ACL Rupture, Return to Sport Without Surgery - Conservative Management

Not all ACL injuries require surgery!

Caleb Prassad fully ruptured his ACL five months ago and has successfully returned to play with Fencibles - without undergoing surgery.

The decision to pursue conservative management was made collaboratively by Caleb, David Bahadoor (Performance Physio), and his surgeon. Caleb was fully informed of the expectations and risks associated with a non-surgical return to sport and received full support from the performance staff. 

The benefits of this approach include:

• Less time on the sideline. 
• Less time missed from work due to surgery. 
• Enhanced physical development with a heavy focus on strength, power, and speed, leading to improved athletic performance. 

Caleb's rehab process followed a structure similar to the surgical approach, but Caleb started from a stronger baseline. This allowed him to return to running and plyometric work much earlier than those who undergo surgical ACL repairs. 

Regular testing and retesting with VALD technology, combined with consistent face-to-face and video consultations with our team at JP ATHLETIC and a rigorous return to training + play protocol, ensured continuous monitoring at a high-performance level. 

Caleb was pushed when possible and reined in when necessary. The journey wasn't always straightforward, but perseverance, belief, and a focus on the end goals were key to his successful return. 

This approach may not work for everyone, but Caleb successfully returned and helped Fencibles secure promotion to the Northern League for 2025.