No holiday for Trent
For injured Crow Trent Hentschel, much of the summer holiday period will be spent under the roof of Adelaide’s training facility.
For injured Crow Trent Hentschel, much of the summer holiday period will be spent under the roof of Adelaide’s training facility.As his team-mates enjoy the last part of their holiday break, Hentschel is back at West Lakes beginning the slow process of rehabilitating his knee, which was horrifically injured against Port Adelaide in Round 21.“From about two weeks ago, I’ve been in the club every day onwards,” Hentschel said. “So hopefully I’ll get some holidays during the year or something!”Having had an operation to repair the lateral side of his knee two months ago, the promising forward is still waiting to have the required ACL reconstruction. However, according to club doctors his knee is recovering as expected.“Everything is on track,” Hentschel said. “The doctors said when I had my first op that it would be three months until the next one, and that’s now in about four weeks so everything is pretty much going to plan.“I’m really just looking forward to getting in and getting the reconstruction done, then getting back running and on the bike.”As his knee continues to strengthen before his final stage of surgery, rehabilitation and physiotherapy becomes crucial. With his knee supported by a brace at all times, regaining some mobility is Hentschel’s major goal.“I’m doing some hydrotherapy in the pool, which involves some deep water running, walking without crutches in waist deep water and some general stretching,” he said. “Other than that, I’ve just started doing some weights about a week ago.”With Hentschel still only in the early stages of his expected 15-month recovery period, he has still managed to remain upbeat.“I’m not feeling too bad (about the situation),” he said. “I’m still on crutches, and still not driving or anything, so it’s a bit frustrating. Everyone around here (at the club) has been real good and supportive, so things have been ok.”In a positive for Hentschel, he will not be spending the long days of painstaking rehabilitation alone. He has been able to call upon the support of Crows ruckman Rhett Biglands, who is also in the early stages of recovering from a knee reconstruction.“It’s been good, because he’s in the pool at the same time and he’s also in the weights room (with me). It’s pretty embarrassing looking at what he’s lifting compared to me, but it’s good to have him round and have someone to talk to.”