Post surgery rehabilitation is probably the worst, most boring and did I mention painful? experience that many of us have had to go through at least once or twice.

My injury experience all started playing first grade soccer in the rain. There was just five minutes left on the clock and as I ran onto a through ball I slipped just outside the centre circle and that's when it happened, I heard the snap... I had ruptured my ACL. My dad who was watching on the sidelines told me it looked like I had been taken out by a sniper.

That's probably a little dramatic but anyway, I underwent my first major surgery in having an ACL reconstruction. I'm in my 20s and already have bad knees so... that's great. But what I didn't expect was the lengthy prehab and the rehab that goes with it.

Now I know you're thinking who cares? You're not the only one to have ever had knee surgery! And while yes that is true I know for those of you who have had it or any other surgery that's put you out of action, will be able to relate.

Sure you do the injury, get some scans and get told you need surgery but then there's the wait. The long, awful wait. Months pass and you think ghee am I ever going to get surgery? In my case I had to wait for months on end for it but I was living life pretty normally, minus the ability to run, jump and twist.

I was busy with all this extra "pre" work to make sure my muscles were strong and ready to have my leg cut into, knee-cap drilled and a new ACL graft.

Before I knew it I was laying on that operating table and waking up in recovery only to realise sh*t... I'm back to square one.

It's a rollercoaster to say the least.

I'm a soccer player, a pretty active person and let's just say this injury process has been the worst thing that could have happened to me because now I find myself working from home, unable to drive and on crutches for the next six weeks.

Did I mention the slight weight gain that comes with it too?

The ACL requires a lengthy rehab process so for the next 12 months I will be dedicated to physio exercises and gaining confidence and I'm hopeful to get back onto the soccer field. This injury has really been a whole lifestyle change.

I haven't run in nine months and to some that might seem like a dream, but to me, not so much. When I'm not working hard to provide my community with the latest local news, sport and everything in between you'll find me at the gym, on a soccer field or literally doing anything outside. But this surgery has forced me to take a step back, relax and rest.

It's fair to say I've done my fair share of complaining about it but you know what they say, everything happens for a reason right?

I struggled to see the silver lining at first but now I've realised it was sort of a blessing in disguise because I've been able to relax and have some "me time" without feeling guilty about it.

Awful eh? Takes rupturing an ACL and a major surgery to make me realise I need stop burning myself out and actually look after myself.

I'm sure many of you have been in my shoes in the sense that we like to burn ourselves out. I guess what I'm trying to say is take a break, curl up on the lounge with your pet, watch that crappy or amazing Netflix show, spoil yourself with some junk food and relax.

Don't wait to have a blowout like me before realising you need some balance in your life.

Tell us about it.

ALSO MAKING NEWS: