By: Lucas Glomb, PT, DPT, OCS High-quality ACL rehabilitation should be criterion-based, not time-based. Most people recovering from ACL surgery are told they’ll return to sport in 6–9 months. While healing timelines matter, time alone does not determine readiness. Two people at the same point on the calendar can have completely different strength, movement quality,...
At 9 to 12 months out of ACL reconstruction surgery athletes begin to plan their return to competition. The preceding 9 months of post operative ACL Physical Therapy has re established mobility, strength, biomechanics, power, and endurance. The 8 and 9th months also allow a gradual return to full practice including scrimmages. Post operative return...
By: Lucas Glomb, PT, DPT, OCS If you’ve had ACL reconstruction or are preparing for surgery, graft choice plays a major role in how your knee heals and how physical therapy progresses. At Mend Physical Therapy, we work with ACL patients across Colorado to tailor rehab based on the specific graft used and the demands...
By: Lucas Glomb, PT, DPT, OCS Returning to sport after ACL reconstruction is one of the most critical, and most misunderstood, phases of rehabilitation. Too often, athletes are cleared to return based on time since surgery alone, rather than objective readiness. At Mend Physical Therapy, we use criterion-based ACL rehab and return-to-sport testingto help athletes...
ACL injuries are one of the most devastating injuries for any athlete. Athletes often experience the sudden loss of identity, as well as, their daily and athletic function. They face a long, challenging recovery, including Physical Therapy, after surgery. The 9 month post operative period before their return to competitive sport is challenging and requires...
By: Lucas Glomb, PT, DPT, OCS Many people think that once they’re cleared to return to sport after ACL reconstruction, the work is done. But for many athletes, the real challenges show up months, or even years, later. Depending on the type of graft used for reconstruction, patients may develop chronic issues that limit performance...
By: Lucas Glomb, PT, DPT, OCS The 8-12 week mark following ACL reconstruction is one of the most critical phases of rehab. Early on, the focus is on restoring range of motion, managing swelling, and regaining basic function – something that most PT clinics do very well. However, by the 8-12 week mark, the priority...
ACL injuries remain one of the most common sports injuries rehabilitated by Physical Therapists. Athletes returning from ACL injury, treated either conservatively or surgically, face a difficult recovery period due to reduced agility, balance, power, mobility, and strength. Blood flow restriction (BFR) is a commonly used modality combined with exercise to improve muscle strength and...
The ACL is the most commonly injured ligament in the knee. ACL tears are one of the most common sports injuries and post operative conditions we see in our Boulder Physical Therapy and Lafayette Physical Therapy clinics. This ligament can be injured during cutting, pivoting sports requiring high speed or high load movements across the...
ACL injuries are one of the most common sports injuries with estimates ranging from 100-200K tears per year. Female athletes are at significantly greater risk for ACL tears and have a 6-8 x greater risk of injury compared to their male peers in the same sport. After an ACL injury, each athlete should meet with...