The Important Stages Of ACL Physical Therapy: Is Recuperation Assured?

The ligament which joins the femur bone to the tibia is what we the anterior cruciate ligament also referred to as ACL. This ligament lies diagonally in the middle of these two bone fragments. The ACL is undoubtedly one of the many important ligaments in the body as it is the one that supports the knee and is also accountable for the rotating movement of the knee. As noted by numerous studies, on the hundred thousand people are advised to undergo the surgery to fix the ACL after their ligaments get torn due to physical contact in sports or other activities. As important as the actual reconstruction surgery will be the ACL physical therapy.Just like with other kinds of physical injury, the body needs some time to recover from the surgery. After an ACL reconstruction surgery, the patient has to visit a physical therapist a minimum of three times every week. Generally, the physical therapist is recommended by the surgeon of the patient. The initial phase of the rehab process normally lasts eight weeks, after which the actual sessions can be reduced to just two times a week.There are a couple of stages as part of the ACL physical therapy program of a patient. At first, the exercises are targeted at strengthening the affected knee. These exercises are also designed to reduce the swelling of the knee. It is crucial at this stage the patients keep doing the actual exercises even without the guidance of the therapist. Ideally, these strengthening workouts should be done for around 30 minutes every day.Eight weeks after the beginning of the rehabilitation process, the physical therapist is likely to shift to another training program. This time, the individual will have to do some more difficult exercise routines to condition the affected leg. For example, there will be periods in which the patient is going to be asked to lift weights as well as do some cardio workouts, like bicycle or even treadmill. There will also be workouts that focus on bringing back the knee’s stability as well as balance. These are the exercises that can actually be done on fitness gyms rather than the therapy center.The ultimate phase of the rehab for the torn ACL involves much more intensive programs as it is during this time the knee is expected to become fully healed. The recovery of the injury is almost complete at this time, provided of course the patient has followed all the instructions from the physical therapist.After the ACL physical therapy sessions are over, it is natural for that patient to still feel some pain or discomfort in the area of the injured knee. This is expected to are a couple of months, so it is really vital that the hurt knee be protected well.