Knee Surgery Checklist: Essential Items You Need for ACL Rehab

There are certain key items you need for ACL rehab or any other knee surgery. Whether you have ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair, or another knee surgery, the time right after surgery is the most painful. At first, you will just be focused on getting your pain and swelling down. Once you make it past the first few weeks, it may seem like much smoother sailing.

However, your journey has just begun.

The months of rehab after the initial surgery are some of the most challenging. While going to physical therapy will help, there are just some pieces of rehab equipment you want to have at home.

After having two knee surgeries in two years, I have built up my own small stash of rehab collectibles. I’ve tried numerous tools and products for helping my recovery, and I have found a few that are absolute essentials.

If you are looking for the things you need right after knee surgery to help your recovery, check out my last post HERE.

Otherwise, read on to learn about the essential items you need for ACL rehab or knee surgery recovery.

Stretching Strap

What is it?: A stretching strap has multiple loops and helps you stretch on your own, and is one of the most helpful items you need for ACL rehab. It is much easier to get into or hold certain positions with a stretching strap.

When to use it: 1 month post op+

How to use it: I used the stretching strap throughout my entire recovery. Early on, I used it to practice a range of motion. For flexion, I would lay on my stomach, wrap the band around my ankle, and try to pull my foot toward my butt. For extension, I would use the band while doing a hamstring stretch and try to push my knee down. To this day, I still use it to help with stretching.

Ankle Weights

What are they?: Ankle weights just strap around your ankle and add resistance to your movements. I just had ones with a set weight, but these adjustable ones above would be great and allow you to use them during more stages of your recovery.

When to use them: 1 month-4 months post op

How to use them: I used ankle weights primarily during the first third of my recovery, but I could have used them longer if I could add weight. Some ways I used them included:

  • Add weight to prone hang for working on extension and ROM
  • While doing straight leg lifts
  • For 4-way hip exercises
  • Doing leg extensions before I could use much weight
  • For doing leg curls before I could use much weight (lay on stomach, slowly kick foot to butt)

However, make sure you never use the ankle weights while walking long distances, running, jumping, etc.

Foam Roller

What are they: Foam rollers are an essential piece of at-home equipment for any athlete or workout person, but really help during recovery after knee surgery as well. There are so many types of foam rollers, including:

When to use them: 1 month+ post op

How to use them: Foam rolling helped me along my entire ACL and meniscus recovery, and I still use one to this day. Initially, you can use your foam roller to roll out your quads and lower hamstring to help loosen those areas and relieve pain. Throughout your recovery, foam rolling is a great way to start and/or end any workout. When I am sore, they really help to loosen up the areas and bring some blood flow back to my muscles.

Compex

What is it: The Compex Performance 2.0 muscle simulator is one of the absolute best tools I used (and still use) for my recovery. It is a TENS bundle kit with electrodes and numerous programs to choose from. The resistance, strength and explosive strength programs activate type II muscle fibers and increase explosive strength. The recovery programs help increase muscle recovery and reduce delayed onset muscle soreness.

When to use it: Month 1+

How to use them: The first couple of weeks after surgery, I used my Compex on the recovery setting on my quads to help bring oxygen to the area. As my recovery progressed, I used it with my workouts on strength settings. I still use it on my knee on the recovery setting to help manage pain and promote healing. The Compex website has excellent resources and detailed explanations about how to use it.

Workout Bands

What are they: Workout bands are must-have pieces of at-home workout and rehab equipment. I recommend having both loop resistance bands and “pull up” bands because they are used for diferent things. The loop resistance bands are lighter and smaller, and used for a lot of glute work. The “pull up assistance” bands are bigger and thicker, and I used them to add resistance to many exercises.

When to use them: 2 months post op+

How to use them: You can do a wide variety of exercises with resistance bands. Early in your recovery, you may use the loop bands for glute exercises and activation. As you progress, you can use the larger bands to add resistance to strengthening movements and jumps. I still use them to this day for glute activation, at-home workouts, and speed training.

An Exercise Ball

What is it: An exercise or Yoga ball is just a large, light ball that is found in most gyms and PT centers. They are inexpensive, and having one at home can really help you with your rehab.

When to use it: 2 months post op+

How to use it: The exercise ball can be used in many ways. Early on, you can use it to work on your range of motion. Just sit on the ball and slowly rock back and forth, trying to get more range of motion as you go. Later on the ball is great for many different strengthening exercises like glute bridges, hamstring curls, leg squeezes, etc.

K-Tape

What is it: Kinesiotape, or K-tape, is a certain kind of “second skin” tape used for many injuries. While I personally have not seen much of an effect on muscle injuries, it does work great for me to support my knee.

When to use it: 6 months +

How to use it: I did not really need to use K-tape until later on in my rehab, when I was running and getting back into soccer. I always struggled with patellar pain, and K-tape is one thing I used to manage it. Before playing, I would spray on a sports tape adhesive and then apply the K-tape in a way I learned from my former athletic trainers. You can keep it on until it falls off.

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