Stage 2 ACL Rehab

What to expect in stage 2.

Hello and welcome to Stage 2 of the ACL Rehab Program. At this stage, you are 1-4 weeks after surgery and your main points of concern are:

1. Normalize your walking pattern. You should definitely be getting off crutches in this stage.
2. Get to 0 degrees of extension. All “zero degrees” means is that you want to make sure your knee is nice and straight.
3. Work on bending your knee. You are continuing to work on your knee range of motion (ROM) flexibility. You want to aim for 120-130 degrees of bend by 6 to 8 weeks, which is actually going to happen in Stage 3, but Stage 2 is the time to work on it.
4. Start with mini squats. During Stage 2 of ACL Rehab we are going to introduce your first squat. This is a not a full squat, but rather something called the 0-60 degree squat.

See our video for demo of the squat and the exercises that are safe to do in stage II to help you meet these goals.

What to avoid in stage 2.

Depending on where you are mentally at this point these goals might seem like a joke: “I have to learn how to walk again?” or they might seem unattainable: “You want me to start squatting? I am terrified!” Regardless of how you feel towards them, it is paramount that you check them off your list. These are the building blogs to your long term success. Keep a clear head and keep on marching on forward (literally :).