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NPRC GlobalPOST-OP LAB
POST-OP REHAB TIMELINE CALCULATOR • CRITERIA-BASED

Orthopedic Surgery
Recovery Phases Generator

Enter surgery date & type to get your evidence-based ACL physical therapy timeline, TKR/THR precautions and standard orthopedic surgery recovery phases aligned to tissue healing stages — not just calendar.

ACL • MENISCUS • TKR • THR • ROTATOR CUFFINFLAMMATORY → REMODELING
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STRICT MEDICAL DISCLAIMER: This post-op rehab timeline calculator provides general educational guidelines for orthopedic surgery recovery phases only. It does NOT replace surgeon-specific protocols, clinical evaluation, or physiotherapist supervision. Tissue healing, precautions, weight-bearing, ROM limits, and return-to-sport criteria vary by technique, graft, implants, age, comorbidities and complications. Always follow your operative report and licensed clinician. If you have fever, increasing pain, swelling, wound drainage, chest pain or calf pain, seek emergency care immediately.
CLINICAL INPUTS
ELAPSED SINCE SURGERY
0.0WEEKS0 DAYS
PHASE 1: MAXIMUM PROTECTION
CURRENT HEALING STAGE
Inflammatory Phase (0-7 days)
STRUCTURED TIMELINE • ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY RECOVERY PHASES
ACL RECONSTRUCTION
STANDARD PRECAUTIONS
    ✓ CRITERIA TO PROGRESS (NOT JUST TIME)
    Must meet criteria + surgeon clearance. Adherence to tissue healing prevents graft failure / loosening.
    TISSUE HEALING & CLINICAL REHAB PROTOCOLS

    Tissue Healing Stages and Adhering to Post-Op Rehab Protocols

    All orthopedic surgery recovery phases follow biology, not just calendars. Understanding tissue healing is critical for any post-op rehab timeline calculator. Inflammatory phase (0-7 days): Hematoma, cytokine surge, pain and effusion. Goals are protection, compression, and early motion to prevent arthrofibrosis. Proliferative phase (day 3 to week 6): Fibroblasts lay disorganized collagen; strength is low. This is where ACL physical therapy timeline restricts pivoting, THR prohibits flexion >90° + IR + adduction (posterior approach), and meniscus repair avoids deep flexion beyond 90°. Remodeling phase (week 3 to 12 months): Collagen reorganizes along tensile lines, tensile strength climbs. Progression becomes criteria-based: TKR needs 0° extension + 120° flexion, quadriceps lag <5°, minimal effusion; ACL needs limb symmetry index >70% at 3 months, >85% running, >90% hop tests for return-to-sport at 9 months.

    Adherence matters: studies show early violation of post-op precautions increases graft re-tear, meniscus re-tear, and prosthesis dislocation rates. Therefore a post-op rehab timeline calculator must pair time elapsed with objective milestones. For global searches like post-op rehab timeline calculator, orthopedic surgery recovery phases, ACL physical therapy timeline by weeks, this NPRC Global tool provides surgeon-aligned phases, standard precautions, goals and progression criteria for ACL reconstruction, meniscus repair, TKR, THR, rotator cuff and Achilles repair. Always correlate with operative notes — e.g., allograft vs autograft ACL, cemented vs uncemented TKR, or size of rotator cuff tear — and never progress on pain alone. Documentation for physiotherapy should record weeks post-op, ROM, effusion grade, pain VAS, strength LSI, and functional tests.

    When in doubt, stay in the lower phase. Healing cannot be rushed, but it can be optimized with nutrition, sleep, smoking cessation, and graded load respecting inflammatory, proliferative and remodeling stages.

    FAQ • POST-OP PHASES
    What are ACL recovery phases?

    5 phases: 0-2w Max protection, 2-6w Moderate, 6-12w Minimum, 3-6mo Advanced strength, 6-9+mo Return-to-sport with hop LSI >90%.

    How long TKR/THR rehab?

    TKR 0-2w acute, 2-6w 90°, 6-12w functional, 3-6mo advanced. THR posterior precautions 0-6w: no flex >90°, IR, adduction. Both criteria-based.

    Can I progress faster?

    No — tissue healing is biological. Must meet ROM, strength, effusion criteria + surgeon clearance to avoid failure.

    MEDICAL DISCLAIMER REPEAT: Strictly educational. Not medical advice. Follow operative report and licensed clinician. Variations exist by surgical technique, graft, implant, comorbidities. Emergency symptoms require immediate medical attention.