Introduction to biomechanics


ACL Injury Rehabilitation Procedures

Whether you are a fan of football, baseball,activities and functional movements that
basketball, or any other recreationalcorrespond with the patient's everyday needs.
activity you have at one time or another
heard of an ACL injury. Maybe your favoriteIt is wise to follow the acronym PRICE during
athlete was sidelined for months with a tearthe early stages of recovery from an ACL
to their ACL, or possibly it was you that hadtear. PRICE stands for protection, rest, ice,
to watch from the sidelines for a few months.compression, and elevation. By following
The Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is inthese five steps each day a patient will
fact a common major injury to the knee.effectively decrease their pain and swelling
Luckily for us with a good surgeon andand better prepare their joint for the
physical therapist, an ACL injury is notrecovery process. About one or two weeks
career threatening. Read more about ACLfollowing surgery the patient will begin
injuries and what to expect during the rehabphysical therapy. The physical therapist will
process.perform an initial evaluation consisting of
background questions, and visual and physical
Anatomy of the Anterior Cruciate Ligamentinspection of the knee itself. With this
(ACL)information a physical therapist will develop
a detailed plan specific to each patient's
Each one of our knees contains a number ofrehabilitation  needs.
ligaments that help stabilize its movements.
Of the four major ligaments contained withinRehabilitation  Timetable  &  Expectations
the knee capsule, the ACL is considered by
many to be the most important because itAs with any injury the expected time of
provides the majority of the knee'srecovery is based on numerous factors, such
stability. The ACL's main objective is toas: age, extent of injury, success and type
stabilize the knee during planting andof surgery, work ethic during rehab, physical
twisting motions, as well as prevent forwardtherapist technique and care to detail, and
movement of the lower leg from the upper leg.overall health and fitness of the patient. An
It is able to do this by attaching to ouraverage patient, who had a traditional ACL
upper leg at the front of the femur andsurgery, will begin light jogging about four
crosses the knee to attach to the lower legmonths post-surgery with full strength and
at the back of the tibia. When an injury tomobility not being full restored until about
the ACL occurs it is either a partial or fullsix to nine months after surgery. Most
tear of the ligament. The joint responds asdoctors will advise a patient to not return
it would to any other soft tissue injury byto more aggressive physical activities until
swelling. Some people hear a pop while otherstheir recovering leg has gained at least 90%
just notice an extreme lack of stability andof the strength of the healthy leg. There are
a sense of the knee giving out when weight ismore advanced surgeries that can put an
shifted on to that leg. Depending on theathlete on the playing field in about six
extent of the injury a patient may or may notmonths. This option is intended for serious
have surgery to repair a partial tear of theathletes only and a physician should be
ACL. As previously mentioned it is not justconsulted before investigating this
athletes that experience tears of their ACL.alternative.
Women tend to be more prone to an ACL injury,
an unfortunate problem attributed to a numberAny type of major injury can be a setback in
of factors. Anatomical factors that canan athletic career, or quite a struggle to
contribute to one's likelihood of injurydeal with in day-to-day life, and an ACL tear
include: strength imbalances between theis no different. Surgery and rehabilitation
hamstrings and quadriceps, joint laxity, andtechniques are improving each day and are
a  large  Q-angle.therefore making the recovery from such an
injury less painful. A patient who is
Typical  Rehabilitation  Actionsdedicated to their complete recovery will
have a much better experience throughout the
Surgical and non-surgical rehabilitationprocess and give themselves a great
protocols are very similar, if not the sameopportunity to continue their life, be it as
in many cases. Once the surgical wounds havean  athlete  or  not.
healed a patient will then schedule their
first appointment with a physical therapist.Robert Tendick is a student preparing himself
The physical therapist will develop a plan ofto earn a Doctor of Physical Therapy. Through
action for the patient's treatment. The mosthis degree in Kinesiology and experiences as
important objective early on is to reducean athlete, Robert has become familiar with
swelling and work to prevent scar tissueinjuries to the ACL and common expectations
buildup. The next objective is to regain fullfor ACL surgery recovery. He has also had the
range of motion, while simultaneouslyopportunity as a physical therapy aide to
strengthening the muscles that support thehelp heal a number of West Los Angeles
knee joint. With full of range of motion andphysical therapy patients through the use of
increasing strengths, eventually a physicalcutting edge injury rehabilitation
therapist will finish their rehab treatmenttechniques.
with a phase of neuromuscular control



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