By: Riley Bay

Two sports that had not been on hold this year were skiing and snowboarding. It was a fantastic season for many of us, yet ended a bit too early for others. Some of the more common ski and snowboard injuries we see at ThreeSixty Physio are knee injuries. Many times these are minor, and we work together with our athletes to have them back hitting the slopes or moving onto their spring sports again after a round of conservative rehabilitation.

Occasionally, however, injuries are more serious and require surgical intervention. One example is an ACL rupture. An ACL rupture is a complete tearing of the anterior cruciate ligament (one of four major ligaments in the knee). An ACL rupture can be detected by a skilled physiotherapist or specialist and is often confirmed with an MRI. If the plan is to have surgery, it can be hard to know when the right time to start physio is…

Will I do more damage by doing exercises before surgery? How will physio help if I need surgery anyway? Shouldn’t I just save my physio for after surgery?

Knee surgery is similar to other surgeries in that the stronger one is going into surgery, the better the outcome they have. There are only a few instances in which physio/exercise is not appropriate (e.g. if you have a fracture). Your physiotherapist will know from their assessment and the information you and your doctors provide if there are any barriers.

So how can physiotherapy help YOU after an acute knee injury?

EDUCATION
Knowledge is power! Sometimes having your questions answered is the most important part in recovering from an injury. It’s helpful to review your goals, and discuss which kinds of movements or activities to aim for, and which to avoid. Your physio can help explain the nature of your injury, your prognosis, and your management options.

DECREASE PAIN AND SWELLING
Your physio can recommend strategies most appropriate for you including bracing options, walking aids, ice, elevation, gentle exercise, and tricks for sleeping and navigating stairs. Soft tissue and manual therapy techniques done by our physiotherapists are also useful in managing pain and swelling.

RESTORE RANGE OF MOTION
Improving range of motion is one of the most important parts of rehab. Not only does it make getting around easier, it also helps prevent muscle contractures and the buildup of scar tissue which can cause issues even after surgery. The sooner you start working on your range of motion, the easier it is to get it back. Your physio may use soft tissue and manual therapy techniques and will guide you through exercises that do not aggravate your specific injury. Sometimes we restrict your range of motion for a time to allow healing, then regain that range later. Sometimes this is done if you also injured your MCL (a ligament on the inside of your knee).

INCREASE STRENGTH
Another component of your rehab program is strengthening. Quadricep activation and strength is particularly important. The quad muscles are often underactive after a knee injury and strengthening them can improve feelings of instability. Hamstrings are also important. If you are going to have an ACL surgery, your surgeon could be using your hamstring or quadriceps tendon to make the new ACL. You want to make sure these tendons are as healthy as they can be going into surgery.

IMPROVE FUNCTIONAL MOBILITY
Often clients have a hard time walking immediately after a severe injury. Your physiotherapist will assess your level of function and can let you know when using crutches might help, and when you’re safe to get rid of them. It is important to normalize your walking pattern to prevent injuries in other areas of your body.

Working toward these goals prior to surgery will likely make for a better recovery. The stronger you are going into surgery, the stronger and often less painful you are immediately afterwards!

If you think you may benefit from physiotherapy for a knee or other injury, contact us by phone, clicking the link below to book online or through our email and we will do our best to get you started on your healing journey today!

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This blog was written by one of our talented physiotherapists, Riley Bay.  If you need some help with your knee injury and are looking for a great physio click here to book with her or if you want to know more, take a look at her bio by clicking here to see if she would be the right fit.