A full hour, one-on-one
Every visit is an hour with a Doctor of Physical Therapy. No aides, no rushed table time, no bouncing between machines.
Sound familiar?
The hard part starts after the surgery.
You may already be a few weeks or a few months in. The swelling has settled, the motion is coming back, and you have been given a sheet of exercises to keep working through.
But the gap between where you are and where you need to be to play is enormous, and nobody has told you how it gets closed. So you count down to a clearance date without knowing whether your knee will actually be ready for it.
That’s the part we care about.
Who we help
If any of this sounds like you
These are some of the patterns we see most often.
A recent ACL injury You know what happened, but you are not sure what comes next +
Whether surgery is planned or not, the first job is to settle the knee, restore motion, rebuild strength, and understand the path ahead.
Prehab before surgery You want to go into surgery with less swelling and more strength +
The work before surgery can help you restore motion, wake the quadriceps back up, and build a stronger starting point for the rehab that follows.
Early after surgery Your knee is stiff, swollen, and your quad still will not cooperate +
Early ACL rehab is about protecting the healing knee without letting it fall behind. We track motion, swelling, strength, and walking as each piece returns.
Progress has stalled You are doing the exercises, but the next phase still feels out of reach +
If strength, running, or confidence has plateaued, we identify the missing quality and adjust the plan instead of repeating the same routine.
Returning to run or sport You have been cleared, but cutting and jumping still do not feel ready +
A date on the calendar does not show whether you can handle speed, impact, fatigue, or change of direction. Those qualities need to be rebuilt and tested.
A second ACL comeback You have been through this before and do not want the same rehab again +
A revision or opposite-side ACL injury deserves a close look at the first recovery, your current deficits, and what your sport will demand this time.
ACL rehab looks different at three weeks, six months, and the return-to-sport stage. We meet you where you are, measure what is missing, and build toward what comes next.
What’s different
The process only works if the care supports it
A plan is only as good as the care running it. These three things are how we deliver it.
Benchmarks before progressions
You move forward by clearing the standards tied to your goals, not simply because another week passed on the calendar.
Always in your pocket
Your plan, your progressions, and a line to your clinician live in the EVO app, so you are never guessing between sessions.
First, we understand
We measure before we build
Where it hurts matters. It just does not tell us enough. Before we build your plan, we look at how your knee moves, how much force it can produce and absorb, how well you control it, and what your sport is going to ask of it.
Knee motion
Quad & hamstring strength
Landing & cutting control
Sport demands
Your goals
These measures give us a starting point. We return to them throughout rehab to decide what needs work, when to progress, and whether your knee is ready for the demands you want back.
How our approach is supported by current guidelines +
ACL rehabilitation cannot be reduced to a date on the calendar. Current guidelines support the same core principles we work from: rebuild the foundation, progress by criteria, and test the return.
Rebuild the foundation
Restore motion, quadriceps strength, control, and confidence before adding higher demands.
Progress by criteria
Time matters, but so do objective changes in strength, function, and how the knee responds to load.
Test the return
Running, cutting, jumping, and sport practice should be earned and assessed, not assumed.
That is the logic behind EVO’s 10-step process: establish the starting point, build the qualities that are missing, and earn the next level through measurable progress.
- Aspetar ACL Rehabilitation Clinical Practice Guideline, 2023 · Kotsifaki et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Return-to-Sport Timing and Criteria, 2016 · Grindem et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine
- Second-Injury Risk in Younger Athletes, 2016 · Wiggins et al., American Journal of Sports Medicine
Then comes the plan
We build for the demands of your life
Your assessment shows where you start. Your sport shows where you finish, whether that is a full season of soccer, getting back on the mat, or simply trusting the knee on a trail again. The ten steps are the path between, each one earned before the next begins.
01
Regulate
Calm pain and swelling so the knee can move.
02
Restore
Get full knee extension and flexion back.
03
Activate
Rebuild the quad, hamstring, and calf.
04
Coordinate
Use that strength in real movement.
05
Endure
Repeat good movement without breaking down.
06
Strengthen
Build meaningful lower-body and full-body strength.
07
Absorb
Control landing, impact, and deceleration.
08
Produce
Build force, speed, and power.
09
Integrate
Handle fatigue, change, and the unexpected.
10
Perform
Return to life or sport—and stay there.
The people in your corner
A Doctor of Physical Therapy, every session
Dr. TJ Martino, PT, DPT, CSCS
Founder · Physical Therapist
TJ started as a strength coach before earning his doctorate in physical therapy. For more than 15 years, he has worked with active adults, runners, lifters, and professional and Olympic athletes.
That background shapes how we approach ACL rehab at EVO. We look beyond where it hurts to understand what you need to move, train, and get back to the things that matter to you.
In their words
What progress can look like
★★★★★
“He has helped me through injuries that I had been battling with other PTs for years. His approach is about fixing the root of the problem for a sustainable long-term solution. I love that I’m no longer in pain.”
Lindsay D.
Years of recurring injuries
★★★★★
“I went to several traditional PT places, but EVO’s route was the best for me. They found the root cause of my injury cycle. A few months later, I’m finally back to living life pain-free.”
Grace M.
Recurring injuries
★★★★★
“His treatment lets me keep a vigorous work schedule and still train safely. He coordinates with my trainer so my program is right for me and I can hit my goals.”
Joanne Z.
Patient & member
★★★★★ 5.0 on Google
Read more reviews on Google →
From our team
More on ACL recovery
Straight answers
The questions people ask first
Can I do my ACL rehab at EVO if I had surgery somewhere else? +
Yes. We work with your surgeon’s protocol and precautions, whether the surgery was done locally or elsewhere. Many people come to us partway through rehab when they want a more structured, criteria-based progression toward sport.
How long does ACL rehab take? +
It depends on the graft, the surgery, your starting point, and the sport you are returning to. Time matters, but it is not the only factor. Strength, function, and how the knee responds to load determine when you move to the next phase.
When can I start running again? +
When your knee has the motion, quadriceps strength, and control to handle it, and your surgeon is on board. Running is a milestone that gets earned by clearing criteria, not by reaching a date on the calendar.
Do you do return-to-sport testing? +
Yes. We test strength, hopping, change of direction, and sport-specific demands, and we factor in how ready you feel. Those results guide the conversation about returning, alongside your surgeon’s clearance.
Can physical therapy help me avoid ACL surgery? +
Sometimes. Some people do well with rehabilitation alone, particularly depending on the injury, the knee’s stability, and the demands of their sport. Others need reconstruction. That decision belongs to you and your surgeon, and we will give you an honest read on how the knee is responding.
What to expect
Getting started with us is simple
1
A conversation
A complimentary discovery call to hear what is going on, what you have tried, and whether we are the right fit.
2
An evaluation
A full 60-to-90-minute assessment to establish your starting point and what needs attention first.
3
Your plan, in motion
One-on-one treatment and a progressive plan built around the demands of your life.
On the house
The free ACL Recovery Guide
A guide to what a complete ACL recovery looks like, from the early weeks through return-to-sport testing, with a real clinician to message when you get stuck. Tell us where to send it.
- ✓A clear place to start without another generic PDF
- ✓Day-by-day guidance inside the EVO Health App
- ✓A real EVO clinician available when you need help
