The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the ligaments that helps hold the thighbone and shinbone in place in the knee. ACL injuries are common for people playing sports like soccer, football, rugby and basketball. However, anybody who suddenly changes direction or has to stop moving abruptly could injure their ACL.
Physical therapists in Oakland, California, can help you develop a personalized treatment plan for ACL rehabilitation. Your plan can benefit from many therapy techniques, but a list of ACL rehab exercises can be especially helpful to your recovery. Several exercises can be included in this list. Here are two ACL rehab exercises that your therapist might put on your list:
1. Ankle pumps
Maintaining ankle and knee range of motion are linked together. The reason is that these two joints are connected by muscles on the front and back of the calves. If these muscles get weak or tense after an ACL injury, it can slow your recovery. Ankle pumps are an exercise that physical therapists could add to your ACL rehab list to keep calf muscles strong and flexible.
How to do ankle pumps
- Start by sitting down on the floor or on a bed. Your legs should be straight, and your toes should be pointed as far forward as possible.
- From this position, slowly pull your toes back toward your calf. At first, you might only be able to pull them back a little before the exercise causes discomfort, and that’s OK.
- Slowly let your toes return to the starting position.
- Continue to repeat these steps until you’ve completed them eight to 10 times. Take a short break, and then repeat the exercise again until you’ve done three sets.
2. Quad sets
The quadriceps or thigh muscles also have a big role to play when you’re recovering from an ACL injury. These muscles help bend and stabilize the knee, but it’s harder for them to do so when they’re weak. An exercise called the quad set is an option that therapy specialists could add to ACL rehabilitation plans.
How to do quad sets
- You’ll begin this exercise by sitting on a bed or the floor with your knee slightly bent.
- Slowly tighten the quad muscle of the affected leg. This will cause your knee to straighten and press down into the bed or floor. You can place a towel under your knee to support it if this movement isn’t comfortable for you.
- Hold this position for three to five seconds before you release the tension from your quad.
- Repeat these steps until you’ve completed three to five reps with the affected leg. Then use the same steps to perform the exercise on the unaffected leg, and repeat with both legs until you’ve done three sets with each leg.
Find out how SOL Physical Therapy can help you with ACL rehabilitation in Oakland
Oakland residents can find help with ACL injuries right here in town. SOL Physical Therapy has a clinic here in Oakland where you can find free screenings. Our team can also help you build a comprehensive and personalized treatment plan for your injury, and this plan will include multiple beneficial therapy methods, including therapeutic exercises.
Contact our team today for more information about how we can help treat your injury or to schedule an initial appointment.
