Tatum Kreinus (2026): Recovery Journey from Torn ACL Surgery

Story by Tatum Kreinus, Published by Jeremiah Coates, L&LS:

Tatum's First Over the Fence (OTF) Homerun since surgery! Brick by Brick (June 2024)

Tatum Kreinus

• South Walton High School Class of 2026

• EC Bullets Schnute/Bilz 16U

• Outfielder

• PGF All-American Watchlist

• Extra Innings c/o 2026 Ranked 156

• Santa Rosa Beach, FL

• Twitter: https://x.com/TatumKreinus
  

On December 8th, 2023, my life turned upside down at our first high school basketball game of the season. I took a shuffle backwards and immediately felt a pop in my left knee. The injury came out of nowhere. When I tried to walk around, I knew something was very wrong. I got a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan around a week after and it came back as a fully torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

Presurgery appointment

This was my first big injury, and I was absolutely devastated hearing I would miss two sports seasons and had to make a 9-month recovery. I immediately started prehab for a month after the MRI and had surgery on January 18th, 2024, at Andrews Orthopedic Institute.

Surgery day

After surgery is when I really began to realize that I need to trust God’s plan. I am a huge believer that this injury happened for a reason and that really motivated me after surgery to want to come back stronger. I started physical therapy again 2 weeks after surgery and really fell in love with it. I went into physical therapy (PT) with the goal of trying to get my knee better at something every session.

4 months post op strength training

My physical therapists have been some of my biggest supporters and through PT I have been able to get my knee to about 85% strength from where it was before in just 4 months after surgery. My confidence has been a huge part of this injury and keeping me focused on the end goal.

3 months post op = 1st time jumping!! So thankful for my physical therapists

It’s been hard for me to get back into things, but because I stayed confident in my hard work at recovery, I have hit some large milestones. I learned that throughout this, even the smallest achievements are worth celebrating. For instance, getting to hit for the first time again after my injury felt like winning the lottery. I even tried a sprint through 1st base at 75% speed and got a 3.25 time!

Awesome to come home from a great weekend with my team to some mail from

@BadgerSoftball

While it is still far off from the goals I have for myself at 100%, I feel stronger and faster than I was before surgery! I know that the hard work I am putting in is all going to pay off! I am thankful every day that even though this injury happened God has still given me the opportunity to be able to play again. I couldn’t get through any of this without the support he has blessed me with either. My family has been amazing through this, helping me stay positive and trusting the process.

Father and Coach Joe Kreinus https://x.com/Joe_Kreinus

I was heartbroken knowing that I would not get to play travel softball this summer, but my EC Bullets team has been so supporting. Just getting little check-ins from Coach Jess and Coach Ally and catching up with my teammates during this has been so helpful for me. Even though I can’t play, I am so excited to watch my girls this Summer every chance I can and be the best supporters for them as they were to me!

EC Bullets 16U - Schnute/Bilz

This injury has been life-changing, and one of the toughest things to go through, but God has a plan. I know that I already have made it through the worst and the best is yet to come! I can’t wait for the day I step onto the softball field again!

Story by Tatum Keinus, Published by Jeremiah Coates, Legacy & Legends Softball, 25 June 2024

www.legacyandlegendssoftball.com