23/04/2026
🔥ACL Rehab Session Snapshot 🔥
🏀 Basketball athlete
🏋️ Strength phase
🔪 12 weeks post op
This athlete is currently in our Strength Phase of our ACL rehab program, working on the name suggests…. strength!
👉 Here’s a run down of what the session involved:
A1️⃣ Trapbar deadlift (4x6 reps): love this exercise as a squatting option as it is quite easy for youth athletes to pick up and we can really load up as the knee progresses. He started with goblet squats and progressed to the Trapbar.
A2️⃣ SL Altitude Drops: this force absorption option is great for eccentric control of the quadriceps, building up his breaks prior to running. Athletes are cued to hold the catch for 2-3 seconds for an increased isometric stimulus on the quad 🔥
A3️⃣ Pallof press: trunk stability is a key component of any ACL rehab so it’s a great A3 option that doesn’t tax the legs in preparation for the next set.
B1️⃣ Leg extensions: quad strength non-negotiable in ACL rehab, and contrary to old ways of thinking, it’s very safe for the ACL graft.
B2️⃣ Eccentric hamstring sliders: great knee-dominant hamstring option. This athlete was cued to turn his toes in slightly to hit the inside hamstring, the area where they took the graft from.
C1️⃣ SL leg press: another quad-focused exercise that doesn’t let the ACL side hide.
C2️⃣ Short calf raises: the calves are just as important as the hamstrings for controlling shearing forces at the knee. Strong calves save lives.
C3️⃣ Banded clamshells: working on lateral hip strength and stability.
📊 To graduate this stage and start jogging, he must:
✅ Regain relative symmetry (
