ACL Reconstruction Timeline Calculator

Return-to-sport protocol milestones after ACL surgery.

Graft type

Meniscus repair?

Patient age (years)

Sport demand level

Pre-injury Tegner score (0-10)

Revision surgery?

Tab to move between fields

Return to sport (weeks)

Return to sport (months)8.3

Full extension (week)2

Full weight-bearing (week)4

Jogging cleared (week)12

Agility drills (week)16

Full practice (week)24

Re-tear risk (%)8

Graft NameBone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB)

Quad LSI Target90

Hop LSI Target90

Sport Demand NameCutting/pivoting sports

How to Use This Calculator

Select the Graft type used in surgery: 0 = bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB), 1 = hamstring autograft, 2 = quadriceps tendon, 3 = allograft.
Indicate whether a Meniscus repair was performed simultaneously (0 = No, 1 = Yes) — this extends early restrictions.
Enter the patient's Age in years and Sport demand level (0 = sedentary to 4 = elite/competitive).
Set the Pre-injury Tegner score (0–10) and whether this is a Revision surgery (0 = primary, 1 = revision).
Review the milestone timeline including jogging clearance (weeks), return-to-sport (weeks and months), and estimated graft re-tear risk (%).

What each input means

Graft type: 0=BPTB autograft, 1=Hamstring autograft, 2=Quadriceps tendon, 3=Allograft
Meniscus repair?: 0 = No, 1 = Yes. Meniscus repair restricts early weight-bearing and flexion.
Patient age (years): Age in years. Younger patients heal faster but have higher re-tear rates.
Sport demand level: 0=Sedentary, 1=Low impact, 2=Moderate, 3=Cutting/pivoting, 4=Elite/competitive
Pre-injury Tegner score (0-10): Tegner activity level scale. 10=competitive sports, 0=sick leave.
Revision surgery?: 0 = Primary reconstruction, 1 = Revision (re-do). Revision requires longer rehab.

Return to sport (weeks): Estimated earliest return to full competitive sport.
Return to sport (months): Same milestone in months.
Full extension (week): Target week for achieving full knee extension (0°).
Full weight-bearing (week): Expected week for walking without crutches.
Jogging cleared (week): Earliest week for straight-line jogging.
Agility drills (week): Earliest week for lateral movement and agility drills.
Full practice (week): Earliest week for full sport-specific practice.
Re-tear risk (%): Estimated graft re-tear risk based on patient profile.

Identify Input Parameters
4 parameters
Graft type = 0, Meniscus repair? = 0, Patient age (years) = 28, Sport demand level = 3 = 6 input(s) provided
Calculate Return to sport
Return to sport
36 = 36
Calculate Return to sport
Return to sport
8.3 = 8.3
Calculate Full extension
Full extension
2 = 2