Anterior Cruciate Ligament, ACL, rehabilitation is a process that usually follows reconstructive surgery on a torn or ruptured ACL in your knee. This process can be lengthy for most patients due to the level of muscle atrophy, joint stiffness and pain often experienced immediately following the surgical procedure. You may experience a temporary inability to straighten your knee completely as a result of these surgery side-effects; however, with time this stiffness will lessen and you will return to full range of motion in the joint.
ACL Reconstruction
ACL reconstruction is a surgical procedure used to replace a torn or ruptured ACL in your knee joint with another new ligament. This new ligament graft can be harvested from another area of your body, such as your hamstring or patellar tendon, or can come from an outside source such as a cadaver ligament or pig ACL. Due to your body's natural response to any invasive procedure, you will experience swelling and muscle atrophy immediately following surgery. These side effects can cause stiffness in your knee, preventing you from fully extending your leg.
Therapy
In an effort to regain full range of motion within your knee joint and to combat joint stiffness, your surgeon and doctor will likely prescribe physical therapy to begin the day after your surgery. This is done as a means to address joint stiffness as soon as possible and to help alleviate knee stiffness or discomfort in a timely manner. Therapy will consist of muscles strengthening exercises to build up your supporting knee muscles and flexibility stretching to help regain range of motion in the joint.
Considerations
While attending therapy for your ACL reconstruction, you will gradually see an increase in flexibility. Therapy sessions are typically prescribed for multiple days during the week for up to six months following your surgical procedure. This lengthy therapy process is necessary to not only insure proper healing around your surgical incision sites, but also to slowly improve your strength and flexibility as opposed to forcing your knee joint to operate at full capacity too quickly.
Misconceptions
While knee stiffness and discomfort is expected following an ACL surgical reconstruction, these symptoms are not permanent and can be relieved over time. Your doctor and therapist will also recommend that you continue knee flexion and extension exercises outside of a therapeutic setting. Therefore, you will be expected to continue bending and strengthening your knee at home via the use of a prescribed home-exercise program.
