Denim’s Story: From Injury to College Football

Today, Denim Blackstad is playing college football as a defensive end at the University of Sioux Falls. Just a few years ago, at 16 years old, he wasn't sure he'd be able to play football again.

During his junior year section championship game, Denim was going for a block when another player hit him while he was planted on his right leg.

“I felt a pop, but I was able to run off the field,” Denim recalled.

At first, Denim wasn't sure how serious the injury was. His knee was evaluated on the sideline, and he was told that nothing appeared to be torn. He got back up and tried to run.

It quickly became clear that something was wrong.

For a young athlete with hopes of continuing his football career into college, the road ahead would be much longer than he initially imagined.

Choosing OFC

Denim and his family already had a connection to Orthopaedic & Fracture Clinic and Dr. Jesse Botker. His mom, Angie, had undergone a knee replacement with Dr. Botker two years earlier.

“I felt confident that he could take care of me too,” Denim said.

For his mom, that previous experience made the decision even easier.

“I personally had Dr. Botker in my corner for my knee replacement, which made me feel confident with his skills,” she said. “I also knew him personally and felt confident that he would be able to relate with Denim and make him feel confident in his skills.”

During the initial consultation, Dr. Botker laid out a plan for Denim’s surgery and rehabilitation.

“I knew he was physically and mentally prepared to fix and rehabilitate Denim,” Angie said.

Starting Over

Denim's recovery required patience.

Following surgery, he couldn't put weight on his leg for six to eight weeks to allow his meniscus repair to heal. During that time, he lost nearly all the muscle in his injured leg.

“That basically took almost all the muscle off my leg and brought me back to rock bottom,” Denim said.

The next step was learning how to put weight on his leg again. From there, his focus shifted to rebuilding strength and eventually learning how to run again after more than half a year away from it.

“The hardest part was the back half, because I could lift and start to run again, but trying to get the muscle back and learning how to fully run after not doing it for more than half a year was really hard.”

Denim completed his physical therapy at OFC, where he spent eight months working with the PT team.

“Doing PT at OFC was such a great experience because it felt like a big family of people that really cared about you and wanted you to get healthy,” Denim said.

His mom watched as Denim worked through the long process.

“He recovered so well and was a champ at physical therapy from the very beginning,” she said. “He rallied and fought hard through his recovery.”

A Team Behind Him

For Denim, the people around him became one of the most meaningful parts of his recovery.

The OFC Physical Therapy team brought encouragement and support throughout the eight-month process, creating an environment where Denim felt comfortable, supported and motivated to keep working.

“They both felt almost like family during those eight months of PT because it felt like you could just talk to them, and they would be there for you,” Denim said.

Dr. Botker remained involved throughout the process as well, checking in with Denim and following his progress.

“He was such a great person, and after surgery he would follow up throughout my whole process, chatting with me and checking in to see how I was doing.”

Denim also appreciated that Dr. Botker understood what he was working toward.

“I really liked how he didn't sugarcoat anything and told me exactly what I needed to do to get back to the level of football I wanted,” Denim said. “They set out a plan for the whole process and where you needed to be at for each phase of the recovery process.”

The goal was clear, but getting there wouldn't be easy.

“We both knew it wasn't going to be easy, but with the right amount of work ethic and time, I was going to get back to my old self.”

Back on the Field

For Denim, football was more than just a sport. It was a major part of his life.

After his injury, he wasn't sure he'd ever play again.

“When I found out what I did, I thought there was no way I was playing football again.”

Sitting on the sideline during summer and fall camp his senior year was especially difficult.

“It was the worst feeling ever,” he said.

But Denim kept working.

Eventually, the day he had been working toward arrived. He returned to the field and continued his football career at the University of Sioux Falls, where he now plays defensive end.

“To think that I'm playing college football actually blows my mind,” Denim said. “Football was my biggest passion, and it was a big part of my life.”

Keep Stacking Days

Looking back, Denim knows the recovery wasn't something he could rush. There were days when the end goal felt impossibly far away.

His advice to other injured athletes is simple:

“Even though you feel like the end goal is so far away, you just have to keep stacking days and making it through each day.”

“When you have an injury like this, it gets so easy to not see the end goal and think that things are never going to get better. But if you just put your trust in the Lord and the amazing staff of OFC, you will get back.”

For Denim, the relationship with his care team didn't end when his rehabilitation did.

“You aren't just a patient to Dr. Botker, and that is the truth,” he said. “He still checks up on me and asks about my knee and how football is going, and that stuff means more than anything to me.”

His mom feels the same way.

“The Blackstads highly recommend Dr. Botker for any of our orthopedic needs and surgeries,” she said.

One moment in particular stood out to their family. When Dr. Botker received an invitation to Denim's graduation party, he made a point to attend.

“It was very thoughtful and meant a lot to Denim,” his mom said.

After everything Denim went through, his perspective is clear.

“If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't change a thing about the people and the place I chose to go to for my recovery.”

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Our sports medicine team provides evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation for athletes of all ages, helping you understand your injury and plan your next steps.

If an injury takes you out of the game, getting the right care can help you understand what happened and what comes next. Our sports medicine team provides evaluation, treatment and rehabilitation for athletes of all ages, including ACL and other ligament injuries, fractures, sprains and joint injuries.