Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury (ACL) Rehabilitation Exercises
You may begin with the first 3 exercises immediately. When
swelling in your knee has gone down and you are able to stand
with equal weight on both legs, you may do the remaining
exercises.
- Heel slide: Sit on a firm surface with your legs
straight in front of you. Slowly slide the heel of your
injured leg toward your buttock by pulling your knee to
your chest as you slide. Return to the starting
position. Do 3 sets of 10.
- Quadriceps isometrics: Sitting on the floor with
your injured leg straight and your other leg bent, press
the back of your knee into the floor by tightening the
muscles on the top of your thigh. Hold this position 10
seconds. Relax. Do 3 sets of 10.
- Prone knee bends: Lie on your stomach with your legs
straight out behind you. Bend your knee so that your heel
comes toward your buttocks. Hold 5 seconds. Relax and
return your foot to the floor. Do 3 sets of 10. As this
becomes easier you can add weights to your ankle.
- Passive knee extension: Do this exercise if you are unable
to fully extend your knee. While lying on your back, place
a rolled up towel underneath the heel of you injured leg
so it is about 6 inches off the ground. Relax your leg
muscles and let gravity slowly straighten your knee.
You may feel some discomfort while doing this exercise.
Try to hold this position for 2 minutes. Repeat 3 times.
Do this exercise several times per day. This exercise can
also be done while sitting in a chair with your heel on
another chair or stool.
- Heel raises: Balance yourself while standing behind a
chair or counter. Raise your body up onto your toes and
hold it for 5 seconds, then slowly lower yourself down.
Repeat 10 times. Do 3 sets of 10.
- Knee stabilization: Wrap a piece of elastic tubing
around the ankle of your uninjured leg. Tie the tubing
to a table or other fixed object.
- Stand on your injured leg facing the table and bend
your knee slightly, keeping your thigh muscles tight.
While maintaining this position, move your uninjured
leg straight back behind you. Do 3 sets of 10.
- Turn 90° so your injured leg is closest to the table.
Move your uninjured leg away from your body. Do 3
sets of 10.
- Turn 90° again so your back is to the table. Move
your uninjured leg straight out in front of you. Do 3
sets of 10.
- Turn your body 90° again so your uninjured leg is
closest to the table. Move your uninjured leg across
your body. Do 3 sets of 10.
Hold onto a chair if you need help balancing. This
exercise can be made even more challenging by standing
on a pillow while you move your uninjured leg.
- Wall squat with a ball: Stand with your back,
shoulders, and head against a wall and look straight
ahead. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your feet 1 foot
away from the wall and a shoulder's width apart. Place
a rolled up pillow or a soccer-sized ball between your thighs.
Keeping your head against the wall, slowly squat while
squeezing the pillow or ball at the same time. Squat
down until you are almost in a sitting position. Your
thighs will not yet be parallel to the floor. Hold this
position for 10 seconds and then slowly slide back up
the wall. Make sure you keep squeezing the pillow or
ball throughout this exercise. Repeat 10 times. Build up
to 3 sets of 10.
- Resisted knee extension: Make a loop from a piece of
elastic tubing by tying it around the leg of a table or
other fixed object. Step into the loop so the tubing
is around the back of your injured leg. Lift your
uninjured foot off the ground. Hold onto a chair for
balance, if needed.
- Bend your knee about 45 degrees.
- Slowly straighten your leg, keeping your thigh muscle
tight as you do this.
Do this 10 times. Do 3 sets. An easier way to do this
is to perform this exercise while standing on both legs.
Written by Tammy White, MS, PT, and Phyllis Clapis PT, MS, OCS.
This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to
change as new health information becomes available. The
information is intended to inform and educate and is not a
replacement for medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or
treatment by a healthcare professional.
Copyright © 2003 McKesson Health Solutions LLC. All rights reserved.