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Torn ACL

Question:

I recently had surgery to repair a torn ACL. What role will a physical therapist play in my recovery?

Answer: By Christopher Powers, PT, PhD

Your physical therapist will work with you on regaining your knee motion and muscle strength immediately following your surgery. As your strength improves and your ACL graft becomes stronger, your physical therapist will progress your program to include more advanced strengthening, balance and functional exercises.

In addition, your physical therapist will evaluate your movement patterns (i.e. running, jumping, etc) prior to your return to your regular activities in order to maximize performance and minimize the chance of re-injury.

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Learn more about Knee issues

Research has found that Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) tears occur four times more frequently in females than in males involved in the same amount of sports participation.
The difference in female and male neuromuscular control, the way muscles contract and react, is one of four primary factors contributing to why women are more susceptible to knee [...]

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Biographical Information

Physical therapist and American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) member Christopher M. Powers, PT, PhD, is an associate professor in the department of biokinesiology & physical therapy and co-director of the Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Research Laboratory at the University of Southern California (USC). He also has academic privileges in the departments of radiology and orthopaedic surgery at USC’s Keck School of Medicine. His primary teaching responsibilities include biomechanics and, specifically, the mechanics of human gait. Dr Powers received a bachelor’s degree in physical education from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1984; his master’s degree in physical therapy from Columbia University in 1987, and a PhD in biokinesiology in 1996 from USC. He completed his post-doctoral training at the Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory, University of California, Irvine. As a researcher, Dr Powers studies the biomechanical aspects of human movement. He has published more than 90 peer-reviewed articles and has received several research awards from APTA, including the Rose Excellence in Research Award from the APTA Orthopaedic Section, the Eugene Michels New Investigator Award, the Dorothy Briggs Scientific Inquiry Award, and the Helen J Hislop Award for contributions to the professional literature. He is an active member of APTA, currently serving as president of the section on Research.