2 yrs post surgery, please don’t make the mistake I did
I tore my ACL (and meniscus) while playing basketball about 2 years ago and went through reconstruction surgery.
Initially, everything felt like it was going well. Within ~2 months, I could walk normally, squat, and handle basic movements. At that point, I thought I was “recovered enough” and slowly stopped taking physiotherapy seriously.
That was a mistake.
Over time, I started noticing things I ignored earlier:
• My operated leg is visibly smaller/weaker than the other.
• I developed a fear of jumping, sprinting, and lifting heavier weights
• Confidence in my knee never fully came back Strength imbalance became more obvious during workouts
Looking back, I didn’t actually complete rehab — I just stopped when things felt “okay.”
Now, almost 2 years later, I’m still dealing with the consequences of not finishing proper strengthening and conditioning.
I’ve attached photos — you can clearly see the muscle difference between both legs.
That’s not just cosmetic, it affects stability and performance too.
If you’re going through ACL rehab right now:
• Don’t stop physio early just because you can walk or squat
• Regaining full strength and confidence takes months (sometimes 6–12+)
• Work on single-leg strength, balance, and plyometrics
• Don’t ignore the mental side — fear is real and needs to be trained out
• Stay consistent even when progress feels slow
I’m now trying to rebuild strength properly again, but it would’ve been much easier if I had just stuck with rehab from the start. Learn from my mistake — finish your rehab completely.