Advanced ACL Course

ACLR Early-Stage Rehabilitation:
Laying the foundations for success.

When 

Saturday 19th September 2026 - 9am to 4pm (arrive at 8:45am for registration & breakfast)
Sunday 20th September 2026 - 9am to 4pm

Overview

The early phase after ACL reconstruction can shape everything that follows. Across two practical days, participants will work through the assessment, clinical reasoning, hands-on interventions and progressions needed to manage patients from weeks 0 to 12 after ACL reconstruction. 

Rather than relying on timelines alone, the course emphasises assessment-driven progression. Participants leave with a clearer framework for when to progress, when to hold, and how to adjust treatment based on patient's presentation, tissue healing and individual response.

What you’ll learn

By the end of the course, participants will be able to:

• Apply a practical framework for ACL rehabilitation across the first 12 weeks after reconstruction.
  
• Understand how surgical technique, graft type, fixation and concomitant procedures influence rehab planning.
  
• Manage key acute post-op priorities including effusion, knee extension, quadriceps activation and early gait re-education.
  
• Select and dose early interventions safely to achieve extension restoration and quadriceps re-activation.
• Build strength using criteria-informed progressions from bilateral to unilateral loading.
  
• Coach movement quality through squat, hinge, split-stance and step-based patterns.
  
• Use neuromuscular control, balance, landing and early plyometric strategies to improve movement quality and prepare for higher demand.
  
• Make more confident return-to-run decisions based on readiness, common barriers and clinical presentation.
  
• Identify common mistakes, troubleshoot flare-ups and recognise when surgical re-consultation may be required.
  

Who should attend

This course is suited to clinicians who want more than a theoretical overview. It is built for those who want practical skills, clearer clinical reasoning and better confidence when managing ACL patients in the early to middle stages of rehab.

It may be especially valuable for:

• Physiotherapists working in sports, musculoskeletal or post-operative rehab settings.
  
• Clinicians supporting return-to-function and return-to-running pathways.
  
• Allied health professionals wanting a more structured and assessment-based ACL framework.
  
• Teams looking to create greater consistency across their ACL rehab approach.
  

Course format

This is a two-day course, with each day structured as a six-hour learning block. The program combines the latest evidence with expert surgeon insights, live demonstrations, hands-on practical workshops, case discussions, and applied clinical reasoning to create an engaging, and clinically-relevant learning experience.

Participants won't just learn what to do—they'll develop the skills to assess, coach, progress, and troubleshoot the key components of ACL rehabilitation through hands-on practice and clinically relevant scenarios, giving them the confidence to apply these principles in everyday practice.

Why this course

As Australia’s first multidisciplinary knee clinic, Jointli stands as the country’s premier ACL specialist center, having provided services to over one thousand patients through an integrated model uniting orthopaedic surgeons, physiotherapists, S&C coaches, and researchers.

By tapping into this high-volume environment, course attendees will gain direct insight into our daily ACL-specific decision-making and learn how to apply a progressive clinical framework tailored to each individual's needs. The course is designed to provide a clearer structure for understanding what matters most at each stage, how to dose and progress loading, and how to adapt when a patient is not following the expected path.

Participants will leave with:

• A clearer ACL rehab framework for weeks 0 to 12.
  
• Stronger confidence in assessment-driven progressions.
  
• Greater practical confidence in loading and exercise progression.
  
• A more structured clinical approach: assess, understand, educate, and intervene.
• Course material
• Certificate of attendance

Presenters

A/Prof David Parker, Knee Surgeon

Hannah Duggan, Physiotherapist

Scott Bunch, Physiotherapist

Dr Nico Furlan PhD, Strength & Conditioning Coach

FAQ

Is this course practical or mostly theory?

It is strongly practical in format. Alongside theory sessions, the program includes live demonstrations, hands-on practical, exercise coaching and case discussion across both days.

What stage of ACL rehab does the course focus on?

The primary focus is the first 12 weeks after ACL reconstruction, from acute post-op management through to strength development, neuromuscular control and return-to-run preparation.

Will surgical considerations be covered?

Yes. A surgeon-led session covers graft types, fixation strength, healing timelines, concomitant procedures, early complications and surgeon expectations, all of which inform rehab planning.

Is return to running included?

Yes. The course includes a dedicated session on return-to-run decision-making, covering readiness criteria, barriers to progression, example sessions and common mistakes.

Registration

Places are expected to be limited due to the practical format and hands-on components.