DANVILLE -- It was the same move Chelsie McDade has made a thousand times before, yet a quick twist and pop nearly cost her a final chance to compete on a national stage.
The 18-year-old Selinsgrove girl was well on her way to qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo championships a third time until she injured her knee while dismounting a horse during a roping competition at last year's state finals in Harrisburg. McDade competed in nationals as a freshman and sophomore.
Less than a year later, McDade was back on her horse and competing at a high level thanks to the work done by the Geisinger Sports Medicine staff, who helped her fully recover from a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial collateral ligament (MCL).
"I knew something was wrong right away," McDade said of her leg getting caught in a stirrup last year. "I heard a pop and fell to my knees. I tried to get up, and everything wobbled."
Part of a trend
McDade is part of a growing national trend of girl athletes suffering ACL tears. Recent research has indicated girls suffer ACL tears up to eight times more often than boys who compete in the same sports.
Overall, national reports say on average 38,000 high school athletes tear their ACL every year.
Dr. Gregory Fanelli, a Geisinger orthopedic surgeon who operated on McDade last July, believes the trend is relative to more girls playing more sports and at higher levels than before. Although McDade's injury was more severe with two ligament tears, Dr. Fanelli said she underwent a similar rehabilitation process as other girls who have been treated at the Danville sports medicine clinic.
"She really worked out perfectly," Dr. Fanelli said of McDade's recovery, which enabled her to recapture form and qualify for nationals later this month in New Mexico. "Her injury pattern was unique, but she worked very hard to get back up to speed."
Surgery and after
Dr. Fanelli said he made a new ACL with two of her hamstring tendons, then reconstructed her torn MCL through a capsular shift process (taking existing tissue and reorganizing it to create a new ligament).
Following surgery, McDade spent eight weeks on crutches before beginning her long road back to competition. The wait was grueling, according to McDade.
"I was stuck on the couch," said McDade, who visited her family's barn as much as she could. "I missed being around the horses and other animals. Just sitting around was driving me nuts. I had a hard time with it."
McDade started her post-operation rehab in January and was back competing with the Pennsylvania High School Rodeo Association by the spring. She said undergoing physical therapy before the surgery help strengthen the knee and gave her a jump start on the post-operation regimen.
"We started out slowly and gradually worked my knee back to full strength," McDade said. "Not being able to compete was tough. I was excited to finally be able to get back on the horse. The biggest motivator for me was to work hard to get back to where I was before (the injury)."
McDade did just that even though she was well behind her counterparts who already had 10 competitions under their belts.
McDade was able to qualify for the state finals at the annual Pennsylvania State Farm Show, where she broke though with great performances in goat tieing, team roping and break away roping to reach nationals for a fourth time.
I'm definitely ready'
This time, McDade will have her chance to compete in hope of achieving her goal of being among the top 20 girls in the country. A feat she has yet to accomplish.
"I'm definitely ready," McDade said. "I was pretty confident my junior year, but the injury took care of that. I don't know if I'm stronger than last year, but I feel as strong."
The 2008 National High School Finals Rodeo will be held July 20-26 in Farmington, New Mexico.
To check on McDade's performance, as well as other local riders Robbi Nace, 18, of Selinsgrove, and Jacob Wenrich, 16, of Beavertown, visit www.nhsra.com.
n E-mail comments to jnorth@dailyitem.com.
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Area rodeo competitor has knee repaired
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