An ACL injury isn’t just about getting your knee feeling better. Good rehabilitation is about progressively rebuilding the strength, capacity and confidence needed to return to the activities that matter to you.
For Nat, that meant getting back to competitive squash. A mum of three, personal trainer and former Australian representative, Nat tore her ACL for the second time while training on the squash court. Having been through an ACL reconstruction before, she knew there was a long road ahead.
After surgery, rehabilitation started with the basics. Over time, simple exercises progressed into heavier strength training, single-leg work and eventually running. Nat went from bodyweight squats to squatting more than her bodyweight, and from not running at all to running 5km.
One of the important principles of ACL rehabilitation is that progress shouldn’t be based on time alone. Before returning to running and sport, we want to progressively rebuild the physical qualities required for those activities. Strength, jumping, hopping, running and eventually sport-specific movements all help bridge the gap between recovering from surgery and being physically prepared for sport.
For Nat, that preparation also helped rebuild confidence. When asked if she was nervous before her first run, her response summed it up well: “I knew that I’d done the work, so I actually wasn’t.”
Now back on the squash court, Nat’s experience is a good reminder that ACL rehab isn’t simply about treating a knee. It’s about having a clear plan, progressively rebuilding your body and preparing yourself for what you actually want to get back to.
ACL Rehab Ipswich
If you’ve had an ACL injury or ACL reconstruction and want a structured plan to get back to running, training or sport, our Back 2 Your Best Rehab Program can help.
Book a free 15-minute Discovery Call with one of our clinicians to discuss where you’re at, what you want to get back to, and whether our program is the right fit for you.
