ACL Tear Basic/Range of Motion Exercises Introduction

Watch This Video First

https://vimeo.com/329099417

Extension

Straightening your Knee

Flexion

Bending your Knee

The foundation to a successful knee recovery is being able to fully straighten and fully bend your knee. You can always become stronger, improve your balance, and improve your endurance, but if you are not able to fully straighten and bend your knee you will not achieve optimal outcomes. 

You especially need to be able to get your knee fully straight. If you are not able to fully straighten your knee, you will walk with a limp. This aggravates your involved knee, your hips, your back, and your other knee. Not being able to fully straighten your knee will cause more pain with activity. Lacking full knee extension will limit the strengthening capabilities of your leg muscles.

Not being able to fully bend your knees may limit your ability to perform the activities that you enjoy or need to perform. Below are the knee flexion requirements for various tasks to be performed properly:

Climb stairs
Descending stairs
Sitting down
Tying shoes
Lifting child
Gardening

83
100
93
106
117
125

degrees
degrees
degrees
degrees
degrees
degrees

It would be ideal for you to obtain full knee extension and nearly full flexion before you begin the strengthening exercises.  Once you have achieved this, you can start the Strengthening 01 video series. If you are not able to obtain full knee range of motion after 2 weeks, it is okay to initiate Strengthening 01. However, continue with the knee extension and knee flexion exercises until full range of motion has been obtained.

Mark Lesson Complete

Begin Basic/Initial Motion Exercises