Matilda's player Michelle Heyman visits Bauerfeind
Michelle Heyman is an Australian Forward for the women’s national soccer team, the Matildas. Michelle experience an intense injury when playing against Melbourne in December 2016, and underwent a recovery regime of physiotherapy, gym work and more recently, wearing a knee brace.
2016 proved to be a rollercoaster year for Michelle; she not only competed at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, but she later suffered an intense injury in December. Snapping all ligaments in her ankle, breaking her big toe and the tendon, and fracturing part of the bone, Michelle was out of the game for months.
“I’d never had a major injury before. A sore knee for a week or two was as bad as it had ever been for me, so this injury was a huge shock to the system,” said Michelle. “I’d been panicking. The pain in my ankle wouldn’t go away and what I was told would be a three-week injury had turned into a three-month one, and then six months.
“I had so much doubt in my mind and every day I’d wake up the same, thinking ‘here goes another day of not being able to run’. Sometimes I couldn’t even walk around the shops properly. It was so frustrating.”
Michelle’s rehab involved 10 sessions every 5 days, creating a physical and mental challenge for the soccer star. She also focused on working hard at the gym, as opposed to the field, in order to come back to the game bigger and stronger.
In conjunction with physiotherapy, Heyman also opted for an ‘experimental’ injection program of saline and cortisone shots to break the scar tissue.
In 2018 Michelle visited Bauerfeind Australia to try the German-made supports and braces used by professional athletes world-wide.
Michelle was measured by the 3D Bodytronic measuring system, an innovative piece of technology that ensures the perfect fit.
She was recommended the GenuTrain P3 knee brace for both knees, and the VenoTrain Micro compression stockings.
The GenuTrain P3 is an advanced knee brace for pain and misalignment of the kneecap, often caused by sports.
The GenuTrain P3 support offers gentle compression to the knee, providing a soothing massage effect while also reducing swelling and pain. P3 stands for “permanent patella protection” – because the GenuTrain® P3 protects the patella (kneecap) securely during every movement. The GenuTrain® P3 also supports a tight IT band, helping to relax the muscles on the outside of the thigh to relieve pain. The breathable knit contours to your body shape, to encase the knee perfectly, and adapts to every movement without slipping or constricting.
Together with a corrective strap, the integrated ring-shaped pad holds the kneecap securely in a natural, central position and prevents any unwanted drifting, while a second, wedge-shaped pad encourages relaxation of tight muscles in the outer thigh.
Physiotherapy in conjunction with a Bauerfeind knee brace and support has often resulted in a more effective recovery for many athletes including German gymnast Andreas Toba.
After her intense recovery regime, Heyman signed with Adelaide United W-League.
We wish Michelle a speedy recovery and all the best for when she gets back on the field.