Today we are going to follow on from our first blog POST on ACL injury to look at ACL rehabilitation: Phase 2. After successful surgery for the reconstruction, ACL rehabilitation can start immediately. ACL reconstruction is very traumatic for the knee. Over the first couple of weeks it is important that rest and recovery is prioritised. However, there are some basic exercises and drills that can be done to set yourself up for a successful rehab process. Keep reading as we delve into ACL rehabilitation: Phase 2.
Goals of this Phase.
The initial key goals of this post surgery phase are:
– Full extension of the knee (fully straight knee)
Simple range of movement exercises can be utilised here. Such as pressing the knee down into the floor, sitting with a rolled up towel under the back of the ankle and allowing gravity to weight down on the extended knee.
– Get swelling down to a mild level.
Regular icing can be applied to the knee. Elevation of the limb and compression of the knee and lower limb will all work to reduce the significant swelling that is present post surgery.
– Get the quadriceps (anterior thigh muscles) to work. Their function is markedly inhibited after injury.
Do to the trauma of injury/surgery, plus the time passed from the date of injury to surgery, the quadriceps will likely be inhibited. It is important to get them ‘firing’ to prevent further muscle wastage.
Before progressing onto the next stage of ACL rehabilitation there are some objective markers that need to be achieved:
- Full knee extension
- Knee Flexion around 125 degrees
- Mild swelling (as assessed by a trained therapist)
- The ability to hold the lower limb in full knee extension when sat on a chair, without the shin sagging down.
Once each of these markers have been achieved, progression towards restoring balance, control and strength can begin.
Make sure to catch part 3 of the blog series where we will explore this phase…
