03/01/2026
What next after an ACL surgery?
After surgery, many patients notice something worrying before they even start walking properly , the muscle looks smaller.
A footballer looks down at his thigh two weeks after knee surgery and asks,
“Doc… why is my leg shrinking?”
This isn’t weakness. It’s muscle wasting and it happens fast.
After surgery, pain, swelling and rest tell the brain to switch the muscle off. The quadriceps, especially, stop firing properly. When a muscle isn’t used, the body stops feeding it and it begins to shrink.
But here’s the part most people don’t hear 👇
Muscle loss after surgery is expected and reversible.
The recovery doesn’t start with heavy weights. It starts with small signals:
A quad squeeze.
A straight leg raise.
Gentle movement.
Waking the muscle up again.
As swelling reduces and movement returns, the muscle learns to trust the joint. Strength comes back in stages ,first control, then strength, then power.
The mistake many people make?
Waiting until the pain is gone before starting rehab.
By then, the muscle has already lost weeks.
With early physiotherapy, progressive loading, and proper nutrition, muscle size and strength can return often stronger than before.
So if you’re recovering from surgery and your leg looks smaller, don’t panic.
It’s not failure.
It’s physiology.
Start early. Load smart. Be patient.
Your muscle remembers , you just have to remind it. 💪
