ACL Injury: What You Need to Know
An ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury is one of the most significant sporting injuries, commonly occurring in football, cricket, basketball, kabaddi, and gym training. At VPARC in Varanasi, Dr. Prashant Punj has managed ACL rehabilitation for athletes from schoolchildren to state-level players.
ACL Rehabilitation Phases at VPARC
- Pre-operative Phase — Prehab before surgery: reducing swelling, maintaining quad strength
- Phase 1 (0–6 weeks post-op) — Swelling control, full knee extension, quad activation
- Phase 2 (6–12 weeks) — Progressive strengthening, proprioception, cycling
- Phase 3 (3–5 months) — Running progression, agility, neuromuscular control
- Phase 4 (5–9 months) — Sport-specific drills, cutting movements, full training integration
- Return-to-Sport Criteria — Objective strength testing (LSI ≥90%), hop tests before clearance
Conservative ACL Management
Not all ACL injuries require surgery. Isolated ACL tears in older patients, or partial tears in athletes who perform linear sports, may be managed successfully with intensive physiotherapy alone.
Why Timelines Matter in ACL Rehab
The most common cause of ACL re-rupture is returning to sport too early. At VPARC, clearance is based on objective criteria — not just time elapsed. This evidence-based approach produces significantly lower re-injury rates.