Recovering from ACL surgery can feel overwhelming at times. Trust me, I’ve seen it all—patients who feel lost, unsure of what to do next, or even tempted to rush back into activities before their body is ready. But let me assure you, it doesn’t have to be this way.
Let’s walk through what a successful ACL recovery should look like, step by step.
Step 1
Surgery & Immediate Recovery
The first few weeks after surgery are all about managing pain, reducing swelling, and giving your body the rest it needs to start healing. This is where your journey begins—slow, steady, and focused on letting your body recover from the trauma of surgery.
Step 2
Regain Range of Motion
Once the initial healing is underway, we’ll work together to regain full knee flexion and extension. I can’t stress enough how crucial this stage is. Achieving a full range of motion and reducing swelling sets the foundation for everything that comes next. Without this, moving forward with your rehab would be like building a house on shaky ground.
Step 3
Begin Body Weight Loading
As you start to feel stronger, we’ll introduce weight-bearing exercises like squats and other home workouts. The goal here is to build strength and stability in a controlled way, ensuring that each movement is done with proper form. This step prepares you for more intense training down the road.
Step 4
Double Leg Training
Now, it’s time to hit the gym with exercises that focus on both legs. We’ll strengthen your legs evenly, which is essential for maintaining balance and preventing any compensation that could lead to re-injury.
Step 5
Single Leg Strengthening
Next, we’ll shift the focus to single-leg exercises. This stage is all about enhancing your balance and control, which are critical as you progress toward more dynamic movements. Trust me, this step can’t be skipped if you want to avoid setbacks.
Step 6
Strength Testing & Plyometric Readiness
After weeks of training, we’ll have a strength testing day. This isn’t just a checkpoint—it’s a crucial step to ensure you’re truly ready to advance to more dynamic exercises. Passing these tests is necessary before we introduce plyometrics, which will prepare your body for the impact and intensity of running.
Step 7
Advanced Plyometrics & Running
If everything checks out, we’ll move on to advanced plyometrics. Think of this as the bridge between strength training and the start of running. It’s all about building power and preparing your body for more challenging movements. Once you’ve mastered these, and only then, we’ll begin jogging. It’s vital to start slow, focusing on proper form and gradually increasing your pace as you build confidence and endurance.
Step 8
Final Strengthening & Sport Preparation
As we get closer to the finish line, we’ll ramp up the intensity of your strength training and start incorporating sport-specific drills. This stage is all about preparing you for return-to-sport testing—the final hurdle before you can get back to full training.
Step 9
Return to Training & Sport
You’ve made it! After passing your final tests, you’ll be ready to jump back into contact drills and full training. But remember, the journey doesn’t end here. Ongoing strength work and injury prevention are key to staying at the top of your game.
What Rehab Shouldn’t Be
Throughout this process, it’s crucial that you never feel lost or unsure about what comes next. Unfortunately, I see many patients making common mistakes, like trying to run before they’ve regained full extension, flexion, and eliminated swelling. This can lead to major setbacks, something we’re working hard to avoid.
I’m here to guide you every step of the way. If you’re interested, I offer personalised rehab plans that can be done in person or online, though there is currently a waiting list. In the meantime, you can grab my complete ACL Recovery Guide. It lays out everything you need to know in a detailed, step-by-step format, helping you avoid the common pitfalls and keep your recovery on track.
Let’s make sure your rehab journey is as smooth and successful as possible. If you have any questions or are ready to take the next step, I’m just an email away.