NEWSLETTER Health &Wellness
MOVE YOUR KNEE FREELY ONCE AGAIN, AFTER ACL SURGERY
Our knees do a lot of work throughout the day and we too often take them for granted. You never notice how complex and necessary our knee joints are for everyday movements until we sustain an injury that hinders their use. The vast majority of functions you need to perform each day (whether it’s getting out of bed, bending down to empty the dishwasher, crouching to tie your shoe, or simply going upstairs) are only possible when your knees can perform their full range of motion. Your patella (kneecap) is designed to glide up and down within the thigh bone groove. If even a minor injury prevents that from happening, the resulting friction causes a buildup of debris, leading to inflammation, pain, and crucial loss of function. That’s why it is so important to seek the help of a physical therapist following an ACL repair. This is a major surgery that can greatly affect the way your knees move. Fortunately, our licensed and experienced physical therapists at Willow PT can help you move freely once again! What can I expect after my ACL surgery? When the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears, it typically happens from a sudden stop, twist, or change in motion. This may make you feel as if you can’t put any weight on your legs at all.
Because this is a ligament that is crucial to knee movement, post-surgical rehabilitation is typically a lengthy process – requiring approximately 6-9 months of extensive physical therapy and hard work. We understand that this can be physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging for an athlete. There are a lot of ups and downs to the rehab process - you go from being a star athlete to sitting on the sidelines for as long as a year. However, at Willow PT, we will work hard to make your rehabilitation process as smooth as possible, so you can get back to playing the sport you love. In order to achieve this, some important aspects of your treatment plan will include: • Strength training • Balance • Body awareness • Leg symmetry
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Jumping and landing techniques
This is all done to make sure that you are performing optimally and not compensating. Our mission is to provide the proper techniques and resources to you so you can get back to the game with regained function and a significantly decreased risk of sustaining another injury.
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Are you letting pain hold you back? Call to schedule your appointment today! 907-456-5990 WE ARE STILL OFFERING TELEHEALTH FOR THOSE WHO CAN’T COME IN TO THE OFFICE!
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