Adisson Nordean, a junior at University High School in Spokane Valley, has always been a soccer star.
From the time she could walk, she was kicking the ball around the pitch with a passion that set her apart. Her skills earned her a coveted spot on the varsity team as a freshman, fueling her dreams of playing soccer in college. But in 2022, an injury during practice jeopardized her dreams.
“Her athletic trainer got in touch with me the same day she was injured, and we were able to get her into clinic the very next day,” said Laura Fralich, MD, at Providence Orthopedics & Sports Medicine Institute.
Uncertain of what was ahead, Addison braced herself for the worst.
“It was very heartbreaking,” Adisson said. “I didn’t really know what to expect.”
What Adisson discovered was a friendly and highly specialized team of sports medicine doctors with the shared goal of getting her back on the field quickly and safely. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirmed that Adisson tore her anterior cruciate ligament, commonly known as the ACL, and needed surgery. It was a long road to recovery, but Adisson did not lose motivation to get back to playing the game she loves.
“My doctors knew just knew that I could do it and they had a lot of faith in me,” Adisson said. “It helped my physical game and my mental game.”
Adisson’s recovery went well. She played the first game of the 2023 season and celebrated a triumphant win with her teammates.
“I always tell people that high school and college athletes have a finite amount of time to have a great experience – they can’t wait three or four weeks for an MRI or to be seen by a sports medicine physician or an orthopedic surgeon,” Dr. Fralich said. “We make the extra phone call; we make the extra effort to get that done for them.”
“It feels really good to be back on the field,” Adisson said. “After the injury and after I knew that I could come back and play there’s no doubt in my mind that I can go out and do anything that I want to do.”
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