The ligament which brings
together the tibia to the femur bone is
called anterior cruciate ligament or ACL. It
is located
diagonally in
the center of these
two bones. This ligament gives
support and makes
it possible for the knee to rotate. According
to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, close
to a hundred thousand individuals
each
and every year will
need to go
through reconstruction surgery caused
by knee ligament tears that
are typically
acquired
while
playing
sports. Following
an ACL surgery, individuals
are recommended
to undergo
ACL physical therapy to
help make the knee heal
faster. Some
individuals need
to go through the therapy for four to six months in
order for their knees and legs to
function normally.
Promptly
after the surgery, the
patient should
go
through a post surgical
rehabilitation.
The
person will
likely be recommended
to see
a physical therapist three
times a
week. Right
after eight weeks, the appointments
might
be lessened
to
simply twice
per week. For the first
couple of weeks, you
will do
some strengthening exercises. This
will help reduce inflammation
at
the same time tone
your knee muscles. You
must keep
doing these exercises
on days that
you do not visit
your therapist.
The exercises
ought
to be done for half
an hour to an hour each
day.
Perhaps
right
after two months of therapy, when
your knee has
now recovered,
your physical therapist will
now give you a more intensive
knee strengthening
exercises. At
this point of your ACL physical therapy, you'll
be expected
to lift weights and do
some cardio
exercises which
include using
a treadmill or bicycle.
Furthermore,
you
may be given new
routines
which
are intended
to restore
the stability and balance of your knee. You
can even have
the option to
get this done in fitness or health clubs instead
of just going to a medical therapy center.
The
remaining two to three months of your therapy
will include balance, stability and strength exercises that
will test
the
total recovery
of your injured
knee. One
of the exercises done
at
this point of your therapy is called the box jump. You'll
be asked
to jump sideways onto
a wooden box. The box will
be placed
next
to you. After
you have jumped on to the box, you
will then jump once
more landing on the other side of the box, with both
feet landing together. Eventually,
when
you have regained the
full functioning of your knee, you'll
be able to jump on the other side of the box effortlessly.
You
might experience
some discomfort and pain during
these stages
of your ACL physical therapy. This
is normal because
your knees as
well as the muscles around
it are still on the process of recovery.
This
may take
time so
lots
of patience is
required.
Clement Farley is inviting all patients recovering from an ACL injury to come and visit his website at http://aclanteriorcruciateligament.com/. Discover the secrets of quick and painless ACL injury recovery, and get back to playing the sports you love, now!
