For the first time in two months, Dynamo midfielder Geoff Cameron laced up his boots Monday and took to the field to continue the rehab process for a knee injury he suffered April 24 against the Chicago Fire.
“Today was the first day actually putting on cleats, so it was pretty exciting,” Cameron said. “I was on the elliptical [machine], and hopefully I’ll be jogging by Wednesday. In 2-3 weeks, I hope to be cutting, and in 4-5 weeks, I’ll be out on the playing field.”
Cameron, who transitioned back to midfield in the offseason after earning 2009 Best XI honors as a central defender, was an integral part of the Dynamo attack prior to the injury. After tallying his first goal of the season against Chivas USA on April 17, Cameron looked ready to provide the offensive spark that the Dynamo had lost when Brian Ching suffered his own knee injury three weeks earlier.
But on a rain-soaked night in Bridgeview, Ill., one misstep by Cameron ended his night and continued the injury trend for the Dynamo. In the 28th minute against the Fire, Cameron was trying to change directions to chase a Fire midfielder when his right knee buckled. He attempted to get up and continue playing but lasted only a few seconds before he dropped back down to the field. The initial prognosis by the physicians was that Cameron’s season was over after tearing both his MCL and PCL. Surgery revealed, though, that Cameron only suffered a partial tear of the PCL and a Grade 2 MCL sprain.
“At this point, it’s really just a mental thing," Cameron said. "I’m trying to strike a ball and move on my knee, and once I get over the hurdle of concentrating on my knee 90 percent of the time, it will be better. I think I’m a little ahead of schedule. Originally they said eight months, and then they said 3-4 months, so I’m just coming out here every day and getting it as strong as I possibly can and be ready for August.”
This past week should have provided more good news for Cameron, a native of Massachusetts, as his beloved Boston Celtics held a 3-2 lead over the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA Finals. But similar to Cameron’s knee, the Celtics' season buckled, and the Lakers won the title.
When asked which hurt more, the injury or the Celtics' collapse, Cameron responded, “Definitely my knee injury, but the Celtics killed me. If I could get an ‘I hate Kobe’ tattoo, I would.”
While the Dynamo have brought in free agents and trialists to fill the gap left by Cameron’s absence, Cameron knows that the sooner he can get back on the field, the sooner he can help the Dynamo right the ship.
“I’m taking it one day at a time and trying to leave the locker room knowing and feeling that I got better every day."
