Bolton Wanderers midfielder Josh Sheehan has made a successful start to his rehabilitation period after undergoing an ACL reconstruction.
The midfielder was withdrawn during the FA Cup defeat to Stockport County three weeks ago with Ian Evatt confirming that the Wales international had suffered a ruptured anterior cruciate knee ligament.
It's a cruel blow for Sheehan, who'd emerged as an influential figure in the early stages of the campaign and had scored four goals in 19 league appearances since joining from Newport County in the summer.
His 2021/22 campaign is now effectively over with the 26-year-old now focusing on his rehabilitation programme in a bid to make a return in the early months of the following season.
Sheehan's first step has been a success, with the club posting a picture of Sheehan in hospital after undergoing an operation on his ACL.
An ACL reconstruction involves surgery to replace your damaged anterior cruciate ligament injury, with the torn ligament removed and replaced with a band of tissue that connects muscle to the bone.
The usual timeframe for athletes returning from an ACL tear can range from nine months to over a year, depending on setbacks along the way.
An example of that is Blackburn Rovers midfielder Bradley Dack who, after sustaining his first ACL injury, required surgery on his knee seven months into his rehabilitation and suffered from further hamstring complications as he built up his fitness.
