The ACL repair at 12 weeks has healed well and is ready for some medium level activities. But not quite ready for high level exercises including cutting or jumping.
Most of my patients, by this time, are anxious to get started doing more and frequently ask when they can go back to playing their sport.
For my patients rehab for ACL at 12 weeks, they can start light jogging, higher strengthening, and landing practice.
12–16-week exercises:
- Jogging
- Squats and Single leg sit to stands
- Leg extension with weight
- Hamstring curl
- Step down heel tap
- Side stepping
- Landing steps
- Deadlift
- Single leg hops
Activities to avoid during the 12-16 weeks are cutting activities. Running fast and turning and changing directions.
Between 16-20 weeks we will do faster running, agility activities, and explosive exercises. Continuing to build strength and power is a main goal during this time.
16-20-week exercises
- Jump up/down
- Shuffles
- Running intervals
- Sport specific exercises
- Agility ladder
- Jogging with controlled stop
Do not have Full ROM yet?
I will continue to perform PROM (passive range of motion) at this time if full ROM (range of motion) is not present in the affected knee. Even using over pressure to achieve the ROM.
I will also change or set a patient back a few weeks if that ROM is not full. This lack of ROM can put an athlete back several weeks in their rehabilitation, making it very important to achieve early on.
With the ACL being a common sports injury and a long recovery process, there are many different exercises that can be performed throughout the rehab journey. Rehab for ACL repair at 12 weeks and beyond can include these exercises I have listed above and in previous phases (here), but others can be utilized.
If you have others that I do not mention, I would love to hear about them!