Elrigh Louw has revealed how he returned from a horror injury three months earlier than expected.
Just 10 months ago, the Vodacom Bulls and Springbok loose forward was staring down an injury so severe it threatened to end not just his season, but potentially his career.
Remarkably, the 26-year-old returned to the field against the Lions at Loftus last month and could play a big role in Saturday’s blockbuster north-south derby against the Stormers in Cape Town.
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The road back, though, has been anything but easy.
“Ja, it was tough and really painful,” Louw told News24. “I obviously knew that I would be out of contention and out for the rest of the season and not being able to play for the Boks. That was the most difficult part to get over.”
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Initial fears were grim, with concerns over multiple ligament tears and even a broken leg.
“It wasn’t quite a leg break, it was just bone bruising and stuff – it was just the [knee] ligaments that were off and the meniscus,” said Louw, adding that he always had the “right mindset” in rehab.
“Obviously, the medical staff was great and the [recovery] plan was great. Rehab is also not set in stone; 12 months is a relative time – you can be ready earlier or later than that.
“Dr Bradley Gelbart, the doctor that operated on me, must get a lot of credit for fixing the knee well because we didn’t have a lot of setbacks.
“That’s why I think we got it done earlier.”
Photo: Nokwanda Zondi/BackpagePix
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