How a player recovers quickly from an ACL injury can depend on their age, severity of the injury and how the person handles surgery.
Ben Warburton is a bodybuilding expert in ACL’s rehabilitation, after working with Cardiff City, the Wales Rugby team and Scarlets.
Warburton says it will take less than six months after surgery to get a match.
“Once you have surgery, there is a lot of trauma to the knee,” he explains. “Once that is calm, you must take it easy for the first three months.
“Then it’s a case of situation and training, getting a leg to be strong and bringing the player back, training and games. That’s why it takes too long.”
Warburton says players who return six months after ACL surgery are more likely to increase the injury than those who recover for nine months.
“You can go early (over six months), but it’s a great risk,” Warburton adds.
“I don’t know many surgical doctors who would recommend it. Obviously it has happened. Not successful, it’s very dangerous.”
“A lot of it comes to the profile of the players too,” he adds. “If you are a very important player, you will push them early. If you are a progressive player in the future, you will probably go further for nine months.”
