The first three weeks after ACL reconstruction set up everything that follows. The work is simple, but doing it every day matters more than doing a lot of it. Always follow your surgeon's protocol. This is what we usually focus on.

Goal one: calm the swelling

Ice and elevate the leg several times a day, with the knee above the level of your heart. Ankle pumps keep the blood moving. Less swelling means the thigh muscle switches on more easily.

Goal two: get the knee fully straight

A knee that does not straighten fully causes a limp that can last for months. A few times a day, rest with your heel on a rolled towel and nothing under the knee, and let it settle straight.

Goal three: wake up the quad

After surgery the thigh muscle often stops responding. Quad sets, tightening the thigh with the leg straight and holding for five seconds, are the first step. When you can lift the straight leg without the knee bending, you are ready for more.

• Ankle pumps: every hour you are awake.

• Heel prop: 10 minutes, three or four times a day.

• Quad sets: 3 sets of 10, three times a day.

• Straight leg raises: once the quad set is strong.

Call your surgeon the same day if

Your calf becomes painful, hot, or swollen, you develop a fever, or the wound drains or turns red. These can be signs of a clot or an infection.