WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF
REHABILITATION AFTER ACL
RECONSTRUCTION ?
Madison Lopez
Independent Study Mentorship – Fall 2019
Mrs. Daffern
About My Mentor
My Mentor: Mr. Rob Bluhm
Location : 2785 Gulf Fwy S # 125,
League City, TX 77573
Place of Business: Hope Rehab
Physical Therapy
Profession: Physical Therapist
Career of Study: Physical Therapy
What is ISM ?
ISM stands for independent study mentorship which
is a program where you shadow a person in the
profession you are looking to go into. During this
course, us students are required to earn three hours
each week at our mentorship site, write activity logs
explaining what we did throughout the week, and as
we are with our mentors, we are creating a research
topic to present at the end of the year. With this
presentation we must come up with a product, trifold,
or video explaining what it does or showing how it
works.
My Project Topic
My project topic that I decide to research was
something that interested me in the field I would like
to go into. The topic is, The Process of Rehabilitation
After ACL Reconstruction, and what I will be
presenting is what it takes to have a full functioning
knee again and how different exercises play a role into
gaining full mobility. I chose this topic because I have
experienced the process of rehabilitation after two
ACL repairment surgeries and it interested me how
the body can adapt to new instalments of different
tendons and tissues. Also, I have been seeing that
injuries to the ACL have been a common thing that
have been growing through the last year and I want to
see the time span it takes people to recover with the
help of certain exercises.
Key Points
Key Point #1: What is the ACL in the knee?
• Definition
• Where is it located?
• Difference between ACL & PCL
Key Point #2: How can it be injured?
• Causes
• How it affects normal mobility
• Symptoms
Key Point #3: Surgery
• What is the purpose of surgery?
• How is the ACL repaired?
• How is the surgery performed?
Key Point #4: How does rehabilitation help?
• How does rehab affect the knee?
• What is the purpose of rehab?
• Success rate of rehab
Key Point #5: Exercise
• Different types of exercises
• Gain strength and mobility
• How long is rehab
Research Topics
With the three research topics that I will use are
listed below:
• How can the ACL be injured ?
• What is the process of surgery ?
• How does rehabilitation help restore a full
functioning knee again?
The way I intend on incorporate my research findings
are to relate them back to my key points I chose to be
the main ideas of my project topic. I would explain, in
detail, what each topic requires and to help other fully
understand the reasoning on why I chose these three
main topics to talk about.
Current Events
Article: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL)
Rehabilitation
• List the importance of the ACL which keeps it stable while
pivoting, jumping, and kicking
• Different types of grafts the doctor introduces to the patients
and choosing the right option depending on the symptoms of
the rupture ligament
• Procedures that are required before, during, and after
surgery
• Different type of exercises that target different parts of the
leg to gain full stability for the future
This article ties in with my project topic on how precise
everything must be in order to have an almost normal knee
again. Also, with my mentor I can see the different types of
exercises the patient needs to do when needing work on
something like strength, flexion, and range of motion.
Visual Presentation
In my presentation, I will create a video of a
hypothetical situation in where a patient
receives certain exercises in their process of
recovery. The video will be me with “patient”
demonstrating each exercise and explaining the
purpose on how it helps the knee adapt to its
new ACL. The video will be shown when I get to
one of my research topics in which it talks
about how rehabilitation helps the new ACL.
Conclusion
Throughout the year, I hope to gain some
knowledge about how the body adapts with when
its not normally functioning. With my mentorship
I can’t wait to experience the different techniques
that are required to fulfill a career in this field and
learn more other that what my project topic is
about. Also, by completing my semester research
project topic I hope to gain an idea of the
importance of keeping a healthy knee and how to
prevent myself, and others, from injuring a major
ligament just like this one.
Thank you !
Thank you, my mentor, Mr. Rob Bluhm, my
evaluators, teachers, and parents for your time
while I talk to you about my project topic and
how I wish to fulfill a career in this field !!!
Work Sited
“Frequently Asked Questions: ACL Injuries.” Frequently Asked Questions: ACL Injuries : Get
Movin with POA, www.getmovinwithpoa.com/acl-faq.php.
“Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Surgery.” Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Surgery | CS Mott Children's Hospital |
Michigan Medicine, www.mottchildren.org/health-
library/hw28289#targetText=Why%20It%20Is%20Done,all%20ACL%20tears%20require%20surgery.
“Sign-up as a Mentee for the #AGS18 Mentorship Program.” MyAGSOnline,
myagsonline.americangeriatrics.org/participate/volunteeropportunities/volunteer-
opportunity-details?VolunteerOpportunityKey=019f875d-1230-461d-a2e9-f3f98cfa3670.
Carsportsclin. “ACL Reconstruction Recovery Time.” Carolina Sports Clinic, 7 Mar. 2018,
carolinasportsclinic.com/acl-reconstruction-recovery-time/.
