Intermediate Knee Tendon Repair Program

Program Overview — Intermediate Knee Tendon Repair Rehabilitation (9 Weeks)

This program is for people recovering from a surgically repaired knee ligament or tendon who have already had some early rehabilitation and are ready for a more active, intermediate-level plan. Over 9 weeks, with 2 sessions per week of about 60 minutes each, the goal is to safely rebuild knee motion, strength, balance, and confidence so you can return to everyday activities and gradually to sport. You will work through four phases, each with clear readiness signs, and you will be guided by your clinician throughout.

Before You Start

Only begin this program under the supervision of your physical therapist or surgeon, and check with them before using weights, a weight vest, or blood flow restriction training. Do not start if you have a recent fracture, an active infection, a wound that has opened up, or severe pain. Stop and call your clinician if you notice increasing swelling, warmth, redness, fever, wound drainage, a feeling that the knee is giving way, or pain that keeps getting worse rather than settling.

Weekly Structure

The plan runs 9 weeks with 2 sessions per week, roughly 60 minutes each, using a barbell, pull-up bar, and weight vest as appropriate to your stage. It moves through four phases: a protection phase focused on gentle motion and healing, an early motion phase, a controlled motion phase, then a strengthening phase where loading increases. Each phase has clear readiness signs your clinician checks; you progress only when those signs are met, not simply because a calendar week has passed.

What a Typical Session Looks Like

Each session follows a warm-up, main work, and cool-down pattern. Warm-up uses gentle movement and easy cycling to prepare the knee. Main work combines therapeutic exercise (closed-chain tasks like squats or step-ups and open-chain tasks like leg extensions as tolerated), manual therapy such as joint mobilization and soft tissue work, balance and proprioception training on unstable surfaces, and—only when your clinician approves—strength work with the barbell or weight vest, or blood flow restriction training. Aquatic therapy may be used early for gait training. Cool-down includes gentle stretching and easy movement to settle the knee.

Tracking Progress

Your clinician uses the phase readiness signs—such as achieving full knee extension, reaching expected flexion ranges, and having no increase in swelling—to decide when you move to the next phase. Outcome measures including the Lysholm Knee Score, IKDC Subjective Knee Form, Single Leg Hop Test, Quadriceps Index, Tegner Activity Scale, and KOOS are recorded periodically to track your recovery and guide adjustments. You do not move ahead on week number alone; the signs and measures together guide safe progression.

Recovery and Self-Care

Expect some soreness after activity, but sharp or escalating pain, new swelling, or a knee that feels unstable are warning signs to stop and check in with your clinician. Follow their advice on rest, ice, and wound care, and never push through severe pain. Red flags needing prompt contact include fever, spreading redness or warmth, wound drainage or separation, sudden loss of motion, or a knee that gives way.