ACL Reconstruction — MOON Rehabilitation Guidelines

MOON Group (Multicenter Orthopaedics Outcomes Network) · MOON Group Expert Panel

Weight-Bearing

WBAT with crutches beginning day of surgery; D/C crutches when normal gait and safe stair negotiation

Key Restrictions

No immobilizer (except first 24 hrs after femoral nerve block); progression is criterion-based not time-based; Phase 3 straight-line running only — no cutting or pivoting; Phase 4 hop testing target 75% contralateral; Phase 5 return-to-sport target 85% contralateral strength and hop tests

Timeline & Phases

6 phases: Phase 0 Pre-op, Phase 1 Immediate Post-op (~0-2 wks), Phase 2 Early Rehab (~2-6 wks), Phase 3 Strengthening & Control (~7-12 wks), Phase 4 Advanced Training (~13-16 wks), Phase 5 Return to Sport (~17-20 wks); 16-24 recommended visits (minimum 6 visits)

Notes

.edu site (CU Anschutz / Eric McCarty); MOON Group multi-site consensus guidelines; criterion-based progression philosophy explicitly stated; covers spectrum from non-athlete to elite athlete; return-to-sport criteria: 85% contralateral hop tests, 85% isokinetic strength at 60 deg/sec, IKDC Q10 >9, no functional complaints, confidence at full speed; Cincinnati hop battery (single-leg, triple-hop, crossover, 6-m timed); MOON outcomes measure packet mandatory post-testing; minimum 6 visits if insurance-restricted

Surgeon / Author

MOON Group Expert Panel