The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the ligaments that helps hold the knee joint together. In many cases, an ACL injury in O’Fallon, Missouri, happens when you change direction or stop suddenly while playing sports. There are many ways that physical therapists in this area can help treat ACL injuries, and one of the most common methods of treatment is therapeutic exercises. Here are two exercises that could be on the ACL rehabilitation exercises list your therapist creates for you:
- Ankle pumps
For the first few weeks after your ACL is injured, your therapist won’t use any exercises that put too much stress on the knee. However, they can create a list of rehabilitation exercises for you that can help your knee without stressing it. One exercise that may be on this list is the ankle pump.
To do the ankle pump, you’ll need to lie down on your back on the floor. If you aren’t comfortable on the floor, you can also lie on your back on a bed. Once you’re lying down, make sure the affected leg is straight out in front of you. Also, the foot of your affected leg should be loose and pointing slightly away from you, and your unaffected leg should be bent with the foot flat.
From this starting position, slowly bend your foot and ankle back toward your body. When you’ve moved it as far back as you can, hold this position for two to three seconds, and then return your foot to the start position. For the best results, you should try to repeat this exercise until you’ve done 10 total repetitions.
- Partial squats
As your ACL heals, your physical therapist will start adding more active exercises to your ACL rehabilitation list. One example of an exercise they might introduce at this stage is the partial squat.
The first few times you do this exercise, you should grasp the back of a stable chair or the edge of a table to help you keep your balance. To enter the starting position for the partial squat, you’ll need to stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Also, your feet should be turned outward slightly. Once you’re in this starting position, slowly lower your buttocks backward and downward until your legs are at about a 45-degree angle. You should try to hold this slightly squatting position for five or six seconds before returning to the starting position. To complete one set of this exercise, continue to repeat these steps until you’ve done 10 repetitions. Your goal should be to complete three sets of partial squats throughout the day.
ACL rehabilitation is a snap with help from Excel Sports & Physical Therapy
Excel Sports & Physical Therapy in O’Fallon has an excellent team of therapists who can help you find the most effective recovery plan for your ACL injury. Your therapy process will begin with a free screening. This step allows us to determine how your injury is affecting you and how strong your symptoms are. Using this information, our team will then build you a personalized therapy plan that may include:
- Therapeutic exercises
- Joint mobilization
- Kinesiotherapy
Don’t wait any longer to start getting our help with your ACL rehab. Contact our team today for more information or to schedule an initial appointment.
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