The Cross bracing protocol is a more recent addition to the management options for ACL injuries, developed by Dr Tom Cross, a Sydney sports physician. When you snap your ACL, you have different treatment options. One, obviously, is surgery. That’s probably the most popular and it’s the most well known. More and more people are opting to rehab without surgery. So they’ll just leave their ACL, they won’t get it repaired, and they’ll rehab with us. The third and more recent way is what’s called the Cross bracing protocol.

This involves immobilising the knee AT ALL TIMES at 90 degrees for 4-6 weeks, before another 4-6 weeks of gradually extending the knee out while still in the brace. It is important to note, this is not for everyone, you need to fit certain criteria, and you always have to see a specialist to get assessed for appropriateness. It also has to happen pretty fast. So if you’ve done it recently, the best bet is to give us a call and we can get you in to see the right people. The theory is It puts the ends of the ACL close together and promotes healing by positioning it in the best possible way. Rehab should begin within the first week of the injury and will continue all the way back to returning to sport, which for successful outcomes is around the 6 month mark. Rehab is hard, time consuming and lengthy, and you want to make sure your rehab provider does a lot of ACL rehab (like us!) to ensure you are returning to sport better than before. Most surgical rehab is 12 months, so there is an obvious appeal, however it is super important to get proper imaging and be managed by an orthopaedic specialist to ensure you it is an option for you.