Why You SHOULD Do Leg Extensions After ACL Reconstruction

As always, absolutely love the video guys thank you for this very valuable information!

Thanks, amazing

I want it to be clear, you are arguing for using open-chain LE ext as well as closed chain exercises yes? There is still the concern of reactivating movement patterns and decreasing arthritis risk.

This is great scientific info for the knee joint itself, but there are many other factors like ankle and hip mobility that play a role in the functional rehab of knee injuries

question, how do wall sits compare to leg extensions?

Big fan of early OKC in these patients. But can seem to find data on how much weight is too much for full range (especially if individuals doing very well). Any guidance available across timelines?

Great video

The middle of my knee hurts whenever I do them I am 7 weeks post op

Great video. Your recommendations are literally exactly how I treat post op ACL. The effectiveness is apparent when you see the difference in quad hypertrophy in patients that do LAQ and those that don’t.

Thank you for your great summary about OKC by ACL. When do you start with OKC by patients with ACL and meniscus suture?

It makes perfect sense. Thanks.

Could you possibly do a video on PCL Rehabilitation please?

How long should you be at full extension for in leg extensions?

What does the research look like in respect of leg extensions for those with a defect in the cartilage of the knee cap?

Hi, as a PT student i just want to thank you for all of free information in videos :).

Hi please traslation spanish ..yours videos excellent

What if you feel pain in patella and cracking grinding sound ? It is safe regardless of the grinding pain?

Hello. I had my ACL reconstruction and lateral meniscus repair 2 months ago.During leg extension, i feel my bones are sliding and feel some pain. What can i do to overcome ম

I workout for years and after deciding to work out at my home gym ı stopped doing leg extensions. I started to have pain when ı used to sit on my knees. After years, I went to the gym and decided to do leg extensions, and the pain is gone instantly.

Great job, as always

Thank you so much, I am 6 weeks post OP and still struggle with extension. I know that's good that's why I need to fucking get it back asap and will start implementing this right away

Are they better compared to squats and leg press for hypertrophy?

Thank you! One year post operation i think i will slowly ramp up on leg extension.

Can I do leg extensions after 2 week post surgery without weight ...or it may loose my grapht

Dear Friend!
Thank you very much for all the great information which truly assist me after my second time ACL injury.
I am all for surgery but need two stage ACLR, from the first one that I had 19 years ago, done the hamstring graft with bioabsorbable screw, remain a cyst in the tibia tunnel, already done the first stage with lemaire procedure on the 11/07/2023, one thing the first injury taught me, is that strengthening knee muscle is the most important thing, using extensions machine which isolating the quadricep is a must in my belief! Since my second injury on the 22/03/2023 when I am using the extensions device and trying to load weight I feel the tibia buckling!!! and using the device only up certain angle doesn't stimulates the muscle enough for me.
Can you please give some insights?
Thanks
Ami ALMOG

Fascinating. I was one of those people who had a tear later on after the first acl tear. I wish i had trained how I'm training now. This included leg extensions

Thank you for this info . My Physio is making me do full extension isometrics with 1.5 kg ankle weights. I am worried if it is going to affect terminal points or the graft. What would be your guidance for this . I have just completed 8.5 weeks after surgery . As per your video I should only be doing shorter range of motion .

From what I have heard it’s not the danger of tearing your graft if you start leg extensions too soon but that you might stretch the graft, specially if it’s a hamstring graft. Is this something that should be taken in consideration?

incredibly detailed and well explained. Every ACLr should be doing leg extensions and isometrics.

This is an amazing video and research! Thank you!

Fully agree with this approach 👍 After my ACL I have been doing various excersises, even squats. You can do your best, but your healthy leg is always dominant and your body knows it. Only leg extensions and one-leg squats (put your healthy leg on some bench behind you) can give the higher level of ACL leg involvement. Start with no weight, once you feel you are prepared and there is no pain, add more weight. You have a lot of time especially if you are not professional...good luck💪

Cycling could also help, right?

Thank you so much for this fantastic and helpful video.♡

Thanks for this, is over a year since I did my (ACL reconstruction) but my knee is not fully bent it stops at 50° and I'm still on physiotherapy. I was told it has hanged.
Hopefully it will bend to 90°

How safe are doing these when you had an acl graft along with a medial meniscus repair surgery and aren't supposed to put a lot of weight on leg??

Thanks a lot, is it ever possible to get symmetrical strength? This was the most devastating moment of my life. After tearing my acl… Im on the relearning walking mission at the moment. Im on month 2. and very tired of it all…

I forgot mentioning… i did so many squats with weights and everything and its true the other leg compensate so much my knee and hip hurts

I actually had an avulsion fracture of my ACL, so the ACL didn't have to get repaired but the bone fragment had to be reattached to the tibia. I'm a bit over 3 weeks into rehab after surgery now, do you think it's safe to start doing light-weight leg extensions or should I wait six weeks for the fracture to completely heal? Since the only risk for a refracture in my opinion happens during knee flexion over 90 degrees, I personally feel like I should be able to do these. What do you think?

Thank you for this! I am close to 6 weeks post op and I haven't been prescribed leg extensions but I have been told to do some squatting. I actually find holding good technique for squats quite difficult but I think doing leg extensions on a machine with fully adjustable resistance will be more scaleable and will assist me to develop good squatting technique. Very helpful!

Hi, I can extend my knee and I do not have any felling that my knee is blocking but only when I do it in standing position so the hamstring is not supported by sitting on the bench or table. If I sit on the bench or table and perform knee extension I can feel and hear that my knee is jumping when the range of movement is changing from 20-15 degrees to 0 degrees so from 20-15 degrees to full flexion. If I perform the knee extension with some weight the feeling of jumping is worse and I can hear it too. What that can be?

From my experience and what doctors said, you should not rush open kinematic excercises. Leg extensions mostly depend on how your muscles were prepared before surgery. I started doing some isometric leg extensions somewhere about 2 months after surgery and it was really difficult to do. The pain was just unbearable. Now Im 7 months after surgery. I know its important to train that quads since they are the hardest to do but it really doesnt take too much effort to grow muscles. Just grab some creatine and hit your legs twice a week in the gym. I would never suggest to do leg extensions too early unless you want to hurt people.

Buena información, thanks!

so it's really safe to do leg extension?

links to papers pleaseeeee

Is there a chance that leg extensions can stretch out the reconstructed ACL? I’m 17 days post OP patellar tendon graft and have not been reccomended this exercise yet but did them today with slight pain that I could push through . Thanks!

I made a ACL operation 10 months ago with a Quadriceps tendon graft. I still have pain during the the starting position when doing leg extensions and I’m not able to increase weights anymore. No swelling or pain after. How can I work my way around this? I have not made any Isometrics.

I just had one three weeks ago but I am not able to lift my leg up like that I could move it side to side or back but so far putting it forward nope any suggestions

I never had ACL surgery. I had patellar tendon injury after jumping from a balcony and soccer injury .

I cannot afford one. I was 16 at the time, I am 17 now

How to deal with knee instability when lateral forces (e.g. gravity) no matter if from the in- or outside make the knee feel like it's unbuckeling. (i.e. while laying sideways and holding the leg out and extending and flexing it at the almost extended point). How do I increase kneestability if it feels like it's unstable and unbuckeling?