Physical Therapist-Supervised Exercise Improves Outcomes After ACL Reconstruction

FRIDAY, Oct. 2, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Physical therapist-supervised exercise therapy with education improves patient-reported outcomes for young adults with persistent knee problems after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), according to a study published online Sept. 29 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Adam G. Culvenor, Ph.D., from La Trobe University in Bundoora, Australia, and colleagues examined whether physical therapist-supervised exercise therapy with education is superior to a single education session and self-directed exercise resource among 184 young adults (aged 18 to 40 years) with persistent knee problems nine to 36 months after ACLR. Participants were randomly assigned to a four-month twice-weekly physical therapist-supervised exercise therapy program with education (SUpervised exercise-therapy and Patient Education Rehabilitation [SUPER]) or to a single education session and self-directed exercise resource (92 individuals in each group).

The researchers found that the composite Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Scores improved more in the SUPER group than the control group at four months (14.1 versus 9.4). SUPER resulted in greater muscle strength gains and higher rates of success on global rating of change at four months (e.g., pain: 73 versus 40 percent). At 12 months, between-group differences narrowed, with continued improvement observed in the control group, while gains were sustained in the SUPER group. No between-group differences were seen in cartilage thickness or composition.

“Although the difference between groups diminished over time, the higher rates of patient-reported global improvement and greater muscle strength gains were sustained in the longer term,” the authors write.

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