Will I Ever Run Again!?

Unfortunately you blew your ACL somehow, and you’re now recovering from a reconstruction surgery. You may be wondering if you can ever be the same, do the same types of exercises. We get this question a lot and it will be a long journey but it is fully possible to return to sport or activity! In fact one of the most important milestones in recovery is a return to running. Standard practice was to allow running based off of time from surgery, which has been found to not be ideal anymore. In your recovery there will be certain guidelines and thresholds for you to pass before you can run.These thresholds are; a pain intensity of less than 2/10, no swelling, 95% of the range of flexion motion in comparison to the other side, and full knee extension. In addition, a range of single leg strength measurements should be used to give you the best outcomes. 

Finally, the big question is, when? Of course every individual is different and has different factors controlling recovery but on average you can expect a 8-16 week timeline to begin your return to running activities. This may be daunting but with proper guidance from a physio you can get back to health and running like nothing ever happened!