Patellar Tendon Revision Recovery | Case Study

This 22 year old professional wakeboarder underwent a patellar tendon revision. He previously had a patellar tendon repair and an ACL repair on the same knee. Following the patellar tendon revision, he began his rehab at 10 weeks post op in the HydroWorx pool at Michael Johnson Performance.

During the early stages of his pool rehab, his physical therapist, Laura Saleem, was focused specifically on improving his range of motion, gait, quadricep contraction and patella tracking. Much of this was done through use of the underwater treadmill and video cameras. These features were beneficial specifically while he was working on normalizing his gait. He was able to watch his technique on the video cameras and immediately focus on correcting any deviations. Saleem was watching for heel strike and extension while he was walking forward and backward on the underwater treadmill.

Saleem didn’t simply focus on correcting his problem, she also focused on all other aspects of his strength while in the water. She did this through intense core and upper body work using resistance jets and tools. By maintaining all aspects of his fitness while also correcting any abnormalities in his gait, Saleem was able to transfer these skills to his land therapy when he was cleared to be full weight-bearing.

To learn more about this case and to see the protocols used in the pool, watch the videos below:

View this FREE on-demand webinar presented by Lance Walker, Global Director of Performance at Michael Johnson Performance entitled, “Addressing Potential Misconceptions about Training with Aquatics.” View this on-demand webinar here.