What should I expect going?

The hardest part about an ACL injury is not the injury itself and it’s not the surgery. It is the rehab and the aftermath of such a grand event in your life.

And trust me when I say the process is a big deal. The ACL rehab will involve physical, mental, and emotional challenges. Some patients even say their leg was never the same post-injury. So, my advice is to do the rehabilitation right from the start, beginning prior to your surgery day.

How can I prepare for an ACL surgery?

ACL surgery in itself is a lengthy topic and there are a lot of factors to consider when deciding which surgeon to use and what type of ACL graft to choose. Consider this ACL surgery prep check list:

  • Your knee is able to go completely straight — in PT we call that “0 degrees.”

  • Your swelling is reasonably managed.

  • You have some signs of life in your quad, meaning when someone says “squeeze your thigh muscle,” you are able to do so and maybe even lift your leg off the table while keeping the knee straight.

Your surgeon might even order formal PT for 2 weeks as a form of prep for ACL surgery.

Want to know more? Join my Facebook group, it’s for everyone seeking information on ACL injury prevention, recovery, and screening. 👇

ACL sCienCe Group
Dr. Svetlana "Lana" Mellein, DPT
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