3142 Anterior Cruciate Ligament Physiotherapy: Sport specific phase
0 (0 Likes / 0 Dislikes)
Hello.
It is now about 16 weeks
since your anterior cruciate
ligament, or ACL operation.
It is important that
your recovery now starts
to involves a gradual
return to sporting activities.
This video will show you the exercises which will help you
to start enjoying the
sports you did before your injury.
Depending on your progress,
and sporting interests,
your physiotherapist will give you
guidance about which specific exercises are appropriate for you,
and will help you with
any exercises which you find difficult.
There is some general
advice that you should be following
at this stage in your recovery:
Continue to increase
your running distance.
Speak to your physiotherapist
about which sport-specific exercise
drills you can start to
practice and when you
can return to training sessions.
Gentle golf is generally
safe at this stage of your recovery.
Please do not return to contact sports
until your consultant
has given you the go ahead.
This is generally at the 9 month
mark but may be longer.
It is important to warm
up before doing your exercises.
Go for a walk, or if you are in the gym, use the cross trainer
or exercise bike for
5 minutes before starting.
We recommend
that you should do
each of the following
exercises for 15 repetitions,
at least three times a day.
Stand in front of a small step
with your legs hip width apart.
Bend your knees into a squat position, and quickly push up
through your feet so
that you jump up onto the step.
Try to land softly with a
slight bend in your knees.
Repeat by jumping backwards
off the step and onto the floor.
Kneel on a matt or a cushion with
your knees at a 90 degree angle.
Ask a friend to
hold your heels steady,
or hook your heels under
something sturdy, such as a chair.
Slowly lean forwards a few inches, keeping your back straight,
until you can feel a tightening
in the backs of your thighs.
Hold this for a few seconds,
before slowly returning
to an upright position.
Stand on your operated leg.
Quickly push up onto the tips of your toes and into a small vertical jump.
Try to land softly
on the ball of your foot,
and slowly lower your
heel back down to the floor.
Keep your knee soft on landing.
Ideally the power for the jump comes from your ankle and calf muscles.
Lie on your non-operated side,
resting on your elbow, with your lower knee bent at a 90 degree angle
and your top knee straight.
Use your knees to push your buttocks up towards the ceiling.
Hold this postion.
Slowly lift your top knee
away from your bottom knee,
and then lower towards the ground.
It is important that you do not let
your lower back roll backwards
when you do this.
Keeping one hand on your
upper hip can help to stabilise you.
Use cones or markers,
such as socks or cans,
to mark out the four points of the compass on the floor.
Stand in the middle of the compass.
Lift your non-operated
leg off the ground
so that you are standing
on your operated leg.
Whilst maintaining your balance, hop to the first point in the compass
and then back to the middle.
Repeat this by hopping
to all points of the compass.
Try to land softly and restart
if you lose your balance.
If you have any problems
with any of these exercises,
please speak to your physiotherapist.