Anterior cruciate ligament acl injuries, which are usually related to sports, have an. Acl reconstruction physiotherapy advice for patients. The knee is similar to a hinge joint, located where the end of the thigh bone femur meets the top of the shin bone tibia. This leaflet explains more about your acl reconstruction, including advice and exercises to aid your recovery, as well as guidance on what to expect when you come to hospital. Nhs trust acl reconstruction physiotherapy advice for.
Edema control continue edema control until edema resolves typically 4 weeks or less. Sep 23, 2016 given the values obtained with the ikdc and lysholm in treating patients with reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament acl, there is a satisfactory functional outcome of these patients suggesting that this protocol may be a physical therapy treatment alternative to be used. If suspect an acl sprain, we strongly advise you seek professional medical advice as soon as possible. Physical therapy for the knee joint is divided into four phases. Acl prehab helps to minimise the effects of an acl tear on muscle condition, stiffness and swelling surrounding the knee. Op rehabilitation protocol the following is a protocol for postoperative patients following acl reconstruction. If you are an athlete, you have probably already heard about anterior cruciate ligament acl injuries. Cole,md,mba weight bearing brace rom exercises phase i 04 weeks full in brace 01 week. Everybodys rate of healing differs and you may progress faster or slower than indicated. You can now try to stretch the knee to regain motion. Acl reconstruction functional activities timeline please be aware that this timeline is a guide only. This ligament is located at the knee and is frequently injured in the world of sport. An anterior cruciate ligament injury is the overstretching or tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament acl in the knee. Rehabilitation guidelines for acl reconstruction in the.
Physiotherapy following acl reconstruction protocol rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction aclr is an essential part of a full recovery. Acl hamstring tendon autograft reconstruction protocol. The exercises will help to strengthen the muscles around the. Post operative rehabilitation program for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction this protocol is designed to assist you with your rehabilitation after surgery and should be followed under the direction of a physiotherapist. Rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction aclr is an essential part of a full recovery.
Our client melanie tore this ligament in a fall while skiing. This protocol is intended to provide the user with instruction, direction, rehabilitative guidelines and functional. Physiotherapy anterior cruciate ligament acl injury. Edema control continue edema control until edema resolves typically 4. Rehabilitation protocol for acl reconstruction massachusetts. The primary goal of this protocol is to protect the reconstruction while steadily progressing towards and ultimately achieving. The following is a protocol for postoperative patients following acl. Acl reconstruction rehab exercises mick hughes physiotherapy. Nonoperative acl injury adopted 398, revised 704, revised 109 1 general principles. At about three weeks following injury, the pain is usually subsiding and the swelling is lessened. It contains detailed exercises appropriate for the.
Rehabilitation protocol for acl reconstruction this protocol is intended to guide clinicians and patients through the postoperative course of an acl reconstruction. Please feel free to call us at body logic physiotherapy if you feel you are not progressing as well as you should be. Early emphasis on achieving full extension equal to the opposite side including hyperextension within normal range, 10. Acl rehabilitation has undergone considerable changes over the past decade. Physiotherapy treatment of acl injuries that dont have surgery. Acl reconstruction rehabilitation protocol mike reinold. Apr 17, 2017 rehabilitation protocol following acl reconstruction if you are interested in using the protocols that i have helped develop with kevin wilk and dr. Evaluation of functional rehabilitation physiotherapy. Acl reconstruction rehabilitation protocol 4 control pain and swelling crushed ice or an aircast knee cryocuff along with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory medications such as advil, nuprin, motrin, ibuprofen, aleve 2 tablets twice a day are used to help control pain and swelling. Specific intervention should be based on the needs of the individual and should consider exam findings and clinical decision making.
Place a towel or cloth between the skin and the ice to prevent skin injury. It is no means intended to be a substitute for ones clinical decision making. Single leg balance exercises and progressions, progressing from stationary to. Anterior cruciate ligament hamstring rehabilitation protocol. Change dressing, keep wound covered, continue ted hose pod 710. The intent of this protocol is to provide the clinician with a guideline for the postoperative rehabilitation course of a patient that has undergone an acl hamstring. Intensive research into the biomechanics of the injured and the operated knee have led to a movement away from the techniques of the early 1980s characterized by post operative casting, delayed weight bearing and limitation of rom, to the current early rehabilitation program with immediate training of rom and weight. Orthopaedic surgery, sports medicine and rehabilitation anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction postoperative rehabilitation protocol 3727 buchanan street, san francisco, ca 94123 tel 415 5633110. You have to guide them back to their normal level of activities.
Full extension is obtained by doing the following exercises. Hamstring acl reconstruction rehabilitation protocol muscle strengthening and endurance training muscle contains type 1 endurance and type 2 fasttwitch fibres in varying amounts. Acl reconstruction rehabilitation protocol sports medicine north. Aug 14, 2019 gsss patients guide to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction colin walker frcs frank gilroy bsc mcsp 2nd edition 2016 based on previous programme written for gsss written and produced by c. Acl reconstruction physiotherapy advice for patients oxford. Of course, everyone heals and responds to treatment at different rates. Gallandkirby acl reconstruction with meniscus repair postsurgical rehabilitation protocol postop days 1 14 dressing. The acl is located in the center of the knee along with the posterior cruciate.
Unlocked for ambulation, remove for sleeping as tolerated quad sets, patellar mobs. Acl reconstruction removes the torn acl and replaces it with a graft patellar tendon autograft hamstring tendon autograft quadriceps tendon autograft allograft donor tissue graft must heal with appropriate tension in an anatomic position to restore mechanical stability to the knee. Nhs trust acl reconstruction physiotherapy advice for patients. Given the values obtained with the ikdc and lysholm in treating patients with reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament acl, there is a satisfactory functional outcome of these patients suggesting that this protocol may be a physical therapy treatment alternative to be used. Early weight bearing and early rehabilitation intervention vary for allograft and hamstring autograft. It is held together by several important ligaments.
About the anterior cruciate ligament acl there are four main ligaments that stabilize the knee. Acl reconstruction is typically performed at a minimum of 2 weeks after acl rupture, and most commonly at 46 weeks. Following acl injury, these fibres show signs of atrophy wasting away and changes in cellular composition. It is by no means intended to be a substitute for ones clinical decision. Keenan 2009 information on acl ruptures the knee is the largest joint in the body. The anterior cruciate ligament acl stops the tibia shearing forwards. It consists of initial first aid, mobility, strength, balance, fitness and agility exercises both before and after reconstructive knee surgery.
The most important groups of muscles supporting the knee are the quadriceps muscle on the front of the thigh. Which in turn can plays a significant role towards a. Introduction this booklet is designed to provide you with advice and guidance on your rehabilitation after reconstruction of your anterior cruciate ligament acl. Locked in full extension for ambulation and sleeping 14 weeks. Physiotherapy advice after anterior cruciate ligament acl. Progression should be based on careful monitoring by the physical therapist of the patients functional. Pcl reconstruction protocol brigham and womens hospital. It is dependent on read more acl reconstruction rehabilitation programme.
However, if youre struggling for ideas, ive compiled a few of my favorite exercises into a video in no particular order to get the knee going during different phases of rehab following acl reconstruction. The most important groups of muscles supporting the knee are the quadriceps muscle on the front of the thigh, and the hamstrings which lie at the back of the thigh. Recovery after acl reconstruction requires a thorough rehabilitation programme to ensure both optimal function of the knee and prevention of further injury. Physiotherapy acl protocol rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction aclr is an essential part of a full recovery. Physiotherapy advice after anterior cruciate ligament acl reconstruction. Rehabilitation protocol following acl reconstruction if you are interested in using the protocols that i have helped develop with kevin wilk and dr. Acl rehabilitation protocol updated june 2018 associate professor leo pinczewski m bbs, fracs associate professor justin roe mbbs, fracs dr matthew lyons mbbs, fracs dr benjamin gooden mbbs, fracs dr lucy salmon b appscphty, phd emma heath m pthy, bappsc nor th sydney or thopaedic research group. Rehabilitation guidelines for acl reconstruction in the adult athlete skeletally mature anterior cruciate ligament acl injuries affect men and women across a wide age range and at all levels of athletics. Which in turn can plays a significant role towards a more advanced recovery time following your reconstruction. The most important ligament to the knees stability is the a nterior cruciate ligament acl. Your ally to treat an anterior cruciate ligament acl injury. Evidencebased rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Brace will remain locked until patient demonstrates good quadriceps control two to four weeks. Acl reconstruction rehabilitation protocol one of the most common complications following acl reconstruction is loss of motion, especially loss of extension.
Quadriceps isometrics exercises, straight leg raises, and range of motion exercises should be started immediately. Acl hamstring tendon autograft reconstruction protocol the intent of this protocol is to provide the clinician with a guideline for the postoperative rehabilitation course of a patient that has undergone an acl hamstring tendon autograft reconstruction. James andrews, we have recently revised and expanded all of our protocols and made them completely online and downloadable. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction terminology and education phase 1 acute management, early motion and basic movement retraining phase 2 basic strength and proprioception phase 3 dynamic neuromotor strength, endurance and coordination phase 4 athletic enhancement and return to activity phase 5 rehabilitation of athletic movement and. Acl rehabilitation protocol mark clatworthy, orthopaedic surgeon, knee specialist this guideline has been prepared to help guide you through your recovery following your anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. This protocol was designed to provide the rehabilitation professional with a guideline of postoperative care.
By following this protocol, or one similar, you should be able to walk by the end of the third week after acl surgery. The focus in this phase is to obtain a full rom, with particular focus on deep. Lee herrington qualified as a chartered physiotherapist in 1990 from manchester university, united kingdom, having previously completed a degree in human biology from loughborough university. Anatomy and biomechanics the knee is a hinge joint connecting the femur and tibia bones. It runs back and upwards from its insertion on the tibia to its origin on the femur. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction aclr is a common treatment for athletes after acl injury. Progression should be based on careful monitoring by the physical therapist of the patients functional status.
Physiotherapy treatment of acl injuries that dont have. Shapiros physical therapy prescription acl protocol the physical therapists role in the acl deficientreconstruction patients recovery is essential. If you have any further questions, please speak to. Adherence to home exercise program hep and precautions. This protocol is intended to provide the user with instruction, direction, rehabilitative guidelines and functional goals. The anterior cruciate ligament acl is one of four major. Gsss patients guide to anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction colin walker frcs frank gilroy bsc mcsp 2nd edition 2016 based on previous programme written for gsss written and produced by c. The acl is located in the center of the knee along with the posterior cruciate ligament pcl. Rehabilitation guidelines for acl reconstruction in the adult. Acl reconstruction rehabilitation programme frank gilroy. Acl reconstruction protocol1 northwestern medical center. Anterior cruciate ligament acl rehabilitation physiopedia. Pcl reconstruction protocol the intent of this protocol is to provide the clinician with a guideline for the postoperative rehabilitation course of a patient that has undergone a pcl or pclacl reconstruction.