Tuesday, September 10, 2013

Physical Therapy for Prehab before ACL reconstruction?


“Should I really go to physical therapy for ‘prehab’ before I have my ACL reconstruction?” 
 
This is a very common question asked by athletes who have recently suffered an ACL tear, and the answer is YES.  The single largest mistake people make is neglecting the importance of regaining functional knee range of motion, maximizing strength/coordination, and reducing swelling as much as possible BEFORE going in for surgery.  The pain and swelling caused by inflammation after an ACL tear can produce reflex weakening of the muscles surrounding the injured area. Neuromuscular control needs to be restored prior to surgery in order to facilitate normal muscle recovery post-operatively. The stronger the muscles are going in, the faster they will recover afterwards.  Doing nothing for even the couple weeks leading up to surgery can make your post-operative recovery much more difficult.  

In addition to the physical benefits of pre-operative therapy, establishing a relationship with your Physical Therapist beforehand will provide a huge mental boost and allow you to become prepared for surgery and what is to be expected afterwards.  An ACL tear is a HUGE deal to an athlete and is a very difficult injury to come back from mentally.  Going into surgery with a strong sense of mental preparedness enables the athlete to be both confident and realistic about the rehab process and goal setting.  Athletes are often nervous about surgery and will likely forget to ask the surgeon the right questions.  Working with your physical therapist before allows the procedure to be explained thoroughly and gives the athlete/therapist opportunity to discuss their rehabilitation program in detail, so that they fully understand what is expected of them.  


At OSR Physical Therapy, we specialize in the treatment of athletic injuries and have had the opportunity to return many local athletes to their sport in PRIME CONDITION following ACL Reconstruction.  We are proud to be the choice provider for many of our local high school athletes and are confident in our staff and state-of-the art equipment.  Please do not hesitate to contact us to answer any questions you may have about ACL Reconstruction and rehabilitation.  

Here are some related links of interest:

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001074.htm

This article was created by Josh Rolfes, DPT. Josh works out of our Eden Prairie office. 

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