Overcoming Adversity: Gwen Crabb’s Emotional Journey from ACL Injury to Recovery

The Emotional Journey of Gwen Crabb: From Injury to Recovery

Welsh rugby union player, Gwen Crabb shares her emotional journey from injury to recovery. The Gloucester-Hartpury lock suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament during the Six Nations game against Ireland in April. It was only six minutes into the game when she sustained the injury. This was not the first time that Crabb had experienced a severe injury; however, this time around, it was more difficult for her.

Six months before this incident, in December 2022, she fractured her fibula and returned only recently to playing rugby again after months of rehabilitation. Despite this setback, she managed to regain full fitness and played for Wales during their opening Six Nations game against Ireland. Little did she know that it would end with another major blow.

Gwen underwent surgery and is expected to spend between seven and nine months on the sidelines as part of her recovery plan. In an interview, she shared how challenging it has been for her both mentally and physically – “Off the back of my ankle injury I think in hindsight it was easier for me to remain positive during that injury.”

A Harrowing Experience

Gwen’s focus was set on getting back into action just in time for Six Nations until fate dealt another cruel card at such an early stage in the match – “For so soon in the game, that all came crashing down…one of hardest things I’ve ever been through.” She admitted feeling perplexed as there were many ups and downs where she seemed fine one moment but then suddenly remembered what happened – “I don’t think it really set-in until about four or five days.”

This wasn’t Gwen’s first experience with an ACL rupture since she had also recovered from the same injury earlier in her career; however, this time around, it was more challenging for her – “Trying to get that realization of what I had done and how long I was going to be out…pretty tough to get my head around.”

Pushing Forward with a Positive Attitude

Gwen has been capped 29 times for Wales since her debut in 2019 and was awarded a retainer contract from the Welsh Rugby Union in February last year. She joined Premier 15s side Gloucester-Hartpury in 2020 but has watched from the sidelines as they returned to the top of their league table after their win over Loughborough.

“[I’m] definitely feeling a lot more positive and excited to get back to rehab and training again,” Gwen shares. She wants to push herself towards getting back on track soon but knows better than anyone else that recovery requires patience – “if things aren’t right there’s no point pushing it because things are just going to set you back.”

In closing remarks, Gwen shared her milestones’ approach where little things like being able to walk properly again or squatting would act as performance indicators essential for any injury such as hers.