Aussie MTB champion upbeat about recovery

Australian cross-country champion Emma Colson (Topbike-Giant) had an arthroscopy on her knee last Wednesday and is feeling confident about her recovery.

Colson had a head-on with a motor bike the week prior to the world championships this year. An arthroscopy with Melbourne orthopedic surgeon Rob Howells last Wednesday revealed a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament and small tears in the lateral meniscus and lateral capsule. The debris blocking the joint was removed with the surgical procedure.

Colson (a qualified physio) elected not to reconstruct the cruciate at this stage, knowing that the rehabilitation period from such a procedure would certainly rule her out of the two Commonwealth Games selection races (December in Lysterfield at the venue and January MTB Nationals at Mt Beauty).

One week following the 'scope Colson had this to say: "Walking is still difficult I managed an hour on the ergo this morning and hope to be back out on the road and MTB soon. I'm confident I have enough time to come up for the selection races; the longer break has probably done me good. If anything I am now more motivated than ever. The knee should be able to cope with riding without a cruciate ligament. Fortunately neither Lysterfield nor Mt Beauty are courses I would expect to have to 'dab' in – especially in summer."