Abstract
An 18-year-old male soccer player 6 weeks post anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with quadriceps tendon autograft was seen for physical therapy treatment for 10 sessions in an 8-week time period at an outpatient physical therapy clinic by a physical therapy student under the supervision of a licensed physical therapist. The patient was evaluated at the initial encounter with goniometry, manual muscle testing, circumferential measurements, the Numeric Pain Rating Scale, single leg balance, gait observation, the Lower Extremity Functional Scale, the Patient Specific Functional Scale, and patient report. A plan of care was established to address impairments in range of motion, strength, muscle atrophy, and pain, activity limitations in lower extremity function, gait, and squatting, and participation restrictions in ability to hike. Main goals for the patient were to improve range of motion and strength, decrease pain, improve single leg balance, improve lower extremity function, normalize gait and increase the capacity, or ability to perform gait, and participate in hiking. Main interventions used were manual therapy, therapeutic exercise, gait training, blood flow restriction training, and patient education. The patient achieved the following goals of increased strength, improved single leg balance, improved gait capacity and squatting ability, and increased ability to participate in hiking. The patient was discharged to his own care with a home exercise program and recommendations to continue with outpatient physical therapy following his move from the geographical location of the treating physical therapy clinic.