Exercises aimed to improve strength and range of motion
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a ligament in the middle of the knee. Ligaments are thick bands of tissue that connect your bones to each other. The ACL prevents the shin bone from sliding out in front of the thigh bone. 4-Acryloylmorpholine
An ACL injury is caused by overstretching or tearing this ligament. The tear may be either partial or complete.
An injury to the ACL affects the stability of your knee. This can result in loss of leg strength and a restriction in the knee's range of motion.
Severe tears or ruptures will often require surgery. You may need extensive rehabilitation to fully restore your mobility.
This article provides instructions for performing exercises that will aid in your recovery from an ACL injury.
These at-home exercises can help you recover from an ACL injury. Doing these exercises can help you regain strength and movement without causing further injury to the ACL.
It is important to avoid exercise that compresses or puts weight on your knee. Instead, the focus should be on strengthening the muscles surrounding the knee.
These muscles include the quadriceps muscles ("quads") in the front of your leg and the hamstrings ("hams") in the back part of your thigh. Strengthening these muscles will help you gradually extend your range of motion so your knee doesn't "freeze."
These exercises can be done at home, ideally with the input of your doctor or physical therapist. They can help prepare you for ACL surgery, or complement your structured rehabilitation program.
This video has been medically reviewed by Laura Campedelli, PT, DPT.
The following exercises should begin within one to three days post-operation, and continued for two to four weeks.
As you move through these exercises, pay close attention to the sensations in your knee. If an exercise is causing pain, stop doing it.
Exercises that do not cause pain can be performed one to four times per day.
This exercise extends the knee without bearing any weight.
This exercise is also done while seated.
This exercise is performed while lying on your stomach.
This exercise is similar to prone knee flexion, except it does not involve bending the knee.
For this exercise, all you will need is a towel and somewhere to sit.
This exercise begins by lying flat on your bag with your legs outstretched.
When first starting, forget the adage "no pain, no gain." You will probably feel discomfort when exercising the quads and hams, but stop if a movement causes outright pain. Pushing too hard can make your injury worse and may result in lengthier recovery time.
Around four to six weeks post-operation, you will know you are ready to begin the next phase of rehabilitation exercises when:
If you don't meet these criteria, you may not be ready to move on to the following exercises. If you are unsure, call your physical therapist.
The following exercises can be done one to four times per day, pain-permitting.
This exercise requires two chairs of equal height. Place the chairs facing each other. The distance between them should be slightly shorter than the length of your leg.
This exercise is done while standing.
This exercise is done standing while holding a sturdy table with both hands.
This exercise requires either a TheraBand or a length of an exercise band.
Standing on one leg is a great way to test and build your strength and balance.
This exercise may not be easy at first. With time and patience, though, it should become easier.
Unlike a full lunge, in which your back knee lowers to the ground, partial lunges only involve bending your front knee slightly.
At no point in your rehabilitation process should you feel pain. If you are, stop the exercise and adjust your movements so that they are not painful.
An ACL injury happens when you overstretch or tear the ACL ligament in the knee. You may need surgery or extensive rehabilitation to recover from this injury.
Exercises you can do at home can help you while you wait for surgery or work on your rehabilitation. Start with the safest exercises and avoid compressing or putting weight on your injured knee.
After the swelling subsides, you can try exercises that are done while standing on both legs.
Duncan KJ, Chopp-Hurley JN, Maly MR. A systematic review to evaluate exercise for anterior cruciate ligament injuries: does this approach reduce the incidence of knee osteoarthritis? Open Access Rheumatol. 2016;8:1-16. doi:10.2147/OARRR.S81673
Begalle RL, Distefano LJ, Blackburn T, Padua DA. Quadriceps and hamstrings coactivation during common therapeutic exercises. J Athl Train. 2012;47(4):396-405. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-47.4.01
Flagg K, Karavatas S, Thompson S, Bennett C. Current criteria for return to play after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: an evidence-based literature review. ATM. 2019 Oct;7(7):1-6.
CHOC. Exercises after ACL surgery.
University of Wisconsin Sports Medicine. Rehabilitation guide.
Wilk K. Anterior cruciate ligament injury prevention and rehabilitation: Let's get it right. J Ortho Sports Phys Ther. 2015; 45(10):728-30. doi:10.2519/jospt.2015.0109
By Elizabeth Quinn Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist, sports medicine writer, and fitness consultant for corporate wellness and rehabilitation clinics.
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