PHYSIOTHERAPY FOR ACL REHAB

ACL and Other Multi-Ligament Knee Injuries

You've been told that you've torn your ACL (and maybe a handful of other things too), so now what? Whether you decide to go the conservative or surgical route, the immediate goals are often the same. In 2024, I tore my ACL and meniscus playing soccer. The first thing I did was freak out. I felt so much panic, and I wish someone had told me to slow down and breathe. Every injury is different, every knee is different, and the decision about what to do next is not always a straight forward answer. The goals of conservative management and pre-hab before surgery are similar, regain full range of motion of the knee, regain strength back to 90% of the other limb and eliminate swelling. The decision should be based on a number of factors, such as activities/sports, age, extent of injury and additional structures involved, instability episodes, lifestyle factors, and more. For me, making this decision was one of the hardest decisions ever. I ultimately decided on ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair because I kept having instability episodes, where my knee would shift unexpectantly, and I really wanted to get back to high level sport. It's been the best professional development that I never asked for! Read my blog here on ACLR and meniscus repair as a physiotherapist.

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This website from the University of Melbourne, is an excellent tool in making an informed decision about conservative or surgical ACL management and the Melbourne ACL Rehabilitation Guide 2.0 created by Cooper & Hughes is also a fantastic resource. 

ACL Injury Rehab with Claire