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Physical Therapists in Wyckoff NJ talking about ACL Surgery rehab

Tom Willemann |

Physical Therapists in Wyckoff NJ talking about ACL Surgery rehab

How To Get Back To The Soccer Field After An ACL Surgery?

Do you feel the ACL injury that you were treating a few months ago is not an issue anymore? Have you fully recovered from your ACL surgery and also given you all out in rehab? Are you feeling stronger and better and want to take to the soccer field once again? Before you make your feet talk again on the soccer field, it is important for you to recover fully well and to start slowly to prevent further injuries on the field. The secret to enjoying great success on the soccer field after the ACL surgery is to play it safe and not to rush things. You need to start small, be consistent, and increase your activities slowly in order to get back to the best shape.  When it is time to schedule your physical therapy sessions in Wyckoff, be sure to call Apex!
Getting fit should be your primary goal
There is no way you can hit the soccer field and play at your best once again after recovering from an injury.  As this game involves a lot of sprinting, chasing players and changing directions, you will have to train yourself in different ways to get soccer fit.

  • Sprinting and jogging in progressions. (Jog for 3 minutes and follow this by a minute sprint).
  • Sprinting for 5 yards and then returning to the end line, sprinting for 10 yards and then coming back to finish line and so on.
  • Agility workouts with ladder, zig-zag cone sprints, box shape.
  • Running for 2 to 4 miles.

Start with slow ball skills and then slowly progress
The knee needs time and then necessary practice in controlling the ball before you hit the soccer field. You can start with simple ball moves like passing the ball to your partner, turning, rollovers, tic tocs, etc. The speed of the movement can be increased slowly and then slowly sprinting for a few steps. You should start by kicking the ball against the wall at a shorter distance and then slowly increase the distance. Then you can practice the one and two-touch passing and then slowly increase the field distance.
Work on cutting and jumping techniques
As you start to practice and work on the training field, you will feel strong and also feel that your knee is in stable and better position. The ACL injury rehab and prevention programs will concentrate on healing your knee to stand in good stead while cutting and jumping. These techniques will help you to learn the soft-landing techniques and also learn to be in half squat positions. Two-leg and one-leg jumping techniques are great exercises to give the knee the right strength after an ACL surgery.
SAFE strength training is a must
The soccer game can make you feel fatigued and tired. It is important to take care of the knee and prevent it from being unstable. Strength training is very important after a workout or a game of soccer. You can take a 5 to 10-minute sprint training or light weight exercises to help in improving the knee stability. Some of the exercises you can perform to strengthen your knee and improve its stability include single leg balance on an unstable area, leg squat, Bulgarian split squats, etc.
Call Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation and schedule your physical therapy session today!

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann

Tom Willemann is a premier physical therapist based out of Bergen County, New Jersey. He holds an MS in physical therapy from the University of Miami, is credentialed in the world-renowned McKenzie Method of Mechanical Diagnosis and Therapy (MDT), and holds an OCS (Orthopedic Clinical Specialist) certification. As of 2018, there are approximately 14,000 ABPTS certified specialists in the nation and less than 400 of them are located in the state of New Jersey. Tom is the owner and director of Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation in Paramus. He opened the clinic, which specializes in spine and sports injury prevention, in 2004 after many years of experience in the field. Tom’s caring interest in others and his strong belief in continuity of care, combined with his clinic’s ability to find solutions for the most difficult orthopedic problems, have earned Apex Orthopedic Rehabilitation its excellent reputation with patients and medical professionals in northeastern New Jersey and beyond. A true “family man,” Tom takes pride in his clinic’s warm and welcoming environment.
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