How to Rehab an ACL

The ACL (anterior crucial ligament) is in the middle of the human knee. A serious knee injury often damages the ligament. After receiving treatment and surgery for an ACL injury, you absolutely must rehabilitate the wound sufficiently to regain full use of your knee. While is it important to maintain regular and consistent exercise, the period in the hospital and the days at home immediately following discharge demand extra care to make a full recovery.

Instructions

• 1

  Sit with your legs together in front of you and slowly point your toes back so they are facing you while tightening your leg muscles. Do this for 10 seconds at a time.

• 2

  Bend your right knee and slowly slide your foot back toward your upper leg without letting your heel leave the bed. Repeat this for the other leg, doing only one leg at a time.

• 3

  Place a foot support under your heel to raise your foot above the height of your upper leg and let your knee gradually lower into a relaxed position. You should work up to doing this for 10 minutes at a time.

• 4

  Sit on the edge of the bed with one foot crossed over the other and straighten your legs in front of you. Lower your legs and switch your feet over and straighten them again.

• 5

  Hold your feet out at a 45-degree angle to the bed with your right foot supporting the left one. Let your legs slowly fall into a relaxed, bent knee position for 10 minutes. Switch the feet and repeat.

• 6

  Stand with your feet slightly apart and slowly raise yourself up onto your toes and lower yourself back down onto your feet, keeping your legs straight. Do this 10 times in a row.

• 7

  Keep your feet flat on the floor and slowly bend at the knees for five seconds before rising into a standing position. Work up to doing this 10 times in a row.

• 8

  Lie flat on the floor with your bottom one foot away from the wall and your legs vertically resting on the wall. Slowly lower your legs until your knees are bent as far as you can then hold the position for five seconds.