Ask a PT
Ask a PT Find a PT

Exercises for Old Knee Injury

Question:

I have an old torn ACL injury, never repaired, with a very lax knee. Do you have suggestions for exercises I can do to stablize the knee and prevent further arthritis?

Answer: By Christopher Powers, PT, PhD

In the presence of ligamentous instability of the knee like you described, the muscles of the lower extremity must be strong to provide adequate stability of the knee joint, especially during movement. The key muscle groups that help to stabilize the knee include the quadriceps, hamstrings, calf and the hip muscles. Increasing strength of these muscles will increase the stability of the knee.

Consult a physical therapist to have your muscles evaluated for strength and flexibility. The physical therapist will be able to prescribe a specific exercise program to meet your needs.

| More

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 [...]

Other Questions:

«
»

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.