Improving Quad Strength After an ACL Injury (Quad Sets & Early Activation)
Please note that this is used as an adjunct to rehabilitation routines and not a replacement. Consult with your healthcare provider about when to implement this into your physical therapy.
Goal:
Improve quad activation and help the muscle “wake up” during quad sets.
Placement
- Place the devices over the vastus medialis (VMO) on the inner portion of the quad
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If you add additional devices, place them on:
- The upper front thigh, staying well clear of the incision and sutures
- Avoid placing directly over the knee joint or surgical area
Routine to Use
Rehab → Strength Recovery → ACL Rehab Setting
This setting was specifically designed to support quad strength and activation following ACL reconstruction and is most appropriate for early-stage quad inhibition.
How to Pair with Quad Sets
- Turn the devices on while performing quad sets
- Use short, intentional sets (as prescribed by your PT)
- Focus on contracting the quad with the vibration rather than letting the vibration do the work
Many users find this helps them get a stronger, more consistent quad contraction compared to voluntary effort alone.
Flexion Stretching (Heel Slides & Knee Bending)
Goal:
Support knee flexion work while minimizing guarding and stiffness.
Because you still have sutures, placement needs to stay away from the incision and shin directly below it.
Safe Placement Options (With Sutures In Place)
- Upper quad (above the knee) — helps reduce protective guarding
- Hamstring (back of the thigh) — often overlooked, but very helpful for flexion
- Avoid placing devices directly on the shin or near sutures until fully healed
Routine for Stretching
Warm-up Type 1 Setting
This setting is designed to be used during stretches or light movement and works well with heel slides and assisted knee flexion.
How to Use
- Turn Pulse on while performing heel slides
- Move slowly into flexion, pause briefly, then return
- Let the vibration support relaxation and movement — not force the range
Once sutures are removed and cleared by your PT, placement options can expand.
Nerve Stimulation (Lateral Shin & Below-Knee Numbness)
This is a very common (and frustrating) experience after ACL and meniscus surgery.
Placement
- Place the device along the lateral shin area where sensation feels reduced
- Stay off the incision and any areas with poor skin integrity
- You can also place one device slightly above the numb area to work along the nerve pathway
Routines to Use
Primary Option
Rehab → Sensory Feedback & Tissue Health → Direct Setting
This setting is designed based on research showing that low-frequency vibration may support:
- Local blood circulation
- Tissue health
- Sensory input to affected nerve regions
It is intended to be placed directly over the affected area.
Secondary / Optional Option
Rehab → Sensory Feedback & Tissue Health → Indirect Setting
This can be helpful if tingling or numbness feels “noisy” or uncomfortable, and you want gentler sensory input to enhance proprioception.
How to Use
- Use on rest days or after rehab sessions
- 1–2 minutes per placement
- No exercises required
Nerve-related changes tend to improve gradually, so consistency matters more than intensity.
How Pulse Fits Alongside PT & EMS
Many people use Pulse as a neuromuscular and sensory support tool:
- It does not replace PT or strength work
- It can complement or, in some cases, substitute EMS during certain exercises
- It provides both muscle activation and sensory feedback alongside rehabilitation, which EMS does not always address
- EMS simply triggers automatic contractions, which can be very beneficial for certain use cases, but it may not help you “retrain” your central nervous system since it does the work for you.
- Think of our device as a proprioceptive tool that helps boost your body awareness and spatial recognition so that you can improve your performance and recovery naturally, with and without our device. We want to enhance your mind-muscle connection in the short and long term.
