ACL Rehab

ACL Rehab Timelines , Schedules & Dates for Rehabilitation:

Don’t have ACL surgery too soon! Make sure your swelling subsides and full range of motion returns in your knee, before having surgery!

This ACL Surgery site provides real, unbiased, useful information to ACL patients. It was created by people who actually had ACL surgery and needed more information about cost, recovery time, rehab, insurance issues, choosing a surgeon, and more. Learning from actual ACL patients who have gone through it is the best way. Learn from the mistakes and successes of others and enjoy your visit!

One of the major problems in the past for ACL surgeries was the failure of regaining full knee motion, especially extension (straightening the leg). Studies have shown that timing of the surgery following the injury has significant influents on the development of knee stiffness. The highest incidence of knee stiffness occurs if the surgery is done within the first 3 weeks following the injury. During this time, the knee is typically painful, swollen, and have limited range of motion. The incidence of stiffness decreases if the surgery is delayed at least 3 weeks or until the swelling has fully subsided and the knee has regained a full, normal range of motion.

First 24 hours after surgery

1. Control pain
2. Control swelling
3. Work on leg extension and begin quadriceps strengthening exercises

Following your release from the hospital, you should go home, elevate your leg and keep the knee iced. Some people rent a Cryocuff cold leg wrap. You may get up to eat and use the bathroom, but otherwise, rest with your leg elevated- ideally above your heart. Ice water in the leg wrap will last 30min to 1hr and should be rechilled. The ice water in the machine container may last 2-3 hours. Tip: use larger chunks of ice- such as made from a 16oz cup, rather than small ice cubes.

Days 1 – 7

1. Control pain
2. Control swelling
3. Work on leg extension and begin
4. Quadriceps and hamstring strengthening exercises
5. Gait training

Days 7 – 14

1. Maintain full leg extension* (top priority)
2. Flex (bend, or ROM [range of motion]) 90-120 degrees
3. Decrease knee swelling
4. Develop muscular control of leg

Weeks 3 – 14

1. Range of motion should be full extension to 100-110 degrees
2. Start training exercises such as stationary bike, stair climber, Nordic track, inclined leg press, swimming

AVOID KNEE EXTENSIONS

Weeks 14 – 24 (6 months)

Start straight ahead jogging and backward jogging.
Start agility drills, zig-zags, and crossover drills

6 Months

This is the earliest you should expect to return to full sports. To return to sports, use this criteria:

1. Quad strength should be at least 70% of the normal leg
2. Hamstring strength should be at least 80% of normal leg
3. Full ROM (range of motion)
4. Minimal swelling
5. Good stability
6. Have completed a running program and jump training (injury prevention) program

1 Year

Some people take an entire year before returning to full sports, for instance soccer or skiing, but it varies person to person. There is no risk in taking more time, aside from developing the full ROM as soon as possible- the only risk is in returning to sports too early, as some people do and fail by re-tearing their ACL. This results in a very frustrating and expensive process to repeat.

ACL Rehab Programs (PDF files)

http://www.utc.edu/Academic/GraduateAthleticTraining/docs/acl/Accelerated%20ACL%20Rehabilitation%202007.pdf

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:9iPvfCoN1ggJ:www.peninsulaortho.com/downloads/acl_rehab.pdf+acl+rehab+filetype:pdf&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEEShr9EEp3Ji_ffpST2hjpVPqZpuSOn2aMvnwDA5IciSY_FzWNjnhXc5fiM7vhUjTNzM0PdbtC21NgmtkeD0reX1z0vWYY0ZClRDfuzjvYoxHm_3pJvBBVZNLcxkywA769U8UMdvK&sig=AHIEtbQ2RMzzVubJznYpFhVzSTIwKWz9OQ

http://www.palomarortho.com/protocols/antcruciateligament.pdf

http://goortho.net/pdf/Rehab/ACL_Rehab.pdf

http://www.drwaltlowe.com/attachments/wysiwyg/File/ACLAccelerated.pdf

http://www.drwaltlowe.com/attachments/wysiwyg/File/ACLDelayed.pdf