ACL Injury Rehabilitation: From Plinth to Performance

This course is designed to bridge the gap between rehab and performance and take you through the entire process of ACL rehab, from the day of the injury to return to sport. Learn how to prevent ACL injury; about non-surgical management of ACL injury; what exercises to use in the first couple of months; exercise progressions for strength, power and plyometrics; when and how to return to running; how to progress change of direction/agility work; how to conduct return to play testing; and more! Become a master of ACL rehabilitation. Minimize the risk of re-injury and ensure your athletes are ready to perform when they return to sport, not just take part. General and Specific objectives: At the end of the course, participants will be fully capable to: • Identify potential risk factors for ACL injury, and explain how to effectively address these risk factors in order to minimize the risk of injury. • Compare current well-known ACL injury prevention programs and identify its key components. • Identify the different treatment options available after an athlete ruptures their ACL. • Identify the goals of pre-operative ACL management, and explain why reaching these goals can improve recovery post-surgery. • Identify the goals of early stage ACL rehabilitation, and coach/teach common exercises used to help achieve these goals. • Identify common myths about exercise prescription during early stage ACL rehabilitation. • Explain how to rehabilitate an athlete through each stage of their recovery (early, mid, late) post ACL rupture, back to return to play. • Describe how exercise rehabilitation should be periodised during recovery from a long-term injury to ensure a return to full performance. • Coach exercise progressions for a range of important fitness qualities post ACL injury such as strength, power, plyometrics, speed and change of direction. • Design sample programs for an athlete at each stage of the ACL rehabilitation process (gym and field-based programs). • Conduct an evidence-based assessment to determine readiness to return to play following ACL injury. • Identify potential reasons to refer an athlete back to their surgeon during ACL rehabilitation. Skills acquired at the end of the course: • Exercise prescription/programming • Exercise coaching • Assessment – return to run and return to play • Clinical reasoning in exercise selection • Evidence-based critical thinking • Strength and conditioning principles