Dimitra Dova is a 33 year old Greek
National. Dimitra is a professional sportswoman who competed
in the 2004 Olympic games 400m relay in Athens, after
tearing her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) one year
beforehand, which had threatened her sporting career.
Dimitra is a 2nd Lieutenant in the
Hellenic Air force, she has a variety of interests including
water and snow skiing. She is a 400m runner and also
competes in the 400m relay for the Greek national team.
In July 2003 Dimitra fell over and
ruptured her right knee’s ACL (anterior cruciate ligament)
this meant she could not run or walk without pain. In August
of 2003 she had her ACL ligament reconstructed by Dr Stelios
Maheras in Athens. Dr Maheras used a synthetic ligament to
reconstruct Dimitras torn ACL so that she could return to
sport quicker than if she had a conventional reconstruction
using the patients own tissues.
Dimitra says, “I had some pain for the
first two days after the operation, but I started
physiotherapy and swimming after 4 days. I started running
30 days after the operation and 3 months later I was in full
Olympic Games roadwork programme.
The following year (2004) I ran in the 400m women’s relay at
the Olympic Games in Athens. Last year 2005 I won the gold
medal in the Mediterranean games and bronze in Bruno Jaouli
Golden League for the 400m.”
Dimitras post operative recovery was very
quick, she was jogging after 30 days and driving and walking
up and down stairs without any knee brace. She was out of
Athletics competitions for one and a half months immediately
after the operation, but after three months she was back to
full pre injury fitness levels and competing again.
Conventional treatment would have seen her off for 6-9
months and she would have missed competing in the Olympic
Games 2004.
Finally Dimitra says “ My operation was successful and with
the physiotherapy programme that I followed I did not have a
decrease in my speed times for the 400m, I actually had my
personal best time the following year in Florence at the
Super League, 51.89 secs for 400m. Thank you to the surgeon
and the physiotherapists who got me back running again!!”
