Physiotherapy After a Knee Injury: How to Choose a Therapist and a Plan
A good physiotherapist (kinesitherapist) is the difference between a knee that returns to football and one that aches for years. In Lebanon, look for a practitioner licensed by the Order of Physiotherapists in Lebanon (OPTL).
Choosing a therapist
- Licensed by the OPTL and ideally with a Master's in sports or orthopedic rehab.
- Hands-on treatment time, not just hooking you to a TENS machine and leaving.
- Equipment that matches your goal: isokinetic dynamometer for post-ACL, gait-analysis tools for runners, balance platforms for older patients.
- Clear written plan with phases, criteria, and discharge goals.
What rehabilitation phases look like
- Acute (week 0–2) — control swelling, restore extension, basic quad activation.
- Sub-acute (week 2–6) — full range of motion, progressive strengthening, normal gait without aid.
- Strengthening (week 6–12) — closed-chain exercises, single-leg work, early plyometrics.
- Return to sport (3–9 months depending on procedure) — sport-specific drills, change-of-direction, hop tests.
Session frequency & cost
Typically 2–3 sessions a week early on, tapering to once a week. A private session in Lebanon runs 25–50 fresh USD. NSSF and most private insurers cover physiotherapy after a documented injury or surgery, usually with a prior medical prescription and authorization for a specific number of sessions — confirm before starting.
Home exercises matter most
Your therapist should give you a written home programme — 15 to 30 minutes most days. Outcomes correlate more strongly with home-programme adherence than with the number of clinic sessions. Take videos during sessions so you can replicate the movements correctly at home.