Research summary · Recovery and rehabilitation
What nonsurgical ACL rehabilitation studies report
A scoping review maps exercise content and return-to-sport reporting in nonsurgical rehabilitation for athletes with ACL deficiency.
- Publication year
- 2026
- First published online
- Publication type
- Scoping review
- Journal
- Sports Health
- Population / context
- Athletes older than 14 with ACL injury
What the publication reports
Fourteen studies included 570 athletes aged 14–57 years. Fifty-three percent completed rehabilitation without surgery and 30% returned to sport; protocols averaged 12 ± 8 weeks and emphasized strength more often than neuromuscular or sport-specific work.
Limits and interpretation
Protocols and exercise descriptions were inconsistent, evidence was level 4 and reinjury reached 28%. The review maps practice rather than proving that one nonsurgical protocol is superior.
Read the source
Consult the original record for the full author list, methods, references, funding and competing-interest disclosures.
Nonsurgical Anterior Cruciate Ligament Rehabilitation: A Scoping Review of Exercise Descriptors and Return-to-Sport Outcomes
Original publication / indexed recordPMID: 42233492DOI: 10.1177/19417381261449486Full text at the sourceReader discussion
Discuss the evidence.
Ask a question, share a source or discuss the methods. Respectful disagreement is welcome. Every comment and reply is reviewed before publication.
Loading comments…