Quads are “king” after an ACL surgery. Building quad muscles after an ACL surgery is imperative for athletes or clients. Regaining sufficient quad strength after an ACL reconstruction is important for walking, going up and down stairs, running, cutting, changing direction, etc.

Don’t get me wrong, strong glutes, hamstrings, core, and calves are also important.  Here at Move Strong Physical Therapy in Hudson, MA, inside of Cressey Sports Performance in Hudson, MA, we create a customized program for all of our clients and athletes returning from an ACL reconstruction.

Time and time again, we have heard and seen athletes who don’t regain sufficient quad strength after ACL surgery, and they struggle with anterior knee pain (pain on the front of their knee), difficulty and pain with running, jumping, and cutting, etc.

Check out our previous article on exercises to strengthen weak quads after ACL surgery for more information about various movements and exercises one can do to help regain quad strength.

In this article, we will discuss how we implement quad strength and conditioning into our ACL reconstruction rehabs to help our athletes get back out onto the field or court.

 

Rehab Exercises for Quad Strengthing After ACL Surgery

To build quad strength after ACL reconstruction surgery, we like to include:

1. SSB Squats with a Pause/Skater Squats with a Pause

2. Lateral Landmine Skater Squat

3. Lateral Lunges

4. Forward Step Downs/3 Direction Foot Taps

5. Lateral Single Leg Wall Ball Squats/Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats (RFESS)

6. Forward Step Downs/Skater Squats to a Box

 

Exercise 1: SSB Squats with a Pause/Skater Squats with a Pause

Exercise 3: Lateral Landmine Skater Squat

Exercise 3: Lateral Lunges

Exercise 4: Forward Step Downs/3 Direction Foot Taps

Exercise 5: Lateral Single Leg Wall Ball Squats/Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats (RFESS)

Exercise 5: Forward Step Downs/Skater Squats to a Box

Related blog: why skater squats are a better alternative to pistol squats

 

In Closing: Building Quad Strength After ACL Surgery

These are just a few exercises to help build quad strength after ACL surgery.  Some variations are easier than others. But, at the end of the day, sufficient quad strength is imperative from walking and going downstairs to running, jumping, and cutting.

If you are coming back from an ACL reconstruction/injury and want to build quad strength, we are here to help!  Contact our Hudson Massachusetts physical therapists to get back to being stronger and more athletic than before you were injured.