ACL Reconstruction Rehab Protocol

PHILOSOPHIES
  1. RESTORING MOTION TO KNEE IS THE KEY. AFTER MOTION IS BACK, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL FOLLOW.
  2. PUT AS MUCH WEIGHT AS YOU WANT ON YOUR LEG.
  3. ACL REHAB AND RETURN TO PLAY IS YOUR CHOICE. IF YOU WANT TO DO SOMETHING AND FEEL MENTALLY READY TO DO IT÷DO IT.
3 PHASES OF REHAB

PHASE 1(WEEKS 1-6) ÷ RESTORE MOTION. MINIMIZE SWELLING AND GET FULL ARC OF MOTION BACK TO LEG. EXTENSION WILL BE HARDER TO GET THAN FLEXION.

PHASE 2 (WEEKS 6-12) ÷ RESTORE MUSCLE MASS OF QUADS AND HAMSTRINGS

PHASE 3 (3 MONTHS-9 MONTHS) ÷ RESTORE PROPRIOCEPTION AND GET KNEE INTO ATHLETIC CONDTION.

TIME AFTER RECONSTRUCTION

WEEK 1
  • USE POLAR CARE ICE 3 TIMES/DAY FOR 1-2 HOURS.
  • TAKE BRACE OFF AND GENTLY MOVE LEG AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE.
  • WALK WITH AS MUCH WEIGHT AS TOLERATED ON LEG. USE CRUTCHES FOR COMFORT.
WEEK 2
  • BEGIN QUAD SETS TO GAIN FULL EXTENSION.
    • PUT ROLLED UP TOWEL UNDER HEEL AND TRY TO GET LEG STRAIGHT. CONTRACT QUAD 20 TIMES EACH SET. PERFORM 3 SETS 3 TIMES A DAY.
  • PERFORM STRAIGHT LEG RAISES
    • 3 SETS OF 20 LIFTS 3 TIMES/DAY
  • PRONE HANGS
    • DANGLE LEG OF TABLE WHILE ON STOMACH AND GET LEG STAIGHT
    • ADD ANKLE WEIGHTS AS TOLERATED
WEEK 3-4
  • DOUBLE LEG SQUATS
    • BODY WEIGHT ON BOTH LEGS SQUATTING TO 45 DEG. AND BACK UP
    • 4 SETS OF 20
  • STAIR STEPS
    • LEAD WITH SURGICAL LEG
    • STEP UP SIDEWAYS÷4 SETS OF 20
  • STATIC BALANCE WORK
    • 1-MINUTE STAND ON SURGICAL LEG
    • PROGRESS TO STORK BALANCE ON SURGICAL
    • LEG, LIFTING FREE LEG OUT IN FRONT AND THEN BEHIND
WEEK 4-5
  • SINGLE LEG SQUATS
    • BODY WEIGHT ON SURGICAL LEG TO 45 DEG. AND BACK UP
    • 4 SETS OF 20
  • STAIR CLIMBING
    • STEP UP FORWARD
WEEKS 5-6
  • STATIONARY BIKE
  • SWIMMING
WEEKS 6-7
  • HAMSTRING PROGRESSIVE RESISTIVE EXERCISES
  • QUADRICEPS PROGRESSIVE RESISTIVE EXERCISES
*WEEK 7-8
  • ***MOTION SHOULD BE FULLY RESTORED (0-130 DEGREES)
WEEKS 8 AND BEYOND
  • ONCE YOUR MOTION IS BACK IN YOUR KNEE, I LEAVE IT UP TO YOUR THERAPIST OR TRAINER ABOUT THE BEST WAY TO GET YOUR STRENGTH BACK IN YOUR LEG AND YOU BACK TO ATHLETIC SHAPE. EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT, EVERY SPORT IS DIFFERENT AND EACH PROTOCOL SHOULD BE INDIVIDUALIZED TO GET YOU BACK TO PLAYING AS FAST AS POSSIBLE.



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