The gap between not hurting any more and being ready to play is where most re-injuries happen. Pain settles well before tissue is strong enough for a sport that asks you to change direction at speed, and the temptation to test it in a match is considerable.
Return to sport rehabilitation is the structured work that closes that gap. Strength first, then power, then the sport specific movements, then the volume, then the unpredictability of actually playing. We progress you on what you can demonstrate rather than on how many weeks have passed, which is slower to hear about and faster in the end.
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After ACL reconstruction
ACL rehabilitation is a long programme, usually running well beyond the point at which the knee feels fine. Published guidance and the evidence on re-rupture both point towards criteria based progression and against returning purely on a timescale, because a knee at nine months that has not regained quadriceps strength is not a knee that is ready. We will be straight with you about where you are, including when that is not what you want to hear.
What criteria based means in practice
We measure things. Strength side to side, hop and jump tests, control when you land and turn, and how your movement holds up once you are tired. Those numbers decide the next stage, not the calendar and not how keen you are.
Working with your club or coach
We are happy to talk to your coach or physio at the club so training load and rehabilitation are not pulling in opposite directions. That conversation prevents a good deal of trouble, particularly in team sports where availability pressure is real.
Frequently Asked Questions
When can I go back to sport after an injury?
How long is ACL rehabilitation?
What does criteria based progression mean?
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