Return to Sport Program Propels Winning Comeback for Star Athlete

Sofie Ancona, a senior at University Liggett School in Grosse Pointe Woods, has a long list of accomplishments that have made her parents proud. The star student athlete is active at school and president of the school’s athletic club.

On the field, Sofie has shined in her athletic achievements playing club and high school soccer and hockey among other sports. Notably, Sofie has been named All State, three-year captain, All-Catholic, offensive MVP and top scorer in soccer. Her athletic prowess in hockey led her team to three state championships, All State First Team, two-year captain, All Catholic, while obtaining top points for the league setting a new high for the league and her team. Topping off her accomplishments, she was awarded Miss Hockey by the Michigan High School Girls League for the top female high school hockey player in Michigan.

ACL injuries sideline Sofie after two surgeries

Sofie’s high level athletic play came with a price. In 2020 and 2022, she required surgery to repair her left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus tears. The ligament and meniscus, which works as a shock absorber to protect the knee joint, are very common injuries for athletes involved in jumping, pivoting and contact sports.

The road to recovery after surgery

Sofie’s mother Jeannetté, explains that Sofie was very determined to get back to playing the sports she loves, but it was a challenging and painful road immediately after surgery at a local hospital.

“After the first surgery and physical therapy coming to an end, we were shocked that our insurance would only cover physical therapy until she was about 80 percent recovered. That’s when her physical therapist recommended continued therapy with a return to sport program,” says Jeannetté. “After talking to Nick Parkinson at Henry Ford Health and really loving what he told us about the program, including the assessments and individualized sessions tailored to Sofie, we decided to proceed with the Return to Sport Program at Henry Ford,” she adds.

From injury to victory

Jeannetté shared Sofie’s surgeon wanted her to continue to gain mobility, strength, and good movement mechanics before returning to sports and to stick with the program while playing to continue to work on these areas.

After Sofie’s first injury, she saw Nick Parkinson, supervisor of Athletic Training and Sports Performance at Henry Ford Health, beginning in Dec. 2020 until about October 2021. When she required a second surgery, Sofie decided to again seek treatment through the program and is currently still going weekly.

Sofie says knowing more about what to expect after her second surgery, it was more important to her to continue with the program since she experienced many benefits allowing her to optimize her performance.

“Nick is really fun to be around and really good at his job. I think with the mental and physical toll of recovering from surgery after an ACL injury, it's really great to be able to go somewhere that provides encouragement and support while pushing me to get to a place I never thought I could go,” says Sofie.

Nick explains the tailored program for Sofie at the Henry Ford Center for Athletic Medicine that includes professional level technology was beneficial in achieving her goal to continue to play hockey at a higher level.

“Sofie completed several tests that included looking at her movement mechanics, strength, and ability to generate and control power,” explains Nick. “This allows us to formulate a program to address any movement inefficiencies or injury risks we identify, bringing Sofie back to a high level of performance. Combined with her determination, it has proved to be a winning combination.”

For Jeannetté, the only regret she had about the program was not continuing the program on a more consistent basis for her daughter the first time.

“After seeing Sofie go through surgery and recovery twice and seeing the benefits of the Return to Sport Program, I regret not having her go as often the first time. To have someone work with you every week and believe in you is such a game changer and it has truly benefited her,” says Jeannetté. “We are so happy with the program and especially the personal attention and therapy specifically catered to her goals of returning to soccer and hockey.”

Sofie chronicles her experience with sports injury and recovery in school

With Sofie’s surgery and athletic recovery experience, she hopes to raise awareness of the toll that athletic injuries can take from a mental and physical standpoint.

“Sofie’s entire senior research project is focused on post ACL injury and how neurological factors affect recovery,” expresses Jeannetté. “I know all of this has impacted her in a big way and we are very grateful for this program, not just physically, but from a mental aspect too.”

Setting future goals with support from team, family and health partners

As her senior year comes to a close, Sofie, who plans to study history in college, has her eyes set on continuing to play hockey in college.

“I’m talking to some coaches on the East Coast and hope to play hockey in some capacity in college. With Nick and the Return to Sport Program, it’s given me hope to continue to play as good, if not better than before.”

Learn more about how Sports Recovery and Performance Programs at Henry Ford Health can help you or your athlete get back in the game. Request an appointment or call (313) 651-1917.