Episodes 280
Avg. Duration 22m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 5.0 (83)
Since Feb 2021
Latest Episode Jun 2026

Publishing Details

Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
99%
Hosting
rss.buzzsprout.com

Contact & Outreach

About This Podcast

The ACL Athlete Podcast brings you everything you need to know about ACL injuries. This podcast creates discussion around the ACL injury itself, research, rehab, performance, return to sport, mindset, you name it. I'm your host, Dr. Ravi Patel, Performance Physical Therapist, Coach, and 2x ACL athlete. I invite you to join me as we explore insights, expertise, personal stories, and experiences - from the athlete to the healthcare professional to the coach, so that we, together, can raise the standard of care and revolutionize the field of ACL injuries and rehab.

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Recent Episodes

280 | Further Out and Still Not There: Why Your ACL Recovery Is Taking Longer Than You Expected

Jun 11, 2026 26m

In this episode, we dig into one of the most common and quietly painful experiences in ACL recovery: being months or even years out from surgery and still not feeling close to where you thought you…

279 | Bone Bruise After an ACL Injury: What It Means for Your Rehab and Recovery

Jun 04, 2026 41m

In this episode, we take a deep dive into one of the most overlooked pieces of the ACL injury: bone bruising. Present in roughly 85% of ACL tears, bone bruises are almost always mentioned in the MRI…

278 | How to Navigate a Second ACL Opinion: Before Surgery, After Surgery, and Complex Cases

May 28, 2026 32m

In this episode, we break down how to actually navigate second (or third) opinions in ACL care without getting overwhelmed or stuck in decision paralysis. From pre-surgery planning to post-op…

277 | The Sympathy Gap: When the Visible Markers of ACL Rehab Disappear

May 21, 2026 17m

In this episode, we talk about one of the quietest and most underrated phases of ACL recovery: the window after the crutches and brace are gone, but the real work is still very much in progress. We…

276 | Two-Stage Revision ACL Reconstruction Part 2: The Surgery, the Research, and the Road Back

May 14, 2026 53m

In this episode, we go deeper into the two-stage revision ACL reconstruction process, starting with what actually happens during Stage 1 and why understanding the bone work changes how you think…

275 | Two-Stage Revision ACL Reconstruction Part 1: What It Is and Why It Happens

May 07, 2026 36m

In this episode, we open with the story of an athlete who did everything right after her ACL reconstruction and still knew something was off. Her surgeon told her she was fine. Her knee told her…

274 | Structure Outside of PT Is Not Optional in ACL Rehab

Apr 30, 2026 38m

In this episode, we dig into one of the most common and costly gaps in ACL rehab: the absence of structure outside of physical therapy sessions. We start with the math of how few hours most ACLers…

273 | Using AI in ACL Rehab: Where AI Gets Dangerous in ACL Rehab and What It Should Never Replace - Part 2

Apr 23, 2026 43m

In this episode, we close out the two-part series on AI in ACL rehab with the territory that matters most. We open with a use case we did not cover in part one, using AI as an audit tool to compare…

272 | Using AI in ACL Rehab: What It Can Actually Do For You (And Where It Starts to Break Down) - Part 1

Apr 16, 2026 44m

In this episode, we open a two-part series on one of the most important and underaddressed conversations in ACL rehab right now: how ACL athletes, parents, and clinicians are using artificial…

271 | You Don't Fail Your Strength Test - You Learn From It

Apr 09, 2026 26m

In this episode, we break down one of the most misunderstood parts of ACL rehab: testing. We cover what testing actually means beyond a single number, why the pass or fail mindset is not only…

270 | The Challenging Dynamic When Friends or Family Help With Your ACL Rehab

Apr 02, 2026 21m

In this episode, we dive into one of the most common and least talked about situations in ACL rehab: what happens when the person guiding your recovery is someone you already know. Whether it is a PT…

269 | Feed the Rebuild: What ACL Athletes Get Wrong About Nutrition

Mar 26, 2026 18m

In this episode, we dig into one of the most overlooked mistakes in ACL recovery: undereating. It sounds logical on the surface: you are moving less, so you eat less. But what is actually happening…

268 | From ACL Adversity to Comeback: The Mindset Shift You Need Right Now

Mar 19, 2026 10m

In this episode, we sit with a quote from Duke Women's Basketball coach Kara Lawson that stopped me in my tracks and immediately made me think of every ACL athlete navigating this process. We don't…

267 | The ACL Decision No One Talks About: Should You Even Return to Your Sport?

Mar 12, 2026 26m

In this episode, we dig into one of the most important and least talked about conversations in ACL rehab: the decision of whether or not to go back to your sport or activity after an ACL injury. We…

266 | Complex ACL Cases: The More Complicated, The More Opinions You May Need

Mar 05, 2026 34m

In this episode, we break down what it actually means to have a complicated ACL/knee case, from multi-ligament involvement and cartilage damage to post-op complications like cyclops lesions, scar…

265 | Five Years of The ACL Athlete Podcast + Five Lessons Learned

Feb 26, 2026 31m

In this episode, we mark five years of The ACL Athlete Podcast by doing something I almost let pass entirely: sitting down with no agenda, and saying the things that have never quite been said…

264 | Your ACL Rehab Is Hard… But Is It Actually Helping?

Feb 19, 2026 11m

In this episode, we unpack a big misconception in ACL rehab: the belief that if PT feels hard, it must be working. We break down why sweat, fatigue, and high heart rates don’t automatically equal…

263 | Quad Size Still Smaller? The Science Behind Persistent Quad Atrophy after ACLR

Feb 12, 2026 33m

In this episode, we tackle one of the most frustrating and under-discussed parts of ACL rehab: your quad is still smaller months later, and you’re wondering if something is wrong. I break down what…

262 | The Human Body Is Resilient: Redefining ACL Limits Through Lindsey Vonn's Story

Feb 06, 2026 21m

In this episode, we take a deeper, more grounded look at resilience through the lens of Lindsey Vonn's ACL journey. Not as motivation, but as a real, physical, and mental demonstration of what the…

261 | The ACL Is a Seatbelt: You Don’t Know You Need It Until You Do

Jan 29, 2026 22m

In this episode, we unpack why “feeling good” late in ACL rehab can be one of the most misleading signals an athlete can rely on. Using the ACL-as-a-seatbelt analogy, we break down why the ligament…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does The ACL Athlete Podcast have?

The ACL Athlete Podcast has published 280 episodes since February 2021, covering topics in Fitness, Health & Fitness.

Is The ACL Athlete Podcast still active?

The ACL Athlete Podcast is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 22m.

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