Is it me or are major knee injuries becoming more and more common in sports and fitness??  Maybe its because of the broad spectacle of media coverage, but it seems like almost every week your hearing about another professional athlete having a major knee injury.  Blame it on rule changes, equipment failure, aggression of the sport, athletes becoming faster and stronger, or just bad luck, but the truth is knee injuries are serious and have always been a part of fitness and

knee injuries are never planned and in most cases cannot be prevented

that is the reason so many professional athletes are tearing ACLs, MCLs, PCLs etc.  These are athletes in their prime and at the top of their game, and they still are susceptible to these types of injuries.  So like any injury, a knee injury can be a major set back.  The most important thing in making a strong comeback is patience!  If you try to rush back from a major knee injury it will only make things worse and lead to other injuries and ailments, and in turn more set-backs.

The main thing to keep in mind is that recovering from any major knee injury is a lengthy process that will test your will and patience in many ways.

It is important to have a positive outlook during the rehab process.  The first 1-2  weeks of the rehab process should be concentrated on a serious of ROM or Range Of Motion exercises.  These are performed to gain full extension, flexion, and lateral movements.  These exercises are done with NO resistance!  After the first few weeks of ROM exercises are complete it is imperative to move on to physical therapy.  This is where the concentration shifts from ROM to strengthening.  After a few more weeks of this, the patient should be able to do light jogging, swimming exercises, and cycling.  Any type of sports that involve cutting, planting, or twisting should not be played.  The months ahead(4-7) can be the most difficult months, and is where patience is key.  The knee will often feel back to normal, but it is far from it.  It is not ready for the stress, twisting, turning of most sports.  At this point it is very important not to rush back, but instead continue to perform drills and plyometric exercises to continue the strengthening process.  Returning to the sport should be determined by a few different aspects, first and foremost you should always get clearance from your doctor or surgeon.  Another deciding factor should be functioning of the knee.

If you are behind in the rehab process mentally and or physically it is imperative that you listen to your body.

Though the process is a lengthy one for this type of injury, its important to remember that you can come back as strong as before and as explosive, but the only way that can be done is with a patient, smart attitude about recovery!  1Team Fitness works with all fitness levels, including those recovering from injuries, check out the website(www.1teamfitness.com) to see which package works best for you!