ACL Rehab Starts in the OR: Part One

See what happens before your ACL patient gets to you and why it matters once they are in your care. 

Join Kevin Wilk, PT, DPT, FAPTA, for a two part series that takes you inside the surgical decisions rehab professionals do not always get to see and connects them to the challenges you manage in the clinic.

From graft selection and healing timelines to quad activation, movement compensation and return to sport, Kevin goes beyond the protocol to help you understand what may be influencing the ACL patient in front of you.

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Not all ACL reconstructions are the same.
The rehab shouldn't be either. 

Your patient walks into your clinic after ACL reconstruction.

You know the diagnosis. You may have the protocol.

But do you know exactly what happened before they got to you and how it could affect what you do next?

Patellar tendon. Quad tendon. Hamstring. Allograft.

Each comes with different considerations for healing, strength, range of motion, and progression.

Kevin walks through actual surgical footage and real patient examples to show what happens during ACL reconstruction and why those details matter once the patient reaches rehab.

PART 1: THE GRAFT CHANGES THE REHAB

Thursday, November 5, 2026 | 12 PM & 3 PM EST

The surgical decisions are made before your patient arrives. But their implications can follow them throughout rehabilitation.

Kevin explores:

• How patellar tendon, quadriceps tendon, hamstring, and allograft options differ
• What graft harvesting and fixation mean for healing considerations
• Why quadriceps activation, pain, and restoring motion can present different challenges
• How surgical timing and associated injuries influence the rehabilitation picture
• What surgical footage reveals about the procedures behind your patient's diagnosis

The takeaway: Better understand the surgical variables that may influence the rehabilitation challenges you encounter.