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Acta Scientific Orthopaedics (ISSN: 2581-8635)

Case Report Volume 8 Issue 12

Impact of Physiotherapy Rehabilitation on Extension Lag Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction: A Case Report

Deepak Yadav1*, Deptee Warikoo2, Rupali Gurung3 and Asma Parveen4

1Heart-Lungs Transplant Physical Therapist, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, India
2Professor and Head of Department, Department of Physiotherapy, Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, India
3Neuro Therapist, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, India
4Senior Physical Therapist, Department of Physiotherapy, Batra Hospital, New Delhi, India

*Corresponding Author: Deepak Yadav, Heart-Lungs Transplant Physical Therapist, Assistant Professor, Department of Physiotherapy, Dolphin (PG) Institute of Biomedical and Natural Sciences, Dehradun, India.

Received: October 27, 2025; Published: November 26, 2025

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Abstract

Case Description: A 48-year-old male with a complete left ACL tear underwent arthroscopic reconstruction the day after injury. Eight weeks post-op, he had limited knee flexion, extension lag, and walking difficulty. A personalized rehab program with MET, ROM, strengthening, proprioception, balance, gait training, and home exercises was started, focusing on addressing extension lag.

Outcome: The comprehensive, closely monitored rehabilitation program resulted in significant functional recovery, allowing the patient to resume work 12 weeks after surgery. Despite complications like delayed recovery, this case demonstrated a relatively rapid return to activity.

Discussion: This case shows that even with delayed recovery and extension lag, early return to function after ACL reconstruction is possible with timely surgery, personalized rehab, and good patient compliance.

Conclusion: This case suggests that timely ACL reconstruction, combined with a personalized rehabilitation plan and consistent physiotherapy, can enable early return to function—even in patients with complicated cases.

Keywords: ACL; Arthroscopic-ACL Reconstruction; Knee Rehabilitation; Extension Lag; Functional Recovery; Return to Function

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Citation

Citation: Deepak Yadav., et al. “Impact of Physiotherapy Rehabilitation on Extension Lag Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Reconstruction: A Case Report".Acta Scientific Orthopaedics 8.12 (2025): 18-27.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Deepak Yadav., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.




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