Patient Story: Recovering from ACL Surgery on Both Knees

Faiz was 22 when he tore the ACL in his right knee during a futsal match in Shah Alam. He had surgery, completed rehab, and returned to the pitch within nine months. Fourteen months later, he landed awkwardly from a header during a friendly game and tore the ACL in his left knee. For a young man who had played football since primary school, the second injury hit harder than the first.

The Challenge

After the second ACL reconstruction, Faiz was dealing with more than just a surgical knee. His right leg, though cleared months earlier, had never fully regained its strength. He walked with a slight limp, avoided stairs when possible, and had lost confidence in both knees. His orthopaedic surgeon referred him to Kinesio Rehab for post-surgical rehabilitation, noting that the bilateral involvement made his case more complex than a standard single-knee ACL recovery.

Faiz also admitted that during his first rehab stint at a different clinic, he had stopped attending sessions early because he felt "good enough." This time, he and his physiotherapist agreed from the start: no shortcuts.

The Treatment Plan

Faiz attended physiotherapy three times a week for the first two months, tapering to twice a week by month three. Early sessions focused on restoring range of motion in the left knee while simultaneously building strength in the right leg through single-leg squats, step-ups, and resistance band work. Swelling was managed with ice, elevation, and gentle mobilisation.

By week eight, he progressed to closed-chain strengthening exercises for both legs — leg press, wall sits, and bridging with holds. His physiotherapist introduced neuromuscular training around month three, including balance board drills and lateral agility work, to retrain his proprioception. From month four, sport-specific drills were added: direction changes, deceleration practice, and controlled jumping and landing patterns.

Throughout the programme, his physiotherapist tracked quad and hamstring strength using hand-held dynamometry, comparing both sides to ensure symmetry before progressing.

The Outcome

Faiz was cleared for non-contact sport at seven months and full-contact futsal at ten months post-surgery. His quad strength measured within 90% symmetry between both legs — a benchmark his physiotherapist set as a return-to-sport requirement. He now plays futsal twice a week and follows a maintenance strength programme on his own. He still attends a monthly check-in session to monitor both knees.

Faiz's case is a reminder that bilateral ACL injuries require patience and structured, progressive rehabilitation. Cutting rehab short the first time likely contributed to the second injury. Done properly the second time, the results speak for themselves.