Top 5 Strength Exercises To Do After ACL Surgery

Gaining strength after ACL surgery can be a difficult and frustrating process. Here are the TOP 5 strength exercises I include no matter what graft was used for the surgery.

Now just to make some clarifications before you watch the video, here is a little more context behind the video:

1) Obviously their are many more exercises that can be included in this list, but the idea was to narrow it down to just 5 exercises.

2) Depending on if hamstring, patellar, or even non surgical cases - their are different exercises you may want to emphasize more than others. For example, in the case of hamstring and conservative non operative care you probably will want to emphasize hamstring strength/hypertrophy a little more. With a patellar graft you will want to emphasize quads much more. In both instances, you should assume a tendinopathy type progression to exercise overload as that is essentially what you are creating when harvesting a graft from your own body. So being sure not to progress to quickly is very important. Finally, the type of nerve block used (if used) is very important. A femoral nerve block you need to emphasize quads a TON to get hypertrophy but also contractile EMG qualities to return.

3) The inability to allow the knee to travel over the foot is a HUGE issue that many people with ACL repairs and injuries struggle with. Allowing the knees to go over the foot with FLUIDITY and avoid excessive stiffness or pain is imperative for simple things such as walking down an incline for example hiking or going down stairs. Furthermore, being able to allow the knee to travel over the foot is 100% necessary to sink the hips and help decelerate forward momentum necessary in nearly all sports. 

Considering points #3 and #2, you can understand why a majority of the exercises listed below involve the quad and knee going over top the forefoot.