If you recently tore your ACL, or the anterior cruciate ligament in your knee, because of sports or any other reason, the right treatment plan helps this essential ligament heal quickly. Physical therapy is often included in ACL treatment regimens along with the RICE method, or Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. Learn how physical therapy can benefit your injured knee here. 

What Can Physical Therapy Do For My ACL Injury?

1. Assist With Gait Training

It is not uncommon for those with ACL injuries to use crutches or canes while walking, which takes pressure off of their affected knees to facilitate healing. Since walking with crutches or a cane changes your gait, your physical therapist can help you learn to use these products correctly to avoid further injuries. The physical therapist can also assist you when transitioning from the crutches or cane back to regular walking, which allows you to walk normally in a timely manner. 

2. Helps You Stay Strong

As important as it is to rest, ice, elevate, and compress your injured knee, it is equally important to remain physically strong. Engaging in certain strength training exercises during physical therapy, such as those that strengthen your hip, quadriceps, and hamstring muscles, prevents your injured knee from working too hard. These other muscles take on the work, relieving pressure on the ACL injury and helping you stay balanced. 

3. Improves Range of Motion

The pain and swelling associated with ACL injuries affect range of motion. Physical therapy helps improve range of motion, such as performing the prone hang exercise where you lie stomach side-down on a bed with a rolled-up towel under your thighs. This towel keeps pressure off of your knees, which should hang off the bed along with your calves and feet to encourage range of motion. This and similar exercises prevent the knee from stiffening excessively.

If physical therapy is right for your ACL injury, contact Step By Step Physical Therapy in Warsaw, NY. Serving Wyoming to Eric County since 1992, these licensed professionals provide a variety of treatments for sports injuries and other physical issues. Call (585) 786-8700 today to make an appointment or learn more about services online.