ACL REHABILITATION

ACL Rehabilitation in Union County, NJ

Return to Sport—Stronger, Smarter, and Safer

Tearing your Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) is devastating—but re-tearing it is even worse. Unfortunately, it's more common than many realize. Approximately 200,000 ACL injuries occur annually in the U.S., with a significant number requiring surgical reconstruction . Studies indicate that 15–30% of athletes who undergo ACL reconstruction may experience a second injury, often due to incomplete or rushed rehabilitation .
At Orthostrength Physical Therapy in Cranford, NJ, we specialize in guiding athletes from surgery to full sport performance—not just basic function. Our comprehensive approach ensures you're truly ready to return to your sport.

Why Most ACL Rehab Falls Short

Many patients are discharged from physical therapy once they can walk or climb stairs. However, sports like soccer, basketball, and pickleball demand more--cutting, pivoting, sprinting, and landing. Returning to these activities without proper preparation increases the risk of re-injury .
At Orthostrength Physical Therapy, we bridge the gap between basic function and full athletic readiness.

The Athlete ACL Success Formula

Step 1:
Protect Your Muscle, Promote Healing

Post-surgical muscle atrophy can hinder recovery. We employ evidence-based treatments like blood flow restriction (BFR) and neuromuscular re-education to maintain muscle activity and promote healing from the outset .

Step 2:
Rebuild Control & Restore Your Athletic Foundation

We address mobility and strength deficits not just in your knee, but also in your hips and ankles—often the root causes of ACL injuries. Each session is one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy, ensuring personalized care.

Step 3:
Retrain Sport-Specific Skills & Prepare for Return to Play

Once strength and control are re-established, we simulate sport-specific demands:

Jumping and landing
Sprinting and cutting
Change of direction drills

We also conduct objective return-to-sport testing, as athletes who pass such tests are significantly less likely to suffer a second injury .

Train in a Performance Environment

Located within Resurgence Barbell & Fitness, our facility offers:

Turf space for agility and sport-specific drills
Weightlifting platforms and sleds
Plyometric boxes and more

This environment allows us to bridge the gap between rehab and sport, ensuring you're not just cleared, but ready.

Serving Union County Athletes

From Cranford to Westfield, Clark to Scotch Plains, Orthostrength helps active adults and athletes recover smarter. Every session is one hour long and one-on-one with a Doctor of Physical Therapy who understands both orthopedic rehab and performance training.

Don't Settle for "Functional"

Rehab isn't complete until you're back to being sport-ready. If you have been discharged early, don't let that be the reason you rush back to sports. Let's make sure this is the last time you go through ACL rehab.

📧 Book a call with us today.

ACL Rehab Research:

National Athletic Trainers’ Association. (n.d.). Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention. National Athletic Trainers’ Association. https://www.nata.org/sites/default/files/anterior_cruciate_ligament_acl_injury_prevention.pdf
Paterno, M. V., Rauh, M. J., Schmitt, L. C., Ford, K. R., & Hewett, T. E. (2014). Incidence of second ACL injuries 2 years after primary ACL reconstruction and return to sport. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 42(7), 1567–1573. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546514530088
(PMC link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4641548/)
Bowers, M., Spindler, K. P., & Andrish, J. T. (2023). Anterior cruciate ligament knee injury. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK499848/
Webster, K. E., Nagelli, C. V., Hewett, T. E., & Feller, J. A. (2024). Reduction in re-rupture rates following implementation of return-to-sport testing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. JISAKOS: Journal of ISAKOS, 9(1), 26–32. https://doi.org/10.1136/jisakos-2023-000333
(Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2059775424000051)