The midfielder attempted his first run since undergoing a knee operation more than two months ago at Arden Street and it was a nervous time.
“I was very hesitant. It felt so weird but it loosens up like anything, but I’ve got a fair way to go until I’m back to feeling confident and normal with it all,” Lower explained to kanagroos.com.au.
The 23 year-old struggled through the club’s pre-season training camp in Utah with knee pain and had surgery upon his return home.
2010 was a year to forget for Lower. He managed just eight games after suffering a broken leg at the start of the season and a broken collar bone at the end.
News of a knee operation wasn’t what he deserved or expected.
Lower though has kept everything in perspective and has stayed remarkably positive despite his unfortunate run.
He says the next period will be treated cautiously, but his ambition to return to full fitness is as strong as ever.
“The first month or so is reasonably slow but from there, if it all feels good, I’ll progress from there. I’m hoping to be running at a hundred percent in a month or so.
“I hadn’t run for I think eleven weeks so it feels a bit weird but good to be out here again. You get a dull ache. It’s weird running again because you’re using muscles you don’t realise you have until you run.
“The knee itself feels funny with that movement which I haven’t done in a while. It’s really hard to describe but for anyone who has had knee problems, they’d know how strange it is once you get moving again.”
Lower says he’ll use his time in the gym to re-build his fitness and strength.
“The first six weeks were on crutches so it was hard to get any cardio work, so mainly some cardio and now that I can run a bit, we can get more progressive with it and do some bike and swimming. Turtle (Leigh Harding) has been taking us in the pool so we have been caning that. But yeah, for me, I’m not looking at putting on any weight, just trying to maintain my strength.”
