The 41-year-old said she feared a “life of immobility” after tearing her medial collateral ligament

NEED TO KNOW

• Tess Holliday celebrated walking 10,000 steps at Disneyland a year and a half after tearing her MCL (medial collateral ligament)
• The model and activist said the March 2025 injury left her feeling depressed and fearing long-term immobility
• She shared her journey of healing and encouraged others to believe in their ability to overcome challenges

Tess Holliday is celebrating a big accomplishment after recovering from a knee injury. 

On Sept. 23, the model and body activist, 41, posted a video on TikTok and shared that she recently walked 10,000 steps during a trip to Disneyland. She said that although some people may see it as a minor achievement, it’s a “very big deal” to her after tearing her MCL (medial collateral ligament) in March 2025.  

“I was walking through a doorway, my foot caught the tread of a sliding door and when I flew forward, I caught myself. All my weight went on my right leg and I tore my MCL,” she recalled, noting that the injury left her “so depressed” last year.

“I was basically facing what looked like a life, to me at the time, of immobility and it really made me look at my life a lot differently,” she explained. “And this isn’t going to be the typical thing where I come on and I’m saying, ‘Oh it’s because I was fatter, it’s because xyz.’ It’s not. People get injured all the time and I think that when you live in a larger body, there’s so much shame that comes around when you injure yourself, when maybe you can’t do things or have to modify things differently.”

@tessholliday

And now I get to see @robyn tomorrow?! Oh baby. I’m so back. #healing #gratitude #healingjourney

♬ original sound – Tess H🍒lliday

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Holliday said that at this time last year, life felt “crippling.” She didn’t think she could get to a place where she could walk 10,000 steps or go to the gym and walk on the treadmill for 30 minutes. The content creator admitted that those things seemed impossible.

“I’ve been able to find new ways to take care of myself and look after my body and my mental health since injuring my knee,” she continued. “And I just want this to be a reminder to you that you are capable of more than you realize.” 

“Our bodies are brilliant and wonderful, and I might exist in a larger body, but I was able to heal myself and get to a point where I could enjoy my life in a new way. And it really changed my perspective on a lot of stuff,” she added. “So, if you’re in a similar situation, keep going because it absolutely gets f—ing better.”

In the comment section, Holliday said that because of her body type, it took months for doctors to provide an appropriate treatment plan. She ended by saying that she’s proud of how far she’s come.

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