ACL & MCL Knee Rehab

Suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) or a medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury significantly destabilizes your knee joint, making weight-bearing activities difficult, if not impossible. The rehabilitation process can be extensive, depending on the severity of the injury, but generally involves treating the initial symptoms, such as inflammation and pain, and then restoring your range of motion, strength and power. A severe injury may also require surgical repair. Consult your doctor to develop a comprehensive treatment plan. Full recovery can take months.

Evaluation/Initial Treatment

A professional should administer the Lachman's test -- trying to move the tibia bone forward while holding the femur, or thigh bone, in a fixed position -- to check for ACL damage, and a valgus stress test -- pressing on the outside of the knee while holding the lower leg steady -- to evaluate the MCL if you've suffered a knee injury. Visit your physician for a more extensive evaluation if either test is positive. Also, apply the RICE treatment protocol -- rest, ice, compression and elevation -- for at least 24 hours immediately after suffering the injury.

Restoring Range of Motion

When your doctor recommends that you do so, begin performing knee joint range-of-motion exercises daily. Start on your back with your legs fully extended and heels on the floor. Lock your injured knee to lift your foot off the floor, then let it back down and flex your knee, sliding your heel toward your buttocks as far as possible. Reverse to the starting position and repeat multiple times. Performing static and dynamic leg-stretching exercises may also help.

Restoring Strength

A strengthening program consisting of various resistance exercises should coincide with the range-of-motion exercises. Strengthening exercises should target the muscles surrounding your affected knee joint -- the calf, hamstrings and quadriceps muscle groups. Examples of appropriate exercises include heel raises for the calves, leg curls for the hamstrings and leg extensions, leg presses and partial to parallel squats for the quadriceps.

Returning to Functional Activities

After you regain your range of motion and strength, gradually return to the activities your doctor had previously restricted. This is especially important if you're an athlete. Ease back into sport-specific activities that involve cutting, jumping, kicking and sprinting; and don't return to competition until you're able to practice at full speed without experiencing any instability or pain. Your doctor may also recommend wearing a brace to provide extra support at first.