Iguma spent Shs30m to recover from career-threatening injury

It takes courage, belief and sheer hope for any Ugandan footballer to dig deep into their wallet and finance a Shs30m injury operation. New KCCA recruit Denis Iguma did just that and now feels he is back on the road to the top.

Back in 2019 while still with Kuwait side Kazma, the versatile defender twisted his knee in a nasty challenge that led to a gruesome anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury.

As fate would have it, according to the player, his then employers refused to foot the bills for his treatment.
“We had developed misunderstandings with the club management and they refused to take care of me,” Iguma revealed to Daily Monitor.

“I knew I still had a bright future ahead and within a week I had terminated my contract and returned to Kampala.”

Long walk to total recovery
Once back at his Entebbe base, the former Villa and Victoria University player started consultative campaign that saw him through several rehabilitation centres like Kampala Imaging Centre and Nsambya Hospital plus engaging renowned physiopherapists like KCCA’s Ivan Ssewanyana.

“Even before I checked in at CoRSU Hospital-Kisubi for the final operation, I had spent over Shs20m in a bid to get back to action. I’m glad that after 10 months out in recovery, I managed to start kicking a ball and later getting this KCCA deal,” narrated the utility defender.

Iguma last week signed a two-year deal with the 13-time league champions. The versatile Cranes defender is expected to add steel to the Lugogo-based Kasasiros who will start the next season seeking to wrestle back the crown from Vipers.

Since December when Iguma had completed the rest and rehabilitation exercises to regain strength and stability after his ligaments were reconstructed, he has trained with local clubs in Entebbe and continues to gain more energy.

Capable of playing at central-defence, midfield, and full-back positions, Iguma who has been capped 61 times for Uganda Cranes targets piecemill recovery plan.
“My main focus now is not playing for the national team or going back to professional football but to get back my best form.I want to repay the faith KCCA and manager Mike Mutebi have given me and win trophies here,” he promised.

Mutebi, who had worked with Iguma before at Villa Park is equally expectant; “His vast experience in football will benefit the team. “I believe his partnership with Musa Ramathan will be exceptional. He is going to help us win trophies next season.”

ACL injury
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament, or ACL, is one of the major knee injuries in sports, especially football, rugby and other such disciplines that exert the knees. Iguma’s new defensive partner John Revita took the knife two months ago to repair a damaged ACL and a few other players in the league have been battling the injury.

The ACL is one of the main stabilising ligaments of the knee that, when injured, the knee may feel as if it will buckle and give out. According to Sports Health, a medical website dedicated to sports health, injuries and treatment, ACL injury is painful and most individuals report a “pop” in their knee, followed by a feeling of instability. This feeling hinders athletic activities as well as simple daily activities such as walking down stairs.

In some cases, surgery may be recommended to restore knee function.
Ligaments are strong fibrous bands that connect bones to other bones. In the knee, the ACL is one of the four main ligaments that connect the thigh bone to the shin bone.

The ACL attaches to the knee at the bottom, back of the thigh bone and crosses diagonally through the knee joint to attach at the upper part of the shin bone. The posterior cruciate ligament crosses the knee joint in the opposite direction, making an “X” shape. The ACL and PCL work together to stabilise the knee joint, especially during movement that involves sudden change of motion or impact.

IGUMA PROFILE
Name: Denis Iguma
Age: 27
Role: Defender
Education
Primary: Uganda Airforce PS
Secondary: Old Kampala SSS
Junior Career
2003-2008: Kampala Kids League (KKL)
2008: Red Cross Football Club
Senior Career
2009-2011: SC Villa
2011-2013: SC Victoria University
2013-2017: Al Ahed (Lebanon)
2017: Al Nabcheet/Bekka FC (Lebanon)
2018-2019: Kazma (Kuwait)
2020: KCCA