic sports medic, performed arthroscopic surgery to rebuild her ACL with the patellar tendon.
Shortly after surgery, Hayley began working with physical therapist Jolene Bennett, PT, im Outpatient rehabilitation program of the Spectrum Health Medical Group at the Visser YMCA.
Part of the team
The first few days of recovery and physical therapy were difficult, Hayley said.
“I just knew that if I wanted to exercise again, I had to do it,” she said.
She made progress every day. And when school started on August 23, she was able to walk through school without crutches.
The volleyball season began with the school year. Even though Hayley can’t play, she still has a place on the high school team: she serves as the team manager.
“She can go to most trainings and games and to any tournament,” said her mother Christine Banach.
Recovery usually takes about nine months after an ACL surgery – although this can vary depending on the patient, said Dr. Lazor.
Hayley hopes she will fully recover by softball season.
“I can imagine playing volleyball and softball again and doing fun things with my friends like tubing,” she said.
Although it was difficult to see her daughter cope with an injury, Christine admires the way Hayley dealt with disappointment and pain.
“For a 14-year-old, this is life changing,” she said. “But she’s been through it and every day it gets a little brighter for her.”
Thank You For Reading!
Reference: healthbeat.spectrumhealth.org
