Quad / Patellar Tendon Repair

UW Health Sports Medicine (Madison, WI) · Marc Sherry PT DPT LAT CSCS; UW Health Sports Medicine

Weight-Bearing

WBAT in brace locked in extension; FWB x 6 wks in brace

Key Restrictions

Brace locked in extension for ambulation x 6 wks; brace locked in extension for sleeping x 6 wks; no active knee extension x 6 wks; PROM flex: ≤45 deg wks 0-2, ≤60 deg wks 2-4, ≤90 deg wks 4-6; no OKC knee extension until wk 12; no deep squats or lunges until wk 16; avoid patellar compression exercises early

Timeline & Phases

4 phases: Phase I (0-2 wks, brace locked ext, WBAT, PROM ≤45 deg), Phase II (2-6 wks, progress flex 60 → 90 deg, multi-angle quad isometrics, stationary bike wk 4-6), Phase III (6-12 wks, D/C brace, full ROM, CKC strengthening, no OKC ext until wk 12), Phase IV (12-16+ wks, progressive strengthening, jogging at wk 16, sport-specific)

Notes

UW Health / developed with Marc Sherry PT DPT; flexion progression: 45 → 60 → 90 deg over 6 wks (most conservative early flexion of all protocols); no OKC knee extension until wk 12; illustrated with exercise photos

Surgeon / Author

Marc Sherry PT DPT LAT CSCS; UW Health Sports Medicine