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🦵 8 Weeks Into My Second ACL Rehab: Why My Knee Is Acting Up (Again 😅)
So here I am… 👉 8 weeks post-op 👉 Second ACL reconstruction 👉 Slightly wiser… but still getting humbled by my knee. You’d think I’d be a pro at this by now, right? Well… not quite. Because just as I started feeling like: “This recovery is going smoother than last time…” ⚡ Boom. Pain on the outside of my knee shows up like an uninvited guest. Of course it does. 🤦♂️ Déjà Vu… But With Better Awareness The strange thing about going through this twice is: 🧠 You understand
Michael Calderaro-Tracey
5 days ago3 min read


Cleared Isn’t the Same as Confident
🦵 ACL Rehab to HYROX — Week 5: The Gap No One Warns You About There’s a moment in rehab that catches a lot of people out. It’s not when you first walk again. It’s not your first gym session back. And it’s definitely not the day someone says: “You’re cleared.” Because being cleared feels like an ending —but in reality, it’s the start of a much quieter problem. Confidence hasn’t caught up yet. Trust hasn’t been rebuilt. And readiness? That’s still under construction. This
Michael Calderaro-Tracey
May 113 min read


🦵 Week 1 Post‑ACL Reconstruction: Pain, Progress & Perspective from a 43‑Year‑Old Strength Coach
"Week 1 Post-ACL Recovery: A 43-year-old strength coach shares insights on managing life with crutches, handling brain fog from pain meds, reducing swelling, and starting mobility exercises with patience and perseverance." Last week, I swapped barbells for hospital gowns and underwent ACL reconstruction surgery on my left knee — complete with a successful bone graft and the kind of anaesthetic that makes you wonder whether you confessed any embarrassing childhood stories to t
Michael Calderaro-Tracey
Apr 85 min read


💥 From ACL Tear to Hyrox: Rebuilding Strength, Identity & Competitive Fire in My 40s
Overcoming challenges: Rebuilding strength and reclaiming competition in my 40s after knee surgery, transitioning from recovery to HYROX athlete. In your 20s, an injury is an inconvenience. In your 40s, it can feel like a threat to who you are. Last year, during what should have been a routine outing with my wife, I tore my ACL. One sharp twist, one split‑second misstep — and suddenly everything I’d built my life around as a trainer, strength coach, and lifelong (kinda) ath
Michael Calderaro-Tracey
Apr 83 min read
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