Recovery and Strength: Essential Post ACL Surgery Exercises & Stretches

Exercises and Stretches for Strength & Recovery

In this guide, Logan, our Kinesiologist & Personal Trainer shows you step-by-step how to perform two crucial exercises, the quad extension and standing hamstring curl, alongside two essential stretches, the calf stretch and quad stretch, all designed to aid in your ACL surgery recovery.

Quad Extension

• Sitting onto a box or stool around hip height where your feet don’t touch the floor
• If you’re feeling uncomfortable, you can place your non-operative leg behind your operative leg for a bit of support
• Sitting up nice and tall, try to extend your operative leg up as high as possible and hold for 3 seconds and return to starting position

Standing Hamstring Curl

• Find a wall, counter or stool for support
• Bend your legs a bit, using your operating leg, flex your toes and bring your heel back towards your butt and hold for 6 seconds and return your leg back to the ground
• Everyone is different so your range of motion may not be the same as demonstrated

Calf Stretch

• You can do this stretch against a wall, counter or stool
• Place your operating leg back behind you as far as possible
• Bend your non-operative front leg and sink all the way forward into the heel and hold for 3 seconds then return to starting position
• Try your best to keep your back leg planted, your back heel specifically 
• You should feel a stretch in the calf as well as the soleus 

Quad Stretch

• Start by lying flat on your stomach
• With your operative leg, try to bring it backwards
• If you want to get more of a stretch, reach back with the same hand as your operative leg, grab your ankle and add a little bit of tension 
• Hold this for 15-30 seconds, 2-3 times a day

Check out the video below to follow along with the exercises in real time.

Exercises