ACL Repair and Knee Manipulation

Case Description: Pt. is a 19 y/o female who tore her L ACL while jumping on a trampoline.  She had ACL reconstruction surgery with patellar graft following the injury, but unfortunately did poorly with her post-operative rehabilitation (at another PT clinic).  She required manipulation under anesthetic due to lack of full extension.  She had previously been very active, including participation in recreational volleyball and hiking.  

Objective Measures: The patient was seen for 31 physical therapy visits over a 4 month period.

Tests and Measures	Initial Evaluation	Day of Discharge from Physical Therapy
VAS for Pain	8/10	0-3/10
Lower Extremity Functional Scale	71.3% disability	15% disability
L knee PROM	EXT:   -5°    FLEX: 76°	EXT:  3°     FLEX: 128°
Single Limb Hop	Not Tested.  Still in full-extension brace and only tolerating partial weight bearing	LLE single limb hop consistent with that of uninvolved extremity

Summary: The patient was discharged from physical therapy decreased pain, increased pain free ROM/strength consistent with her uninvolved extremity, return to previous activities like hiking and volleyball, and an advanced home exercise program to maintain and improve upon her results.  

Patient Comments at Discharge: “I think all the faculty does a great job at explaining what they expect of their patients.  They are also very welcoming and understanding of the pain that I feel.  They don’t ever push me to an extremely painful point, but I do feel like I’m being pushed every time I come.”

Sincerely,

Luke Vander Zouwen, DPT
Full Potential Physical Therapy