Post-op rehab that finishes the job.

Protect, rebuild, reload, return.

1. Phase 1 · Protect

   Weeks 0–4. Calm the surgical site, protect the repair, restore range of motion, and prevent the strength loss that happens fastest in the first month. BFR training preserves muscle mass while you're still on weight-bearing restrictions.

2. Phase 2 · Rebuild

   Weeks 4–12. Progressive loading, stability work, and the manual therapy that keeps scar tissue mobile. Dry needling helps quiet the guarding patterns that often linger around a surgical site.

3. Phase 3 · Reload

   Months 3–6. Heavier strength work, sport- or job-specific loading, and the asymmetry correction most rehab skips. This is the phase that decides whether you re-tear or return stronger.

4. Phase 4 · Return

   Months 6+. Criteria-based return to running, lifting, sport, or full work duty — measured with hop tests, strength symmetry, and movement quality under fatigue, not a calendar date.

Common questions after surgery.

When should I start post-op physical therapy?

Most surgeons want rehab started within the first 1–2 weeks. We coordinate directly with your surgeon's protocol — whether that's same-week ROM work or a longer protected period — so your plan matches the repair, not a generic template.

Do you follow my surgeon's protocol?

Yes. We work from your surgeon's written protocol and communicate with their office when milestones, ROM goals, or weight-bearing status need clarification. You don't have to be the messenger between your surgeon and your PT.

How is BFR used after surgery?

Blood Flow Restriction training lets you build strength using very light loads — often 20–30% of your normal weight. That's a game-changer in the first 6–12 weeks after ACL, rotator cuff, or joint replacement surgery, when heavy loading isn't safe but muscle atrophy is the biggest risk. Learn more on our BFR safety page.

How long is ACL rehab?

Most ACL reconstructions need 9–12 months of rehab before a true return to cutting sports — though you'll feel functional much earlier. We use objective return-to-sport criteria (limb symmetry index, hop tests, strength ratios) instead of clearing you based on the calendar.

Do you take insurance for post-op rehab?

We're an out-of-network, cash-based practice. Many patients prefer this for post-op care because you get 55–75 minute one-on-one sessions instead of the 15-minute shared visits common at in-network clinics — which usually means fewer total visits and a better outcome.

I'm a few months out and progress has stalled. Can you help?

Yes — this is one of the most common reasons patients find us. Stalled post-op recovery is usually a loading or movement-quality problem, not a healing problem. We re-test, identify what's missing, and rebuild the strength and mechanics your previous rehab skipped.