How Long Does It Take to Return to Sport After an ACL Reconstruction?

ACL Injury - An Athletes Worst Nightmare

Returning to sport after an ACL reconstruction is one of the most common questions athletes ask after surgery. While many people expect a simple timeline, the reality is that returning to sport safely depends on strength, movement quality, confidence and objective testing, not just time since surgery.

Despite modern surgery and rehabilitation, outcomes are not guaranteed. Research shows that around 50% of recreational athletes do not return to their previous level of sport, and up to 30% will sustain a second major knee injury. This is why a structured and well-guided rehabilitation process is essential.

Why Returning to Sport After ACL Surgery Takes Time

An ACL reconstruction does not instantly create a “new ligament”. The graft used in surgery must go through a biological healing process before it behaves like a true ligament.

How Long Does an ACL Graft Take to Heal?

The graft takes upwards of 12 months to fully remodel and mature into ligament-like tissue. During this time, the knee must gradually be exposed to increasing loads to build strength, resilience and control without increasing injury risk.

Time-Based Rehab vs Criteria-Driven Rehab

Traditionally, ACL rehabilitation was time based, meaning athletes were cleared to return to sport after a set number of months.

Why Time Alone Is Not Enough

We now know that time alone does not reflect:

Strength deficits between limbs
Poor movement mechanics
Reduced power or control
Lack of confidence or trust in the knee

For this reason, modern ACL rehabilitation is criteria driven, meaning progression is based on passing specific physical and psychological benchmarks rather than simply waiting.

ACL Return to Sport Milestones (Criteria Dependent)

Every athlete progresses differently, but these are the typical stages we expect athletes to reach once criteria are met:

Expected Return to Activity Timeframes

Return to gym-based training: 4–6 weeks
Return to plyometrics (jumping and landing): 3–5 months
Return to running: 5–7 months
Return to multi-directional and sport-specific movement: 7–9 months
Return to full sport / play: 9–12 months

Progression through these stages is always dependent on passing objective tests, not just hitting a date in the diary.

How We Test Readiness to Return to Sport After ACL Reconstruction

At LIFT Physiotherapy, we use objective data and movement analysis to guide safe return to sport and reduce re-injury risk.

Testing We Use During ACL Rehabilitation

VALD ForceDecks testing
- Single leg drop jump
- Countermovement jump
Isokinetic dynamometry
- Objective testing of quadriceps and hamstring strength
Movement analysis
- Assessing how the knee and body move under high loads and speed
Psychological readiness screening
- Confidence, fear and trust in the knee are essential for safe return to sport

Final Thoughts on Returning to Sport After ACL Surgery

Returning to sport after an ACL reconstruction is not about rushing the process. It is about earning each stage through strength, control, confidence and data-led testing.

A criteria-driven approach gives athletes the best chance of returning to the sport they love while reducing the risk of a second injury.

👉 Learn more about our specialist ACL Rehabilitation Programme here