My ACL Recovery with Game Ready, by Amy Gibbons

Having been through three ACL reconstructions, I unfortunately know the early stages of ACL rehabilitation very well. Each recovery has been different, but going into my most recent surgery, I knew that managing the early post-operative phase as well as possible was going to be a huge priority for me.

My latest ACL reconstruction was in January 2026 and involved a patellar tendon graft alongside an additional lateral extra-articular procedure. Because of the extent of the surgery, I knew swelling, inflammation, pain and regaining comfortable movement were going to be some of the biggest challenges in those first few weeks.

This time around, however, I had something I hadn’t had during my previous ACL recoveries: Game Ready.

Starting Before Surgery

I had access to the Game Ready system from November, before my operation, and continued using it throughout the early months of my rehabilitation.

Even before surgery, having the machine allowed me to become familiar with using it and make it part of my routine. Then, once I came home after surgery, it became one of the things I relied on most during those initial weeks.

In the very early stages, I was using Game Ready regularly throughout the day — often around five to six times daily, particularly when swelling and discomfort were at their highest.

When you’ve just had ACL surgery, especially a more extensive reconstruction, the simplest things suddenly become difficult. Bending your knee, straightening it, activating your quad, walking properly and completing basic rehabilitation exercises all become major milestones.

For me, anything that helped make those early movements feel more manageable was incredibly valuable.

The Biggest Difference I Noticed: Swelling

One of the biggest differences I personally noticed compared with my previous ACL surgeries was how well I felt I was able to manage swelling.

With a patellar tendon graft and the additional lateral procedure, there was naturally a significant amount of inflammation around my knee in the initial stages.

Using Game Ready’s combination of cold therapy and compression became a major part of my daily recovery routine.

I would often use it after completing my rehabilitation exercises or after being on my feet, particularly when I could feel the knee becoming more irritated or swollen.

From my own experience, controlling that swelling made a massive difference to how the knee felt going into the next rehabilitation session.

Rather than constantly feeling like I was battling against a very swollen, stiff knee, I felt I could settle things down and then approach my exercises again with much better movement.

Helping Me Move Better in the Early Stages

One of the things people sometimes underestimate with ACL rehabilitation is just how important movement quality is at the beginning.

In those early weeks, you’re not trying to do anything glamorous.

You’re trying to straighten your knee properly.

You’re trying to regain flexion.

You’re trying to get your quad firing.

You’re trying to walk without compensating.

You’re trying to rebuild normal movement patterns.

For me, having less discomfort and swelling made those movements feel much more achievable.

Game Ready didn’t replace rehabilitation — the exercises, physiotherapy and gradual progression were still the most important parts of my recovery — but it became an incredibly useful tool around that rehabilitation.

I found that when my knee felt calmer and less swollen, I could focus much more on moving well rather than simply trying to protect an irritated knee.

That was particularly important to me because, having experienced ACL rehabilitation before, I knew how easily poor movement patterns and compensation can creep in when you’re sore, swollen and hesitant to move.

My Third ACL Recovery

I think what makes this experience particularly interesting for me is that I have something to compare it to.

This wasn’t my first ACL injury.

It wasn’t even my second.

It was my third ACL reconstruction.

Unfortunately, I’ve spent a lot of time rehabbing knees over the years, which means I have a very clear understanding of what those early weeks usually feel like for me.

Every surgery and recovery is different, so I would never claim that one recovery can be directly compared with another. However, from my own experience, I noticed a really positive difference having Game Ready available throughout this rehabilitation.

I felt much more proactive in how I managed the knee between rehabilitation sessions.

If I finished my exercises and the knee reacted, I had something I could use straight away.

If swelling increased after being on my feet, I could manage it.

If the knee felt particularly irritated at the end of the day, Game Ready became part of my evening recovery routine.

That gave me a huge amount of reassurance during a period where you can otherwise feel quite helpless.

Recovery Isn’t Just About Training Harder

As a strength and conditioning coach and athlete myself, I’m naturally someone who wants to work hard and progress.

ACL rehabilitation teaches you very quickly that recovery isn’t always about doing more.

Sometimes the best thing you can do is create the best possible environment for your body to recover so that when it is time to train, you can perform your rehabilitation properly.

Game Ready became part of that process for me.

The compression and cold therapy were particularly valuable after rehabilitation sessions and during periods where the knee became more swollen from an increase in activity.

It became almost automatic: rehab, recover, settle the knee and prepare for the next session.

Five Months of Game Ready

I had the Game Ready system available to me across approximately five months surrounding my surgery and the early stages of rehabilitation, from the pre-operative period right through to around four months post-op.

As my rehabilitation progressed, naturally my needs changed.

In the first few weeks, I used it very frequently because swelling management and comfort were such big priorities.

As I became stronger, started moving more normally and increased my rehabilitation workload, I used it more strategically around harder sessions or whenever my knee reacted to an increase in load.

Having it available across those different stages was extremely valuable because ACL rehabilitation isn’t linear.

You can have a brilliant few days and then increase your activity slightly and suddenly have some additional swelling or stiffness.

Being able to respond to that quickly made the process much easier for me to manage.

More Than Just Physical Recovery

There is also a psychological side to ACL rehabilitation that shouldn’t be underestimated.

After going through this injury three times, I know how frustrating recovery can be.

You spend months analysing every bit of swelling, every ache and every change in how the knee feels.

Having something in my routine that helped the knee feel calmer gave me a sense of control during those early stages.

And when you’re facing another long ACL rehabilitation, that feeling of being able to actively support your recovery is hugely important.

Looking Back

Looking back over the first several months of this rehabilitation, Game Ready was genuinely one of the most valuable recovery tools I had access to.

It became part of my everyday routine after surgery and something I continued to use as my rehabilitation progressed.

For me, the biggest benefits were the support it gave me with managing swelling and discomfort, helping the knee feel more comfortable before and after rehabilitation, and ultimately allowing me to focus on good-quality movement during such an important stage of recovery.

Having completed ACL rehabilitation before without Game Ready, I definitely noticed a positive difference having it available this time around.

It wasn’t a replacement for physiotherapy, strength training or doing the work required to recover from an ACL reconstruction.

Instead, it complemented everything else I was doing.

And during a recovery as long and challenging as ACL rehabilitation, having the right tools around you can make a massive difference.

For someone going through the early stages of ACL reconstruction — particularly anyone dealing with significant swelling or a more extensive procedure — my experience with Game Ready was extremely positive, and it became a product I genuinely looked forward to using every day during those first few months.

Amy
Athlete Performance Coach & Personal Trainer | AG Fitness