Videos: Physical Therapy exercises
The videos below are examples of the PT exercises I have been doing since surgery (10/14/2008). If you'd like the exact start dates that correspond with these exercises cruise on over to the Calendar portion of the website. There, I have laid out my progress and PT schedule.
     
Against the wall knee bends - 1:05
This exercise works really well if you
have something behind you to press
against. I noticed huge ROM increases
after doing this exercise. Started this
exercise the day following surgery.		   Calf raises - 0:56
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know! I don't have to
explain how to do a calf raise. It was on the
list, so I added it! Started this exercise in
week 3.
   Calf stretch - 0:36
This feels amazing once you can fully extend
your leg! Started this exercise in week 3.		   Exercise ball ROM - 1:16
This may have been the most effective
exercise for developing ROM. Really push it as
far as you can go, and even a little past. It'll hurt
more than you can imagine, but it will get your
ROM back quickly.
   
     
Exercise ball ROM on injured leg - 0:55
This exercise helps quite a bit with ROM
and also strengthens the knees muscles
needed for balance.		  

Knee pull with towel - 1:28
This was one of the most beneficial exercises
for me starting out. It hurt a lot, but pop those
pain meds and grit your teeth, it helps!

   Straight leg lift - 0:53
I was unable to do this exercise for the first
week of PT. After I got going it really took off.
Start off using your immobilizer and back off
as you get more comfortable.
   Lateral leg raise - 0:52
I never had a problem with this exercise from
the get go. My hips got a bit tired, but other than
that I really had no difficulty doing this.
   
     
Sitting leg lift - 0:31
I don't know if this one is incredibly important,
but I thought I'd add it anyway. If you're sitting
on the computer or something, try a couple of
these. They hurt a ton right away, but soon
enough your knee and its muscles will get
used to lifting your leg again.
   Leg curls - 1:22
Really push yourself on these, as with the
rest of the exercises. I still struggle quite a bit
with these after I hit about 100 degrees and
I'm 3 and 1/2 weeks out from surgery.
   Stomach straight leg raise - 0:50
Be diligent in keeping your hips glued
to the floor on this one, or most of the
benefit gets wiped away. This exercise
was started during week 2 of PT.
   Towel under knee - 0:56
This exercise (I say that a lot) should be started
immediately following surgery. You really want
to get that leg extension working for you. If you
slack on these or range of motion exercises
you could build up scar tissue and require a
clean-up surgery. Yikes! Stick to it!
   
         
Bracing one-legged hop - 1:14
There are some exercises that you don't
picture yourself doing after a major surgery,
and jumping is certainly on that list. Once you
get the images of you collapsing on the floor
in gruesome pain and agony out of your head,
you'll realize that these really aren't a big deal.
  

Bracing two-legged hop- 1:56
These, yet again, are going to test your
nerves a bit. Heck, remember when walking,
or feeling the fiery burn of fresh shower
water was nerve racking? Everything is after
a surgery like this. The faster you develop a
comfort, or a bit of courage, the better off you
will be.

  
 
   
     

Ladder diagonal hop - 1:17
This may have been the most nerve racking
exercise I had to do. This will truely test the
angled pressure your ACL will be able to
handle!

   Pointing one legged squat- 1:53
After you've conquered both the single and
double legged squat while bracing something,
try doing these. It will push you a little bit out
of your comfort zone.
   Forward ladder hop - 1:22
This exercise was one of the first
hopping exercises I did after single and
double legged hopping. It's going to
feel uncomfortable, but push yourself
on these!
   Book knee bend- 1:06
These really threw me for a loop at first. My leg
was really sore, it shook uncotrollably upon
bending, and felt generally wierd. With that said,
I am incredibly happy I stuck with them! These
will help out greatly with tasks that involve
stepping down (stairs, sharp declines, etc.).
   
     
Wall vertical heel slide - 1:48
This is another exercise that I started the day
immediately following surgery. They stressed
greatly the need to work hard on ROM so scar
tissue would not build and affect the bending
of my knee.		  

Your new best friend!

   Exercise ball

 

   Latex band