Physical Therapy Rehabilitation to Improve Recovery after ACL Surgery

Physical Therapy Rehabilitation to Improve Recovery after ACL Surgery www.hqbk.com

Physical therapy rehabilitation programs help patients who have undergone ACL surgery to quickly get back to a healthy and active lifestyle.

An Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) sprain or tear is one of the most common knee injuries. Usually, ACL injuries happen during sports and fitness activities. Serious ACL injuries require surgery. Physical therapy rehabilitation in a NYC health care center includes customized exercise programs which is crucial for patients to recover smoothly after the operation.

The ACL runs diagonally in the middle of the knee. It prevents the tibia from sliding out in front of the femur and provides rotational stability to the knee. Usually, ACL injuries happen during fitness activities and sports such as soccer, skiing, football and basketball. The American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine reports that about 150,000 ACL injuries occur in the United States every year. Several studies shows that the chances of ACL tear in female athletes are 2 to 10 times higher than in their male counterparts.

Causes and Symptoms of ACL Injury The common causes for ACL injury are: changing direction rapidly, stopping suddenly, slowing down while running, incorrectly landing from a jump, and direct contact or collision Signs and symptoms of ACL injury include:  A "popping" noise in the knee and a feeling that your knee is giving out from under you.  Pain with swelling within 24 hours  Loss of full range of motion  Tenderness along the joint line  Discomfort while walking If your injury is severe, you may have to undergo surgery immediately to regain full function of your knee.

Rehabilitation Exercises after ACL Surgery Brooklyn based multispecialty centers offer effective sports injuries treatment. Physical therapy exercises are an important component of post-surgical recovery. Based on your condition, the physical therapist will recommend various exercises to improve muscle strength and range of motion: Quadriceps Contractions – Sit down and straighten the knee. Tighten your thigh muscle until the back of the knee pushes into the bed. Hold for 10 seconds and release. Repeat 10 times 3 to 4 times a day. This exercise strengthens your quadriceps and also helps you achieve a straight leg position.

Straight Leg Raises – You have to wear a brace on your knee to protect it against excessive bending or straightening. Lie on your back, straighten your leg and lift it off the bed. Hold this position for a few seconds and slowly lower it. You can repeat this 10 times.

Heel Slides – Lie on your back and bend the knee. Your foot should stay in contact with the floor. Slowly slide the heel of your foot up toward your buttocks. Hold this position for 10 seconds and gently slide your foot back out.

Repeat the bend 20 times in 3 or 4 sessions a day. It helps with range of motion.

Patellar Mobilizations – Sit on the bed or floor. Straighten your leg in front of you. Put a hand on either side of your kneecap. Gently slide your kneecap up and down and side to side. Hold for two seconds in each direction and continue for one minute. Repeat 3 or 4 times a day. This exercise stops forming of scar tissue and keeps your kneecap mobile.

Seated Knee Flexion - Sit on the edge of a table, chair or bed. Your leg should be in a hanging down position. Cross your uninvolved leg under your ankle and use it to slowly straighten and lower your leg. Bend it as far as possible.

Hold for 10 seconds and repeat 10 times. You can do this exercise 3 to 4 times a day.

Prone Hangs – Lie on your stomach with your legs hanging over the bed or table. The edge should be just above your knee. You should stay in that position as long as possible. You can use your uninvolved leg to apply gentle downward pressure as you progress.

Core Training – Your physical therapist may recommend a variety of core strengthening exercises such as crunches, back extension and bridging to reduce injuries.

Ambulation Training – This includes weight shifting, walking backward, forward, sideways and stepping over things. Balance exercises will also be part of ambulation training.

Make Sure to Get Treatment at a Reliable Health Care Center For effective physical rehabilitation services in Brooklyn, NYC, find an established multi-specialty healthcare center. At a reliable center, you will be evaluated by a team of medical and rehab specialists from various disciplines. They will provide you with a customized rehab program to help you recover from ACL surgery and enhance your functional ability, strength and mobility. They will also educate you on self-care techniques that are essential for optimizing rehabilitation and avoiding future injury.