Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is one of the most severe sports injuries, requiring long-term rehabilitation and preventing a large proportion of athletes from returning to their pre-injury level of competition. The purpose of this Master's thesis is to conduct a systematic literature review on the introduction and progression of reactive training methods from the transitional phase to a full return to sport following surgical reconstruction. The objective of the thesis is to design a structured exercise protocol that enables kinesiologists to safely and gradually introduce jumps and hops in order to restore the patient's elastic and take-off power.
Initially, the thesis addresses the anatomy of the knee joint, the biomechanics of injury onset, and numerous risk factors. The central section is dedicated to the rehabilitation process, which, according to modern guidelines, should not be based solely on time elapsed since surgery, but on meeting objective criteria. The process is divided into acute, subacute, functional, mid-stage, and late-stage phases, as well as the return-to-sport phase. Special emphasis is placed on the late phase, where plyometric training is key to success. Plyometrics utilizes the muscle stretch-shortening cycle, which improves the rate of force development, dynamic joint stability, and neuromuscular control. The thesis also highlights that a holistic approach requires an assessment of psychological readiness, as fear of re-injury (kinesiophobia) represents one of the main obstacles to a successful return to full competitive activity.
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