A systematic review of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction rehabilitation: part I: continuous passive motion, early weight bearing, postoperative bracing, and home-based rehabilitation.

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a common surgical knee procedure that requires intensive postoperative rehabilitation by the patient. A variety of randomized controlled trials have investigated aspects of ACL reconstruction rehabilitation. A systematic review of English language level 1 and 2 studies identified 54 appropriate randomized controlled trials of ACL rehabilitation. Topics discussed in this part of the article include continuous passive motion, early weight bearing in motion, postoperative bracing, and home-based rehabilitation.