Injuries in high-level sport are unfortunately a regular occurrence, but it does not make them easier to deal with, especially if the athlete is so young. Estonia’s Helina Rüutel, 22, shares her experience with her current injury.
Rüutel, partnering Kati-Kreet Marran in women’s doubles, was at one point in 2019 at 54 in the world. Now she has been away from the game for seven months. Speaking about how the situation is now, she says.
- Now things are pretty good. I have been doing physical training for almost two months. I am graduating from university and the badminton training has started, so I am slowly joining in practice. Everything is getting back to normal.
Read: Marie Batomene: It is okay, this is life
Missing badminton
Rüutel was at university playing football as part of her course and accidentally stepped wrongly and broke her knee ACL ligament. This is quite a serious injury that takes a long time and a lot of hard re-habilitation to get back to one hundred per cent. Sharing what her initial thoughts were when this happened, Rüutel says.
- At first, it did not reach to me that I will not be able to play for so long. As time moved on then I really started to miss playing badminton and it was strange to go home in the evenings when others went to the badminton hall. I tried to stay positive and I think everything happens for a reason and in these months, I have realised how much I like to play badminton.
Rüutel expects to be back competing in September, so will use this time in the summer to get back into shape.