My Boyrfriend just had an ACL ligament injury from football, how can i help?

he doesnt feel like part of the team anymore since he cant practice and he doesnt feel useful and feels handycap...how can i make him feel helpful or work on football or something?

if he's anything like me, he's not going to want to TALK about it. i've been a competitive gymnast and cheerleader for years and one year in high school i tore my achilles tendon in half 2 months before nationals and i had to get surgery and couldn't cheer for about 7 months. i was so angry, frustrated and sad about it. it was really annoying when people would try to comfort me by talking to me about it. i didn't want to talk about it because if i did, i would usually end up crying because i was so frustrated. it's alright to ask how his knee is feeling and things like that, but don't expect him to takl in depth about how frustrated he is and definitely don't remind him that "you'll be back in no time!" stuff like that only reminds you of how long it actually will be, and trust me, to a competitive athlete, however long it is will feel like too long!

but i appreciated things like home made cards, gifts (didn't have to be expensive), friends coming over to watch movies with me since going out was difficult especially right after surgery and helping me carry things. kind gestures went a long way for me rather than people talking about it.

and another thing that i REALLY appreciated was that my friend would explain to people what happened to me when they saw the cast. it's really annoying that everywhere you go and people see the cast and crutches and you have to explain to people what you did. they think they're being nice by asking, but you really just don't want to talk about it, especially when you're repeating the story 30 times a day. my friend noticed that i was starting to get annoyed by this when people kept asking me at school, so if she was with me when someone asked she would jump in and answer for me. it was nothing really, but i appreciated it so much!

There really isnt much you can do. I also have a torn ACL but only from racing motocross that will be fixed this october. The reason he is feeling like this is becuase an ACL tear is very serious. It is unlike a broken bone that heals itself in a month. He will most likely have to have ACL reconstruction done, and then do almost a years worth or physical therapy. He, like I was when i first tore my ACL was in a depression and felt like a real loser. He will eventually come out of it, and start to look at the benefits of having a reconstruction done. The main one being he will be able to return to football! The best thing you can do is support him and tell him it will all be okay and that you love him. My girlfriend looked at it a little more negatively and complained most of the time about how I wouldnt be able to walk around with her for a few months becuase of my knee and that kind of behavior would only put him into a deeper depression. so just be supportive. and stand by him. and ACL injury can be hard to overcome and accept. both physically and mentally.

Now that he can't go to practice and games, use the extra time to spend more time with him, get to know him better, and to get intimate (just be careful).

I'm not sure how long it takes for ligament injuries to heal, but until it heals, maybe you two can take up a hobbie that doesn't require much physical movement.

Hope he gets better soon!