“I wish I could run again…”
“I can’t kick a footy with my son…”
“I can’t go to work…”
These are just a few examples of the sort of thoughts that run daily through the mind of someone who has suffered a serious knee injury and is left to experience a significantly reduced quality of life.
According to a study conducted by Herzog et al.; there were 283,810 ACL reconstructions with an overall rate of increase of 22% from 2002 to 2014.
As far as injuries go, an Anterior Cruciate Ligament rupture can be potentially career-ending for athletes and has been seen to put people out of work for an extended period.
Many studies have been conducted, highlighting the importance of pre and post-operative rehabilitation for an ACL reconstruction.
According to a study conducted by Kruse et al.; “Rigorous rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is necessary for a successful surgical outcome.” Giesche et al.; conducted a study that looked at the effectiveness of pre-rehabilitation and stated “At 12-weeks post-reconstruction, the pre-rehabilitation group had a lesser post-operative decline in the single-leg-hop for distance. Similar findings were found in terms of quadriceps strength. At both pre-reconstruction and two-year post-surgery, the pre-rehabilitation groups reached significantly higher self-reported knee function than the controls. At two years post-surgery, return-to-sport rates were higher in the pre-rehabilitation groups. The results provide evidence for the relevance of pre-rehabilitation prior to ACL-reconstruction to improve neuromuscular and self-reported knee function as well as return-to-sport.”
At Absolute Balance, we see a whole lot of people who have suffered knee injuries so severe that they required an ACL reconstruction and have seen how the physical limitations gradually impact a person’s mental state and overall quality of life.
You can take care of your knees by stretching, stabilising and strengthening the lower-limb musculature with targeted exercises following an injury and understand that it isn’t the be-all and end-all of your ability to live a full and functional life.
As a result of prescribing a structured rehabilitative exercise programme as part of someone’s treatment following an injury, we have seen many injured workers return to work effectively.
If you would like more information on how exercise rehabilitation can assist you, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@absolutebalance.com.au
Chris Chen (BSc – Exercise Physiology)
Senior Accredited Exercise Physiologist
References
Kruse LM, Gray B, Wright RW. Rehabilitation after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a systematic review. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2012 Oct 3;94(19):1737-48. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.K.01246. PMID: 23032584; PMCID: PMC3448301.
Herzog MM, Marshall SW, Lund JL, Pate V, Mack CD, Spang JT. Trends in Incidence of ACL Reconstruction and Concomitant Procedures Among Commercially Insured Individuals in the United States, 2002-2014. Sports Health. 2018;10(6):523-531. doi:10.1177/1941738118803616
Giesche F, Niederer D, Banzer W, Vogt L. Evidence for the effects of prehabilitation before ACL-reconstruction on return to sport-related and self-reported knee function: A systematic review. PLoS One. 2020 Oct 28;15(10):e0240192. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240192. PMID: 33112865; PMCID: PMC7592749.