Ruairí Kinsella: ‘I notice the progress. Just small milestones, but I’m getting stronger’

It starts with ice. Every morning, down the stairs, fill the cold compression therapy machine with ice and water, secure the wrap around my knee and let it do its work.Two 30-minute sessions in the morning, two in the evening and more in between when I can – it has become part of my routine over the last five weeks since undergoing cruciate knee ligament surgery. The machine sits in the livingroom like any other piece of furniture at this stage, often leaning up against the red light therapy lamp I purchased the day after surgery. Many of the daily exercises are still the same since returning home from Santry last month – massage the quads, work on flexion and just continually try to improve the range of motion in the knee. None of it is exactly exciting, but all of it is important.There is still some swelling around my right knee, though, and there have been days when I’ve been looking at it wondering: ‘Should this not be gone down by now?’ There are times the entire process has just felt frustratingly slow, but over the last week I have noticed a definite improvement – the swelling has certainly reduced.READ MOREAnd, noticeably, I rarely feel pain around the knee these days. I’m able to walk without crutches and overall, to this point, my recovery has gone according to plan.I’ve been chronicling my rehab every few days and just reading back over the notes this week, I notice the progress. Just small milestones, but little by little I’m getting stronger, day by day.Still, there is no escaping the fact that everything is different for me right now. My club, Dunshaughlin, played in the first round of the Meath senior football championship last weekend, starting the campaign off with a good win over Simonstown.The lads played brilliantly and I was delighted for them, but it was tough sitting in the dugout not being able to get to contribute on the field. Being out on the pitch playing is all I’ve ever really known. It has been something I’ve had to get my head around because it has been really good to be in with the lads over the last few weeks.Richie Kealy, the team manager, asked me to get involved with the team in more of a leadership role to help out. I’m genuinely thankful to him for the opportunity. It has helped me stay busy and not get caught up at home overthinking the injury and rehab.Ruairí Kinsella in action against Westmeath in the Leinster quarter-final. Photograph: Grace Halton/Inpho I’ve been mucking in with the drills at training and giving advice here and there. It has been a conscious effort to keep myself busy. More than anything else, it’s just been good to be involved with the group. I’ve found it really helpful in maintaining a positive mindset and I’m also learning from the sideline too. Don’t get me wrong, there are days where I’m thinking about stuff and it can be tough, but those days are few and far between. The majority of the time now, rather than thinking back to the injury I find myself looking ahead. It really helps that I have a great family who have always been a huge support to me and since the injury they really have been amazing. My mam is always there, while my dad is getting me back to reading with an endless supply of books. My sister Shauna has been making me my favourite meals and my brothers Eimhin and Tommy have been continually checking in. And then my brother-in-law Eddie has been firing up his sauna in the garden for us on Sundays. Their support has meant so much to me and I realise how lucky I am to have such great people around me. As for looking ahead, well, watching Mayo win the All-Ireland would certainly make you excited for the 2027 season. Meath had been so close to beating Mayo in Castlebar in June, but it wasn’t to be that evening.Mayo went on and against Kerry in the final they perfected their game-plan, they were brilliant and fully deserved to win. It shows how close and attainable an All-Ireland title is for us.[ Meath’s Ruairí Kinsella on his ACL injury: ‘I knew my season was over straight away’Opens in new window ]We lost to the All-Ireland champions this year and one of the All-Ireland finalists last year. Hopefully we can build on that in 2027.But for me, the goals must remain small and daily. I’m able to drive short distances now so I don’t have to be constantly relying on others – my mam mostly – to take me everywhere.A few weeks ago, after getting the go-ahead that it was okay to fly, I went away on a really enjoyable short break with my girlfriend Niamh.In the airport, we requested the special assistance and Niamh didn’t let the spectacle pass without making sure to get plenty of photos of me getting whisked through the terminal in the wheelchair.Still, one of the most important items in my luggage was the cold compression therapy machine – not something I ever thought I’d be packing for a sun holiday.But I brought it over and used it every day. Again, the goodness of people has stood out – and without the generosity of Ciara and the team at Game Ready Ireland in gifting me the rental of the machine for the duration of my rehab, I possibly wouldn’t be as far on in my recovery at this stage.Ruairí Kinsella is looking to the future. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho There was a very good gym in the hotel too, so I was able to maintain my rehab programme and then just sit by the pool, leg elevated for most of the day. The change of scenery for the few days was great and it felt like a good reset. Then this week there was another significant milestone – the static bike.I went to the Meath GAA Centre of Excellence in Dunganny on Monday evening to meet team physio David McCrea in the hope of getting back up on the bike, literally. It was a long time coming so it was good to get pedalling again. Jack Kinlough, my Meath team-mate who is also recovering from a cruciate injury, was there on the night too.We had been keeping in touch and trying to help each other along the way but with both of us doing our rehab mostly in our homes or the local club gym, I hadn’t actually seen Jack until Monday in Dunganny.We’ve been telling each other we’ll come back stronger, trying to keep each other positive and upbeat – and fingers crossed when we get back out on the field again our injury problems will be firmly behind us.So, this week the milestone was the bike. In a few weeks hopefully we’ll be jogging. This is how it must be for us, layer by layer, bit by bit, we go about building our bodies back up again.And right now I’m about to fill the cold compression therapy machine with ice and water for the fourth time today. Just another 30 minutes on the road to recovery.