“I had to learn how to walk again” – Dalibor Fait

Story about Dalibor, professional basketball player, his serious injury, comeback and injury prevention exercises.

Dalibor and I grew up in the same hometown, Pisek in Czech Republic. We shared the same level of passion and high ambition in basketball that one day we will make it to the pro level. Dalibor left Pisek when he was 15 and went to Prague to pursue his dreams.

Although, we played in different cities and now we even live in different countries we are still friends. Today, I would like to tell you his story, experience of a serious injury and his comeback! He’s now playing his 11th season in professional basketball with experience in Men’s Czech National Team.

This is his story.

I was playing my second season in the NBL (highest league in Czech R.). I was 19 years old, just a month before my 20th birthday when it happened. Five minutes in the beginning of the game, I jumped in the defence on shot fake and turned around in the air as I was facing my opponent. When I landed, my ankle didn’t react as it should and I awkwardly stepped on tip of the foot. I felt like my leg swung from side to side and I pretty much twisted my ankle 180 degrees.

I fell on the ground holding my leg under the knee thinking it’s just ankle sprain, as I experienced some of them before. But this time it was quite different story. As I looked down at my ankle, I saw blood on the sock and I was instantly in shock.