A perioperative rehabilitation program for anterior cruciate ligament surgery

Rehabilitation programs have progressed alongside surgical advances in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. A perioperative program has been successfully used at our clinic for more than 10 years to reduce postoperative complications and return patients to activity safely and quickly. The four-phase program starts at the time of injury and preoperatively includes aggressive swelling reduction, hyperextension exercises, gait training, and mental preparation. Goals after surgery are to control swelling while regaining full knee range of motion. After quadriceps strengthening goals are reached, patients can shift to sport-specific exercises.