Welcome to our health education library. The information shared below is provided to you as an educational and informational source only and is not intended to replace a medical examination or consultation, or medical advice given to you by a physician or medical professional.
ACL Rehabilitation: Getting Back to an Active Lifestyle
Once you are ready for it, your healthcare provider will help you ease back into your active life. You can do certain exercises to help you develop agility (ease and quickness of movement). You may need to use a knee brace during certain activities.
Ask your healthcare provider if you're ready to do these exercises. If you do too much too soon, you could create new knee problems, or even reinjure your knee.
Increasing Your Agility
Agility training helps prepare your knee for stops and starts, jumping, landing, and changing directions. Keep in mind, your leg must be strong enough to handle this training before you begin. Ask your healthcare provider how long to exercise. And be sure to do a variety of workouts. This helps strengthen all the muscles around your knee.
Sideways steps, hops, and shuffles prepare you to return to sports like skiing and tennis.
Short sprints forward and backward help get you ready for stop-and-go activities like soccer, basketball, or even chasing a toddler.
Other exercises help you train for specific activities, such as running. Talk to your healthcare provider.
Returning to Favorite Activities
Keeping your knee strong and stable is a lifelong commitment. It may take up to a year of steady work to regain the full use of your knee. But as you feel better, you can start getting back to many of your favorite activities. Just be sure to take it easy at first. You may also need to wear a leg brace for certain sports. For best results, stick with daily workouts for as long as you stay active. And continue to do strength training up to 3 times a week.