We will support your whole ACL rehab process from prehab before surgery all the way through to your return to performance. You can expect your rehab to take anywhere from 9-18 months on average, depending on a number of things such as type of surgical repair, LEAT and meniscus surgery, and any other factors that may arise during your rehab.

Returning to high-risk sport following ACL injury, especially without completing a dynamic and comprehensive return to performance program, puts the athlete at a risk of re-injury up to 40x greater than athletes who have never suffered an ACL rupture. People often think strength training is the final component to their rehab before returning, when in actual fact this has to be their foundation and loading should start very soon after injury or surgery. Evidence suggests that without the best ACL rehab and continued injury prevention training following your return to sport, re-injury rates can be as high as 20% within the first few years back to sport.

After an ACL diagnosis, the surgeon will advise you to strengthen the knee before surgery, often with little guidance on how to do this. Following your surgery you typically see your surgeon or physio every 4-6 weeks for the first few months of recovery. Their primary goal is to get you back to daily function. Once this has been achieved you are left to your own devices to getting back to sport. This is a huge problem in the UK and is why so many people never return to their level of sport or activity.

This is where The Rehab Coach differs. We support you throughout your rehab from initial injury all the way through to returning to your sport. We take a full body approach, consider your sport and activity and design a complete programme aimed at retaining as much strength and conditioning as you can whilst rehabbing the knee. This results in better rehab outcomes for our athletes, and a quicker safer and successful return to sport.

Your mechanism of injury usually gives a good indication of an ACL injury. These injuries typically occur with change of direction or deceleration, landing on one leg with rotation or hyperextension forces or contact from another player. Most people describe an audible ‘pop’ and instant pain, followed by excessive swelling and limited range of movement. Some people are able to walk and have minimal pain, but more often than not will describe a feeling of instability or giving way.
There are several tests a therapist can perform to determine the integrity of the ACL. The injury will then need to be confirmed with an MRI scan and referral to an orthopaedic surgeon.

There are some people that are considered ‘copers’ following an ACL rupture (approximately 10%). They may not require surgery and some of these people do return to sport BUT ONLY with an extensive rehabilitation programme.

Most people will experience significant instability and are at risk of further damage to the knee without the stability of the ACL. You will require a review with an orthopaedic surgeon who will discuss your surgical options. This may done using a hamstring, patellar, peroneal or quadricep graft or even a synthetic man-made ACL. Each surgeon will have their own protocol that they use for surgery and post operative bracing and recovery.

Another option is a bracing protocol where you are braced in a restricted range of movement for a period of time with the aim of the ACL repairing itself. This is a relatively new area of research and the decision is often made within the first week following injury, and is therefore quite a unique situation within our health services.

The rehabilitation of an ACL injury is crucial regardless of which option you take. A Rehab Coach plays a crucial role in a safe, effective and efficient recovery, and a return to sport.