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The Key Stages Of ACL Physical Therapy: Is Recuperation Assured?

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The ligament which connects the femur bone to the leg is what we the anterior cruciate ligament also called ACL. This ligament lies diagonally in the middle of these two bones. The ACL is regarded as one of the many important ligaments in the body as it is the one that supports the knee and is also responsible for the rotating movement of the knee. As noted by numerous studies, on the hundred thousand people are recommended to undergo the surgery to fix the ACL after the ligaments get torn due to physical contact in sports or any other activities. As important as the reconstruction surgery will be the ACL physical therapy.

Just like with other types of physical injury, the body needs some time to recover from the surgery. Following an ACL reconstruction surgery, the patient has to see a physical therapist a minimum of three times every week. More often than not, the physical counselor is recommended by the doctor of the patient. The initial phase of the rehab process normally lasts eight weeks, after which the actual sessions can be reduced to just two times a week.

There are a couple of stages as part of the ACL physical therapy plan of a patient. At first, the exercises are aimed at strengthening the impacted knee. These exercises are also designed to reduce the swelling of the knee. It is crucial at this stage the patients keep doing the exercises even without the supervision of the therapist. Preferably, these strengthening exercises should be done for around 30 minutes every day.

Eight weeks following the beginning of the rehabilitation procedure, the therapist is likely to shift to another training program. This time, the individual will have to do some more difficult exercise routines to condition the affected knee. For example, there will be periods in which the patient is going to be asked to lift weights and also do some cardio workouts, like bicycle or treadmill. There will also be workouts that aim at bringing back the knee's stability and balance. These are the workouts that can actually be carried out on fitness gyms instead of the therapy center.

The ultimate phase of the rehab for the torn ACL entails much more intensive routines as it is during this time the knee is expected to become fully healed. The recovery of the injuries is almost complete at this stage, provided of course that the patient has followed all the instructions from the physical therapist.

When the ACL physical therapy sessions are over, it is natural for the patient to still feel some pain or discomfort in the area of the injured knee. This is expected to are a couple of months, so it is still vital that the hurt knee be protected well.
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