title: REHABILITATION PROTOCOL AFTER ISOLATED POSTERIOR CRUCIATE LIGAMENT RECONSTRUCTION.
abstract: To create a rehabilitation protocol following reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), through a literature review. The literature review was conducted in the Medline and Embase databases, to search for data on biomechanical concepts and analyses relating to the posterior cruciate ligament of the knee. The search strategy was set up using the following rules: problem or injury in association with anatomical location terms; or surgical intervention procedure in association with rehabilitation terms. We began the process in this manner and subsequently introduced restrictions on certain terms to improve the search specificity. To design the protocol, a table was created for better data assessment, based on the time that elapsed between surgery and the start of physiotherapy. A rehabilitation protocol was created to improve weight-bearing control in the initial weeks after surgery, with the aid of a knee brace. Our aim was to achieve gains in total range of motion of the knee, which should be attained by the third month, thereby avoiding contractures resulting from the tissue healing process. Strengthening exercises and sensory-motor training were guided accordingly, thus avoiding overload on the graft and respecting the healing phases. The protocol proposed through this review was based on the current evidence relating to this subject.
authors.affiliation: Instructing Professor and Head of the Knee Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo (SCMSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: de Paula Leite Cury
authors.affiliation: Professor in the Physiotherapy Course, São Camilo University Center and São Judas Tadeu University; Researcher in the Biomechanics Laboratory, São Judas Tadeu University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Henry Dan
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Kiyomoto
authors.affiliation: Researcher in the Biomechanics Laboratory, São Judas Tadeu University, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gustavo Fogolin
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Rosal
authors.affiliation: Professor in the Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Specialization Course and Physiotherapist in the Knee and Sports Traumatology Groups, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávio Fernandes
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Bryk
authors.affiliation: Instructing Professor in the Knee Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo (SCMSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Victor Marques
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Adjunct Professor in the Knee Surgery Group, Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, School of Medical Sciences, Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo (SCMSP), São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Osmar Pedro Arbix
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: de Camargo
keywords: Knee; Posterior Cruciate Ligament; Rehabilitation