Anterior Cruciate Ligament – Initial Program (Conservative Treatment)
The cruciate ligaments are the most important ligaments of the knee joint, and the anterior cruciate ligament (Latin: ligamentum cruciatum anterius – English: ACL) is a particularly important element in knee joint stabilization. They are called cruciate ligaments because they cross each other, connecting the thigh bone (femur) to the shin bone (tibia), and by following joint movements they ensure stability by providing internal firmness to the knee joint. The anterior cruciate ligament prevents anterior translation of the lower leg relative to the thigh, while the posterior cruciate ligament acts in the opposite direction. Because cruciate ligaments lack additional passive protection, their stability largely depends on the function of active stabilizers. In sports activities, especially during landings, sudden changes of direction, and decelerations, ACL overload frequently occurs, particularly if there is a muscle imbalance between the quadriceps femoris muscle and the hamstring muscles, reduced neuromuscular control, or biomechanically incorrect movement patterns with a valgus knee position. Women have an increased risk of ACL injury due to a larger Q-angle and a reduced ability to generate muscle force. Conservative treatment of anterior cruciate ligament rupture is applied in patients without pronounced functional knee instability and in those who do not participate in high-risk sports. It is based on structured rehabilitation aimed at reducing pain and swelling, restoring range of motion, strengthening lower limb muscles, and improving proprioception and neuromuscular control. The goal of the conservative approach is to achieve functional stability of the knee joint through control of the lower limb axis, proper movement biomechanics, and synergy of muscle groups, enabling a safe return to daily activities and, in selected cases, sports loading, without surgical intervention.
42 days · 606 exercises · 101 check-ins
Price: €0.84, paid once. VAT included.
A sample of the plan
Day 1: Four point gait with crutches
- Instructions
- Instructions
- Four point gait with crutches
- Medication check-in
- Instructions
- EQ-5D-5L (EuroQoL Five-Dimensions-Five-Levels) - Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire v.2.0.
- Knee Pain Questionnaire (KOOS) v.2.0.
- Subjective Knee Assessment Form (IKDC) v.2.0.
- VAS pain scale v.2.0.
- Cryotherapy
- Lying with your leg elevated
- Lymphatic drainage of the knee
- Venous pump — 3 series · 10 reps · 30 s rest
- Passive extension
- Lying with feet on a roller
- Foot circling — 3 series · 10 reps · 30 s rest
- Knee exercises — 3 series · 8 reps · 30 s rest
- Development of passive knee flexion — 3 series · 8 reps · 30 s rest
- Electrical Stimulation
- Cryotherapy
- Lying with your leg elevated
- Medication check-in
- VAS pain scale v.2.0.
Day 11: Cryotherapy
- VAS pain scale v.2.0.
- Cryotherapy
- Lying with your leg elevated
- Lymphatic drainage of the knee
- Patella mobilization
- Venous pump — 4 series · 12 reps · 30 s rest
- Electrical Stimulation and contraction of the quadriceps
- Plantar flexion of the foot with resistance band — 3 series · 8 reps · 30 s rest
- Foot dorsiflexion with band resistance — 3 series · 8 reps · 30 s rest
- Passive knee extension using a band — 4 series · 10 reps · 20 s rest
- Lying with feet on a roller
- Single-leg roller rolling for flexion development — 4 series · 10 reps · 30 s rest
- Knee exercises — 4 series · 10 reps · 30 s rest
- Hip flexion — 4 series · 8 reps · 30 s rest
- Hip flexion with external rotation of the lower leg — 4 series · 8 reps · 30 s rest
- Cryotherapy
- Lying with your leg elevated
- Medication check-in
- VAS pain scale v.2.0.
Day 26: Cryotherapy
- VAS pain scale v.2.0.
- Cryotherapy
- Passive extension with weight
- Single-leg roller rolling for flexion development — 4 series · 12 reps · 20 s rest
- Hip flexion with ankle strap — 4 series · 12 reps · 30 s rest
- Hip flexion in external rotation with a band - seated — 4 series · 10 reps · 30 s rest
- Single-leg trunk stabilization on the ground — 4 series · 30 s rest
- Bridge support on roller — 4 series · 20 s rest
- Bridge lifting on a roller — 3 series · 10 reps · 30 s rest
- Weight transfer in lunge (from front to back leg) — 3 series · 14 reps · 20 s rest
- Straight forward reverse — 3 series · 10 reps · 30 s rest
- Walking on tiptoes — 2 series · 8 reps · 30 s rest
- Bicycle with a raised seat
- Bike
- Cryotherapy
- Medication check-in
- VAS pain scale v.2.0.
Day 39: Rollerblading
- VAS pain scale v.2.0.
- Rollerblading
- Squeezing the ball with bent knees — 4 series · 15 reps · 20 s rest
- Copenhagen endurance (long lever) — 3 series · 45 s rest
- Squeezing the roller with your toes — 4 series · 12 reps · 30 s rest
- Stabilization of the torso on the bosu ball — 3 series · 45 s rest
- Core stabilization on a Pilates ball — 3 series · 45 s rest
- Hip flexion with band (standing bent knee) — 3 series · 10 reps · 30 s rest
- Japanese squat with a Pilates ball on the toes — 2 series · 45 s rest
- Alternating raising of extended legs from supine position (bridge on Pilates ball) — 4 series · 10 reps · 30 s rest
- Lateral squat walk — 3 series · 12 reps · 30 s rest
- Walking on tiptoes — 4 series · 12 reps · 30 s rest
- Recumbent unicycle
- Bike
- Same arm quadriceps stretch — 2 series · 30 s rest
- Quadriceps stretch with the opposite arm — 2 series · 30 s rest
- Medication check-in
- VAS pain scale v.2.0.
What you need at home
- Ball — Sponge ball
- Band — Rubber bands with different tension used for resistance exercises.
- Bench — A multi-purpose device that is used as a support in strength exercises, such as weightlifting, and allows you to perform various exercises to strengthen the muscles of the upper and lower body.
- Bosu ball — Fitness prop with a semicircular dome on a flat platform, ideal for balance, stability and strength exercises. It activates deeper muscles, improves coordination and is often used in functional training and rehabilitation.
- Cold compress (cryo compress) — cold compress or ice pack applied to an injured area to reduce swelling, pain, and inflammation. It is often used for acute injuries, such as sprains, strains, or bruises.
- Crutches — Crutches are an orthopedic aid that relieves the lower extremities when walking and provides support and stability to the locomotor system.
- Electrical stimulation — An electrical stimulation device uses mild electrical impulses to stimulate muscles and nerves, helping to relieve pain, strengthen muscles, and improve circulation during rehabilitation.
- Game ready — A device that combines cryotherapy (cold therapy) and compression to reduce pain and inflammation and speed recovery after injuries or surgeries, often used in sports medicine and rehabilitation.
- Kinetec (CPM) — continuous passive mobilization (CPM) medical device that automatically moves joints, such as the hip, knee, or shoulder, to improve mobility and speed recovery after injuries or surgeries.
- Pilates ball — large, elastic ball used in exercises to improve balance, strength, flexibility and body stability.
- Roller — Most often, a foam lightweight massage roller used for relaxation and self-massage of tense muscles.
- Roller — A foam roller that is most often used as an elevation pad.
- Stationary bike — An exercise device that simulates riding a bicycle, and is used for cardiovascular training and muscle strengthening, without moving in space.
- Velcro weight — A weight that is attached to the wrists or ankles with Velcro and is used in exercises to provide additional load and strengthen muscles during training or rehabilitation.
- Weight - dumbbell — A hand-held dumbbell with a short bar, used in strength exercises to strengthen the muscles of the upper and lower body.
- Yoga mat — Spongy base