During the acute phase after anterior cruciate ligament injury, it is very important to minimise the post-traumatic inflammatory and painful response and to protect the structures from further trauma. The aim of the physiotherapist should however be to minimise tissue reactivity, manage the onset of swelling and pain, fully recover mobility and ultimately – in the last phase – achieve a normal gait cycle.
It is possible to intervene with isometric type exercises, initially in open kinetic chain and then in closed kinetic chain.
In combination with muscle activation exercises, it is very important to gradually lengthen the posterior chain, which tends to shorten.