The surgical treatment of acute and chronic injuries of anterior cruciate ligament is still controversial. Different techniques and materials are used to reconstruct and repair this important structure. Therefore postoperative treatment is even more important and heterogenous. Rehabilitation follo- wing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has changed dramatically over the past few years. Splinting in flexion was formerly the treatment of choice, but has been replaced by early and aggressive functional therapy by the majority of surgeons. Therefore a four-phase-rehabilitation programme was developed. A significant improvement of the patients’ satisfaction and an improve- ment of the clinical results could be achieved by application of this concept.

        Key words: ruptures of anterior cruciate ligaments, surgery, four-phase-rehabilitation