Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Rehab: The need for strengthening

After injury to your ACL- expert physiotherapy guidance and rehab is essential to get back to being your best! Our expert team of physiotherapists at our BOOST PHYSIO clinics across London and Hertfordshire love helping people recover after ACL injury and surgery. We spend time in the gym using specific strengthening programmes for ACL injuries or after ACL reconstruction surgery.

ACL injury is a common knee injury that occurs when the ACL is stretched or torn- often during a rapid twisting motion of the knee. An ACL injury is a traumatic very painful injury at the time of injury- often occurring during sports like football, netball, skiing, rugby among others. The ACL is a ligament that connects the thighbone to the shinbone and provides stability to the knee joint. When the ACL is injured, it can cause pain, swelling, and instability in the knee. Rehabilitation, or rehab, is an important aspect of ACL injury recovery. Our goal of physio rehab is to help our patient regain strength, flexibility, and stability in their knee joint.

Physio treatment and rehab for ACL injuries typically begins with a period of rest and immobilisation to allow the knee to heal. This is followed by a gradual progression of exercises to regain range of motion, build muscle strength, and improve stability. During the early stages of rehab, exercises are typically focused on regaining knee range of motion. This may include exercises such as straight leg raises and heel slides. As the knee heals and range of motion improves, the focus of rehab shifts to building muscle strength.

In addition to exercises that focus on the knee joint, it is also important to work on exercises that improve the stability and strength of the hip and core muscles. This includes exercises such as bridge, bird dog, and planks. These exercises can help to improve the overall stability of the knee joint by strengthening the muscles that support it.

One of the key components of ACL rehab is the strengthening of the muscles surrounding the knee joint. This includes the quadriceps and hamstring muscles, as well as the muscles of the hip, calf and core. Strengthening these muscles can help to provide support to the knee joint and improve overall stability.
The video clip here shows Travis using electrical stimulation treatment to help “switch on” the quadriceps thigh muscles around the knee after surgery. Post-op these muscles are usually very “sleepy” and take 2-6 weeks to “fire up” more fully. NMES treatment is one treatment option available for us to help our patients re-engage their quads.

Quadriceps exercises such as leg press, leg extensions, squats and lunges can help to build strength in the quadriceps muscles later on. Similarly, hamstring exercises such as hamstring curls, deadlifts, and Nordic curls can help to build strength in the hamstring muscles.

How will you know when you are ready to progress exercise after ACL reconstruction or injury?

The Melbourne ACL Protocol is the system we use at BOOST PHYSIO to monitor and judge a patients progress and readiness to return to sport. Return to sport is a long term goal – unlikely before 6-9 months post op.

The Melbourne ACL Protocol outlines specific goals that need to be hit to ensure the best outcome moving forward. One important aspect that takes the exercises listed above into account is the single leg press, it is important that you can press 1.5x your body weight. Calf strength is also very important, especially for running, and so your therapist will aim to have you doing >20 repetitions on a single leg before progressing forward. It is important to ensure that all exercises are performed with proper form to avoid further injury.

ACL Reconstruction Patient 2 weeks after surgery.

The patient in this video can be seen working with Travis to regain movement and mobility in his knee 2.5 weeks after surgery.

Travis and his patient are using a combination of functional movements to re-train normal movement and function of the knee in the early stage or post-op rehab.

Rehabbing in the gym is important to ACL injury recovery because it allows patients to progress through a structured program of exercises under the supervision of one of our physiotherapist in Kensington or Swiss Cottage. The physiotherapist can monitor the patient’s progress and make adjustments to the exercise program as needed. Additionally, working with weight equipment in the gym allows for progressive resistance training, which is important to building strength and stability in the knee joint.Another important aspect of ACL rehab is the use of neuromuscular training techniques. These techniques, such as plyometrics, focus on training the nervous system to improve coordination and stability. Plyometric exercises, such as hopping and jumping, can help to improve the responsiveness of the muscles surrounding the knee joint, which can help to reduce the risk of re-injury.

If you’ve damaged your ACL or have had an ACL reconstruction and are looking for help with your recovery, our experienced therapists can get you into the gym to aid your recovery back to the activities you love!

Expert Physiotherapy in London – BOOST PHYSIO

At BOOST PHYSIO, we are committed to helping you recover faster and get back to doing what you love. Our expert physiotherapists provide tailored treatment plans designed to address your specific injury or condition, ensuring the best possible recovery.

Why Choose BOOST PHYSIO?

✅ 9 Convenient Clinic Locations Across London
We are a leading private physiotherapy provider with 9 High Street physiotherapy clinics across North and North West London, offering top-quality treatment for muscle and joint injuries, sports rehabilitation, and post-surgery recovery.

✅ Specialist Physiotherapy and rehab for All Knee Injuries