Brisbane Strikers’ Matt Thurtell is no stranger to glowing reviews, but a review from the surgeon on the goal scorer’s injured left knee may prove the most important yet in his promising career.

Thurtell had surgery three weeks ago to repair ligament damage after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament against Western Pride, the injury ruling last year’s QSL Golden Boot winner out for the rest of the NPL season.

However, the player known to teammates as ‘Turtle’ remains upbeat about the prognosis.

“The operation went well. It all went to plan and my surgeon was really happy at my two-week check-up”, said Thurtell.

“It’s still a bit stiff and sore each morning because I still haven’t got full range (of movement) in my knee – I can get to about a hundred degree bend, and just off straight, when I’m trying to straighten my leg,” he explained.

“But it’s feeling better every day. I can see it getting more range in motion and getting a bit stronger every day.”

Thurtell said his surgeon had set the 20 year old a three-phase rehabilitation program.

“The first one is walking – getting the range back in my knee so that I can walk properly”, he explained.

“The next one is strength. On the strength stage, basically I’ll be doing lots of rehab, getting all the muscles around it strong again.”

“And then the last stage is agility. That’s when I’ll start running again and a lot more movement, but that won’t be for a couple of months – that’s about the three or four month mark”.

Thurtell explained that to repair his knee the procedure required a tear being made in his hamstring as well.

“The best option, my doctor said, was to take a bit of my hamstring and that replaces my ACL. That was the best way to go with it. So basically, right now, it’s the same as having a grade three tear of my hamstring and my knee too”

Thurtell also said he was getting plenty of support from a network of Brisbane Strikers knee operation survivors and was feeling confident about his future.

“I’m pretty optimistic”, he said. “I think that my knee, with the rehab and making sure I do that properly, will come back a hundred percent.”

“I’ve spoken to a lot of people who’ve had the injury. Johnny Costello has spoken to me at length about his. I’ve had people like Karl Dodd write me a message, even though he is with another club.”

“(Socceroo) Adam Sarota has been living at my place while back here in Australia before he goes back (to Holland). He’s just done his knee and he’s about three months in, so it’s been quite good speaking to those sorts of people and hearing what they have to say.”

“It has helped me a lot to prepare myself for the things that I’m going to have to do with my rehab to get my knee right”.

Thurtell was last season’s QSL Golden Boot winner, scoring 36 goals for the Strikers.

 

Words: Steve Pitman (Brisbane Strikers) / Image: Tony Dadsen