I’m Ayden McCowan, a college basketball player. I tore my ACL during a basketball game and underwent ACL surgery on March 20. Basketball has always been a huge part of my life, so being sidelined was difficult. For a while, I could only watch my teammates play while I waited for my chance to get back on the court. Without basketball in my life, I even found myself questioning who I was outside of the game.
I started using the XPOLAR X2 in June as part of my recovery. During the process, I came to appreciate how cold and heat therapy could fit into my rehab routine alongside my PT and training. The X2 became a helpful part of my recovery as I worked toward getting back to the game and rebuilding myself along the way.
I’m now cleared to play! I’m still using the X2 as part of my training and recovery, and I’m continuing to document my ACL recovery and the journey of finding myself again. Follow along if you’d like to be part of the journey.
Follow Ayden’s recovery, step by step
Clips from Ayden’s own feed, in the order they were posted.
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Watch on TikTok Getting startedJul 7, 2026
One unit instead of ice packs and wraps
Recovery had been the hardest part of Ayden’s comeback. Here he unboxes the X2 — cold, heat and compression in one unit — and explains why he runs it after practice instead of juggling ice packs and wraps.
“I run this post practice and my knee actually feels ready the next day.”
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Watch on TikTok Day 126 of ACL rehabJul 24, 2026
What’s changed since starting the X2
About four months after surgery, Ayden checks in on the changes he’s noticed: the swelling coming down, mornings when his knee no longer feels tight, and his range of motion coming back.
“I’m hitting 140 degrees easily and it’s not fighting me to get there.”
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Watch on Instagram 5 months post-opSep 4, 2026
Trusting the knee again
Five months ago he couldn’t bend his knee past 90 degrees. Now he’s back to full-speed footwork drills — sliding and pushing off backward. He doesn’t train in the X2; he puts it on afterward so he can show up again the next day.
“I don’t train in it. I put it on after.”
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Watch on TikTok 6 months post-ACLSep 20, 2026
Rehab starts to look like training
Six months after surgery, Ayden is out on the turf for stretching, strides and footwork, taking a break with the X2 on his knee. In his words, rehab is “finally starting to look like real training again.”
Follow Ayden’s journey on Instagram and TikTok.
Individual experiences vary. This story reflects one person’s experience and is not medical advice — always follow the guidance of your surgeon and physical therapist.