U.S. women's national team star Trinity Rodman has given a sober assessment of her ongoing back issues, saying she doesn't think her back will ever be fully healthy again.

Rodman, 22, has dealt with back spasms and related issues since her rookie season with the Washington Spirit in 2021 and aggravated the injury in September, when she was taken off the field in a wheelchair in a game against the Kansas City Current.

"Honestly, I don't think my back will ever be 100 percent," Rodman told reporters following Washington's 2-0 win over Bay FC on Friday. "It's kind of an issue of it's not one specific thing, it's just the way that my back's structured. And it's more so management than like a curable fix.

"So I think we've managed it really well and I'm happy with the progression that we've had. But for me, I don't think my back will ever be the way it was my rookie year, which is unfortunate."

Rodman enjoyed a hugely successful 2024 Olympics, scoring three goals as part of the self-proclaimed "Triple Espresso" forward line alongside Sophia (Smith) Wilson and Mallory Swanson to lead the USWNT to the gold medal.

But she has not played for the USWNT due to injury and acknowledged she was battling the back injury in the Spirit's NWSL Championship loss to the Orlando Pride in November.

Rodman was left off the U.S. team's January camp and the recent SheBelieves Cup tournament and returned to her club team earlier this month in its NWSL opener against the Houston Dash.

U.S. coach Emma Hayes added Rodman to the 24-player roster announced Tuesday in advance of a pair of friendly matches against Brazil next month. Hayes has said she'll be cautious with Rodman's return. That's how Rodman is working too.

"It's tough for me coming off such a good season and the Olympics and then going into an injury and now trying to find my place again and find my role and find my rhythm," said Rodman, who played 64 minutes Friday before being substituted.

"I'm trying to play the role as best I can and still be effective in a different way as I build back up into it," she added.

Friday's win was the Spirit's second of the season, the first this year at Audi Field, and moved the team up to third in the NWSL standings.

Information from ESPN's Jeff Kassouf and The Associated Press was used in this report.