Sydney's
ACL Rehab
Clinic.
Criteria-based. Sport-specific. Built to get you back — better than before.
Whether you're pre-surgery, post-op, or managing conservatively — our team of sport-specific physiotherapists delivers elite ACL rehabilitation across Five Dock and Gladesville. We don't just get you back to sport. We get you back performing.
Clubs & organisations we have worked with
What we offer
Complete ACL Care —
Every Stage.
From the moment of injury through to return to sport, we have a program for exactly where you are in your ACL journey.
Optimise your strength and range before surgery to dramatically improve post-op outcomes. Research shows prehab is one of the strongest predictors of ACL recovery success.
Learn more →From day 1 post-surgery through to return to sport. Criteria-based milestones, objective strength testing, and sport-specific loading at every stage.
Learn more →Not everyone needs surgery. Our conservative ACL program builds the neuromuscular control and strength needed to return to sport without reconstruction.
Learn more →The emerging non-surgical approach showing significant promise for ACL healing. We are one of Sydney's few clinics offering this evidence-based protocol.
Learn more →Our rehab system
The SportsFit 5-Stage
ACL Rehab Program.
Every athlete follows a structured, criteria-based program across 9-12 months. You don't progress on time — you progress when your body is ready.
Protection Phase
Immediate post-injury or post-op management. Swelling control, range of motion restoration, and graft protection. Blood flow restriction and Compex muscle stimulation minimise quad atrophy without compressive joint loading.
Load Integration Phase
Progressive reintroduction of bodyweight and light loaded movement. Restoring normal gait, basic strength patterns, and rebuilding neuromuscular connection. Force plate assessments begin tracking limb symmetry.
ACL testing — what it looks like
Strength Accumulation Phase
The backbone of ACL rehabilitation. Heavy, gym-based strength training targeting the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and posterior chain. Strength is measured objectively at every stage — not assumed.
Sport Specific Phase
Cutting, pivoting, jumping, sprinting, and sport-specific conditioning tailored to your sport and position. Led by physiotherapists who play your sport at Premier level.
Field rehab session — mic'd up
Return to Performance Phase
Objective return-to-sport clearance using our in-house ACL Return-to-Performance testing protocol. Force plate assessment, strength symmetry, and functional movement screening. You only get cleared when the data says you're ready.
The team
Sport-Specific Physiotherapists.
Not Generalists.
Every clinician on our ACL team has a specific sport background. They've treated — and in many cases played — at the level you're trying to return to.
Prak talking about ACL rehabilitation
Accredited Exercise Physiologist
S&C Coach
Exercise Physiologist
S&C Coach
Our results
The Numbers Speak.
Our facility
Equipment Built for
Serious Rehab.
One of the best-equipped physiotherapy gyms in Sydney. Purpose-built for ACL rehabilitation — not a treatment room with a bike in the corner.
AXIT Force Plates
Objective limb symmetry and power testing — tracking progress with data, not guesswork.
VALD ForceFrame
Isometric strength assessment for quads, hamstrings, and hip abductors throughout rehab.
Anti-Gravity Treadmill
Run at reduced bodyweight during recovery — maintaining cardio and running mechanics while protecting the graft.
Blood Flow Restriction
Early-stage muscle activation without compressive joint loading — critical in the first weeks post-op.
Full Strength Gym
Comprehensively equipped for heavy ACL rehabilitation — one of the best-equipped physio gyms in Sydney.
Compex Muscle Stimulation
Electrical muscle stimulation to reduce quad atrophy in the early post-operative period.
What patients say
410 Five-Star Google Reviews.
Across Both Clinics.
Real ACL patients. Real outcomes.
"Kevin at SportsFit Five Dock is an excellent physio, very skilled, positive, and easy to talk to. He targeted my quad and calf strength, worked on ligaments, and helped prevent lower back pain while preparing me step by step for knee reconstruction surgery. Post-surgery, his treatment reduced pain and swelling and sped up my recovery. Highly recommend."
"Jay and Josh were both absolute stars. I attended SportsFit for rehab post ACL reconstruction and have successfully returned to sport following my injury. Huge thank you to Jay and the team for your help, support, and expertise."
"After tearing my ACL playing touch football, I found the knowledge and rehab programs at other clinics to be quite generic. Just before my surgery, I had my first visit with SportsFit and straight away felt a trust and confidence in the team that I hadn't felt elsewhere. My rehab continued for 12 months until my knee was return-to-sport ready. Massive thank you to Jay and Dave, and the entire SportsFit team! 10/10."
"There is nothing worse than re-injuring your ACL when you love to dance. After five weeks on crutches with little progress, I was told surgery was my only option by two surgeons. Then I found SportsFit and met Jay and his brilliant team. Their modern, tailored methods to ACL recovery gave me hope again. After about four months of training, I'm able to jog, run, squat and dance again!"
Common questions
ACL Rehab Questions,
Answered.
How long does ACL rehab take?
Most people need 9 to 12 months from surgery to a return to competitive sport. We do not clear anyone by the calendar: you move to the next stage when you pass that stage's strength, hop and confidence tests.
When can I start running after ACL surgery?
Running mechanics start on the anti-gravity treadmill at a reduced body weight, in the load integration phase (weeks 6 to 12 after surgery). Running on the ground comes later, once your strength and swelling allow, and always within your surgeon's protocol.
Do I need surgery for a torn ACL?
Not always. Some people return to sport with structured rehab and no reconstruction, more often in lower-pivot sports such as cycling, swimming or straight-line running. Our conservative program tests whether you are a good candidate, and surgery stays an option if you are not.
What should I do before ACL surgery?
Prehab. Aim for at least 5 to 6 weeks if your surgery date allows, working on quad strength, getting the knee fully straight and settling the swelling. We retest you on the force plates in the week before your operation.
How do you decide when I can return to sport?
With testing, not time. You complete force plate and isometric strength testing, a four-hop test battery and the ACL-RSI confidence questionnaire. The targets are at least 90% quad strength and hop symmetry against your other leg, and an ACL-RSI score of 65 or more.
I have just torn my ACL. Could the Cross Bracing Protocol suit me?
It has to start within 2 to 3 weeks of the injury, and it suits only some tears, so call us as early as you can. We check your eligibility against your MRI.
Do I need a referral, and is it covered by health funds?
No referral is needed. Physio sessions are covered by private health funds with extras cover; the rebate depends on your policy.
Find us
Two Sydney Locations.
Both clinics offer the full ACL rehabilitation program with the same team, same equipment, and same standard of care.
Five Dock
Gladesville
Ready to start
your ACL rehab?
No referral needed. Same-week appointments available at Five Dock and Gladesville.
Book a Free Call