Lower Extremity: Post-Op ACL/Meniscectomy Home Exercise Program
The following instructions are exercises for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) patients after a type of knee surgery called ACL/meniscectomy.
Patient instructions:
Your therapist will tell you how long to hold each exercise, how many times you should repeat each one, and how many times you should perform the exercises each day.
Knee flexion with heel slides
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Place a towel around your heel and pull back on it to slide your heel along the surface towards your buttock until you feel a stretch in your knee. Hold 5-10 seconds.
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Calf stretch with a towel
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Sit with your knee straight and a towel looped around your foot. Gently pull on the towel until you feel a stretch in your calf.
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Knee wall slide
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Sit as close to the wall as you can. Slowly "walk" or slide your feet on the wall toward the floor until you feel a stretch in your knees. Use your unaffected leg to help straighten your affected knee.
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Ankle pumps (plantar/dorsiflexion)
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Relax your leg. Gently flex and extend your ankle. Move through your full range of motion. Stop if you feel pain. This exercise should be repeated as many times as possible during the day. The goal is 1000 reps each day to reduce swelling.
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Quadriceps set
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Place a rolled towel under your ankle. Tighten the muscles on the top of your thighs by pushing your knees down into the surface. Hold 5-10 seconds. Repeat. The goal is 1000 reps each day. This exercise can be performed at any time throughout the day.
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Straight leg raise
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Tighten the muscles on the front of your thigh. Then lift your leg 18-24 inches from the surface. Keep your knee locked straight.
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Reviewed on January 13, 2023, by Ken Knecht, PT, MS, SCS