Coming Soon · Post-Surgical
Post-Op Knee Rehab, Week by Week (ACL / Meniscus / TKR)
A practical week-by-week walkthrough of post-operative knee rehabilitation — what the phases look like, how ACL, meniscus, and total knee replacement rehab differ, and how to recognize setbacks early.
AIM Clinical Team · Post-Surgical & Sports Injury Rehabilitation · 30 min
Recording in the works
This clinician-led video guide is scripted and heading into production. In the meantime, our written guides cover the same ground, and our clinicians are the fastest path to a personalized plan.
What you'll learn
- Describe the four phases of post-operative knee rehabilitation.
- Contrast the rehab trajectories for ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair, and total knee replacement.
- Explain why range-of-motion in the first six weeks predicts long-term outcome.
- Identify common setbacks and describe how to respond without derailing the plan.
- State the criteria that gate return-to-run and return-to-sport.
What the video will cover
00:00
Cold open
- Hook: "Post-op knee rehab is a marathon paced as a series of short sprints — miss the phase you're in and you pay for it three months later."
- Presenter positioning: AIM rehabs knee surgeries every week, in close coordination with surgeons.
- Who this is for: anyone with knee surgery scheduled, freshly post-op, or navigating a slower-than-expected recovery.
01:00
The four phases (framework everyone shares)
- Protect. Manage swelling, pain, and load. Restore basic knee straightening.
- Restore. Reclaim full range of motion, walking pattern, basic strength.
- Build. Progressive strengthening, motor control, single-leg loading.
- Return. Sport- or task-specific demands with objective criteria to progress.
- These apply to almost every knee surgery — the pace and details differ, the framework doesn't.
05:00
ACL reconstruction — the shape of the year
- Weeks 0–2: Swelling control, full knee extension, quad activation. Non-negotiable milestones.
- Weeks 2–6: Gait normalization, ROM progressing to full flexion, stationary bike.
- Months 2–4: Strength build, single-leg control, gym-based hinges and squats.
- Months 4–6: Running progression once strength benchmarks hit (typically ≥80% quad symmetry).
- Months 6–9+: Sport-specific plyometrics, cutting, contact — objective return-to-sport testing before clearance.
- Emphasize: time alone doesn't clear you. Criteria do.
11:00
Meniscus repair vs meniscectomy — different animals
- Meniscectomy (partial removal): often protected weight-bearing for 1–2 weeks, back to normal activity in ~6–8 weeks.
- Meniscus repair (sutured): protected weight-bearing and ROM restrictions typically for 4–6 weeks per surgeon protocol. Return-to-sport 4–6 months.
- Same knee, same-day surgeries — very different first six weeks. Always follow the surgeon's protocol; a physio's job is to execute it precisely.
- Signs that the meniscus repair isn't tolerating load: catching, effusion after activity — worth a check-in with the surgeon.
15:00
Total knee replacement (TKR) — the underrated priority is ROM
- Weeks 0–2: Swelling, straightening the knee, walking with aid, early flexion.
- Weeks 2–6: Push flexion (target 110–120° by week 6 depending on protocol), gait, stairs.
- Weeks 6–12: Confidence, endurance, real-life demands (groceries, gardening, walking distances).
- Months 3–12: Slow steady improvement — TKR results keep improving for a full year.
- The single most important predictor of long-term satisfaction: flexion range achieved in the first 6 weeks. Aggressive early ROM matters.
20:00
Common setbacks — and how to respond
- A flare after a big session — normal. Down-regulate load 20–30%, don't stop.
- Persistent swelling — the joint's "you're asking too much" signal. Reduce and reassess.
- Sudden new pain or giving-way — pause, contact your physio and surgeon.
- Motivation dip at month 3 — real and predictable; the plateau always feels like failure and rarely is.
24:00
Return-to-run / return-to-sport — the criteria that matter
- Quad strength symmetry (≥80% of the uninjured side) — usually the first bottleneck.
- Single-leg hop tests — 90% symmetry as a rule of thumb.
- Movement quality on landings — no valgus collapse, no compensations.
- Confidence — measured, not assumed. Fear of re-injury has to come down before sport clearance.
- These criteria protect against re-tear far better than a calendar date.
28:00
Wrap + CTA
- Recap the four phases and the "criteria over calendar" principle.
- Point to the companion PDF (phase checklist per procedure type) and the post-surgical rehab article.
- CTAs: Book a post-op assessment and Book Now — most extended health plans cover post-surgical physiotherapy.
Companion resource
Post-Op Knee Rehab Phase Checklist (ACL / Meniscus / TKR)
Three-column checklist — one column per procedure — with milestones per phase and prompts to trigger a physio check-in.
- One-line explanation of each phase (Protect / Restore / Build / Return)
- Per-phase milestones for ACL reconstruction
- Per-phase milestones for meniscus repair (and separately, meniscectomy)
- Per-phase milestones for TKR (with special emphasis on 6-week flexion goal)
- Common setback signs and the recommended response for each
- Return-to-run / return-to-sport criteria list
PDF ships with the recording. Ask your clinician for a printed copy at your next visit.
Related care & reading
Service
Post-Surgical Rehabilitation
Personalized rehab after orthopedic and other surgeries to restore strength, mobility, and function.
Service
Physiotherapy
General physiotherapy for pain, injury, mobility, and function.
Service
Sports Injury Rehabilitation
Recovery and performance-focused rehab for athletes and active people.
Condition
Knee Pain
ACL, meniscus, patellofemoral pain, knee replacement rehab, and runner's knee.
Condition
Post-Surgical Recovery
Structured rehab following orthopedic and other surgeries.
Condition
Sports Injuries
Acute and overuse injuries in athletes at every level.
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