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Field guide · Free

The ACL recovery playbook

Day 1 to return-to-sport. The 5 phases. The benchmarks that actually matter. Surgery or no surgery, the framework is the same.

I've torn my ACL three times. Worked in a PT clinic for 3.5 years. This is the order I'd give my younger self.

In the guide
  • 01The 5-phase timeline. What to do in weeks 0 to 6, 6 to 12, months 3 to 6, 6 to 9, and 9 to 12.
  • 02The exact quad, hamstring, and hop-test benchmarks before return-to-sport. Numbers, not guesses.
  • 03Why fear of re-injury is the real bottleneck after month 6, and how to work through it
  • 04What sleep and nutrition actually do for tissue healing (the boring stuff that moves the needle)

10 min read · PDF

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Part 01

What's Inside

  1. 01

    Phase 1: Weeks 0–6 · Protect & Restore

    Managing swelling, restoring extension, activating the quad. The boring-but-critical phase where most people go wrong by doing too much or too little.

  2. 02

    Phase 2: Weeks 6–12 · Build the Base

    Progressive loading, gait normalisation, and building the quad strength you'll need for everything ahead. This is where consistency separates outcomes.

  3. 03

    Phase 3: Months 3–6 · Load & Strengthen

    Heavy strength work, single-leg training, and building the capacity your knee needs to handle sport-specific demands.

  4. 04

    Phase 4: Months 6–9 · Return to Running & Agility

    Progressive running protocols, change of direction, and building trust in your knee through graduated exposure to sport movements.

  5. 05

    Phase 5: Months 9–12 · Return to Sport

    Sport-specific training, testing benchmarks, and the mental game of trusting your knee in competition again.

Part 02

Bonus Sections

  1. 01

    Strength Benchmarks

    The exact quad, hamstring, and hop-test benchmarks you should hit before returning to sport. Numbers, not guesses.

  2. 02

    The Mental Game

    Fear of re-injury is real and normal. Strategies for building confidence, managing setbacks, and staying mentally resilient through the long recovery.

  3. 03

    Nutrition & Sleep

    What to eat to support tissue healing, reduce inflammation, and fuel your training. Plus: why sleep is the most underrated recovery tool.

The playbook gives you the map. The coaching is what gets you through it. Watch the free training to see how 1:1 works.

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