12-Month Recovery Program

Telehealth physiotherapy support from preparing for your operation through to the 12-month mark, for ACL reconstruction, meniscal repair and meniscectomy.

Recovering from knee surgery takes far longer than most people expect, and the hardest part is usually staying on track after the first few months. This program gives you structured telehealth physiotherapy oversight across your whole recovery. It runs alongside the hands-on care you get from your local physiotherapist, never in place of it.

It starts before your operation if there's time, helps you get set up with a hands-on physio near you, and gives you a direct line to your physiotherapist in the Well2Wise app for the quick questions that can't wait for your next scheduled session. Telehealth simply means your consultation happens by video call, so you can have it from home, from work, or from wherever you happen to be that month.

Talk to us about the 12-Month Recovery Program

Tell us your surgery type and roughly when it's happening, and we'll explain how the program would work for you. No obligation.

Enquire about the program →

Why 12 months?

Because knee recovery is measured in seasons, not weeks, and the timeline depends on which operation you had.

After an ACL reconstruction, where the torn ligament is replaced with a graft, rehabilitation commonly runs for around nine to twelve months before a return to pivoting sport, and that return is normally guided by strength and movement testing rather than by a date on the calendar.

After a meniscal repair, where the torn cartilage is stitched back together and needs time to heal, protocols are usually measured in months rather than weeks, and often start with restrictions on how much weight you put through the leg and how far you bend the knee.

After a meniscectomy, where the damaged part of the cartilage is trimmed away instead of repaired, recovery is much shorter, often a matter of weeks to a few months. If that's your operation, the ACL timelines above don't apply to you, and the program is used differently: fewer big milestones, more focus on rebuilding strength early so a lasting weakness doesn't set in. Your physiotherapist will talk this through with you at your first consult.

What tends to go wrong over a long recovery

The main risk over a long recovery is drift. Rehabilitation is intense in the first weeks, then life gets busy, appointments get further apart, and the program quietly loses momentum. Milestones get skipped, strength work tapers off, and decisions about returning to sport end up being made on how the knee feels rather than on how it performs against clear criteria.

This program is designed to reduce that drift by putting scheduled review points across the full 12 months, so someone is checking your progress against the stage you're actually at. It is evidence-informed and general in nature; your own timeline is set by your surgeon and your treating physiotherapists based on your knee, your operation and your goals.

Before your operation

If there's time before your surgery date, the program starts there rather than waiting until you wake up from the operation.

Physiotherapy done before an operation is often called prehab. Your first consultation, the pre-op consult, is held before surgery wherever there's time, and it's used to work through the things that are far easier to sort out now than in the fortnight afterwards.

What the pre-op consult covers

Guided movement screen and baseline knee scores. Your physiotherapist takes you through a set of movements on the video call and watches how the knee behaves, then records your baseline knee scores: short standard questionnaires covering pain, function and how much you trust the knee. Together they give every later review something real to compare against. Anything needing hands-on measurement is done by your local physio and fed back in
A prehab plan to settle the knee before surgery. Pre-op exercises from our exercise library in the Well2Wise app, with video and written instructions, aimed at calming swelling, getting the knee straightening properly and holding the strength you've got. Surgeons pay attention to all three before operating
Your rehab roadmap and milestones explained. What the stages after the operation look like and roughly when each review falls, so the plan isn't a surprise once you're sore and on crutches
The right level of support confirmed. An honest conversation about whether the full 12-month program suits your situation, or whether one-off consults alongside your local physio would serve you better
Learning the early exercises in advance. The post-operative movements you'll be asked to do in the first days afterwards are much easier to learn from the library before you're sore

Getting everything else ready

What the first two weeks actually look like: crutches, a brace if you're having one, sleeping, showering and getting around the house
Time off: a realistic view of time away from work, study, driving and training, so you can plan around it instead of guessing
Home set-up and the day itself: ice, elevation, stairs, where you'll sleep, and having someone to get you home and stay with you that first night
Your local physio, lined up in advance: so your first hands-on appointment after surgery is already booked, not something you're chasing on crutches
Questions to take to your surgeon: so you use that appointment well and understand what's been decided, including graft choice and what you'll be allowed to do afterwards

Still deciding? You can get a second opinion first

Not everyone who enquires has made a final decision, and there's nothing unusual about wanting another view before committing to an operation. If you'd like a second opinion on whether to operate, on which operation, or on the timing, we can arrange a consultation with an orthopaedic surgeon in the Well2Wise network, bookable through the app.

Those consultations are with independent orthopaedic surgeons. Well2Wise arranges the booking and handles the payment side; the clinical opinion is entirely the surgeon's. A surgeon consultation is booked and paid for separately. It isn't part of the program fee. How surgery works through Well2Wise →

Our physiotherapists don't decide whether you should have surgery and won't push you either way. What they can do is help you understand what each path involves and what to ask. Our injury guides cover the same ground in more detail: ACL injury, meniscus injury, and surgery vs brace-and-wait.

None of this replaces your surgeon's pre-operative instructions. If the two ever differ, your surgeon's instructions come first. And if your operation has already happened, that's completely fine: plenty of people join afterwards, and the consult becomes a baseline one, used to record where you're up to instead.

What's included

Six scheduled telehealth consultations with one of our physiotherapists, spread across the 12 months after your surgery.

Pre-op consult. A guided movement screen, your baseline knee scores and your prehab plan, held before the operation where there's time. If your surgery has already happened, this becomes your baseline consultation instead
1 week after surgery. An early check-in on swelling, pain, movement and what you should and shouldn't be doing
1 month review. Strength and range of motion reviewed, and what the next stage should focus on
3 month review. Load progression and, where it applies to you, running readiness
6 month review. Agility and change-of-direction milestones, where those are part of your goals
12 month return-to-sport review. A structured review of readiness against return-to-sport criteria, guided by testing, discussed with you and, where appropriate, shared with your treating team

Your 12-month recovery program timeline: six scheduled reviews alongside your local hands-on physio. A pre-op consult covering baseline testing and a prehab plan, a week 1 post-op check-in on swelling and early range, a 1 month review of strength and range of motion, a 3 month review of running readiness and load progression, a 6 month review of agility and change-of-direction milestones, and a 12 month return-to-sport review guided by testing. The pre-op consult covers a guided movement screen and baseline knee scores, a prehab plan to settle the knee before surgery, your rehab roadmap and milestones explained, and the right level of physio support confirmed. Across the twelve months your Well2Wise physiotherapist tracks progress, adjusts your program and works to protocols aligned with your surgeon.

The milestones shown are indicative and reflect a typical ACL reconstruction recovery. Meniscal repair timelines differ, and a meniscectomy recovery is considerably shorter. Your own timeline is set by your surgeon and your treating physiotherapists.

Plus, throughout the 12 months

Our exercise library. Pre-operative and post-operative exercise programs in the Well2Wise app, with video and written instructions for every movement. Your physiotherapist sets which stage you're working from, and it moves with you as your recovery progresses
Education materials. Simple explanations of what each stage involves, what's normal, and what's coming next
Your physiotherapist in the app, between consultations. For the quick questions and short chats that can't wait for a scheduled session, answered by your own physiotherapist and included for the whole 12 months

For the questions that can't wait for your next session

The scheduled consultations are where your recovery is properly reviewed, but recovery questions rarely time themselves to fit. The knee swells after a long day on your feet, something feels different in the gym on a Saturday, or you're just not sure whether an exercise is supposed to feel like that. Those don't need a full session, and they shouldn't have to wait for one. Send them to your physiotherapist in the app as they come up.

Quick questions, straight to your physiotherapist. Anything from "should I still be limping at this point?" to "can I add load to this exercise yet?", answered by your own physiotherapist rather than a general help desk
Show it, don't just describe it. Send a photo or a short video of the knee, or of you doing a movement. A ten-second clip of how the knee behaves in a squat usually tells your physiotherapist more than a paragraph can
A video call when it's easier to look together. If something is better seen live, your physiotherapist can set up a short video call to look at it with you
Always the same physiotherapist. You're talking to the person who has followed your recovery from the start and knows your operation, your goals and your history, so you're never re-explaining your knee from scratch

We aim to answer as quickly as we possibly can, and if a question turns out to need a proper look rather than a quick answer, your physiotherapist will bring it into your next scheduled consultation, suggest booking an additional one, or send you to your local physio or surgeon. Messaging isn't an emergency service, though: if you have severe pain, a hot or badly swollen knee, calf pain, shortness of breath, a fever, or anything else that worries you urgently, contact your surgeon's rooms or your GP straight away, or call 000 in an emergency. Don't wait on a message.

The exercise library, education materials and app messaging run for the whole 12 months; your clinical consultations are the six scheduled sessions listed above, and extra consultations can be booked separately whenever you want them.

Your physiotherapy in this program is provided by physiotherapists employed by Well2Wise. If you are having surgery, that surgery is performed by an independent orthopaedic surgeon at an independent hospital. Well2Wise handles the booking and payment side of it only.

This works alongside your local physio, not instead of it

Please read this part carefully, because it's the most important thing on the page.

The 12-Month Recovery Program is not a substitute for face-to-face physiotherapy. It does not replace hands-on treatment, and it does not replace your early post-operative rehabilitation, which needs someone in the room with you.

You should keep seeing a local physiotherapist for the in-person side of your recovery: hands-on treatment, supervised strength work, and the checks that need someone physically examining your knee.

Don't have a local physio yet? We'll help you find one

If you don't already have a physiotherapist, or you're not sure the one you have regularly works with post-operative knees, sorting that out is part of the program. Your Well2Wise physiotherapist will talk through what to look for in a local clinic and what your first few appointments there should cover.

We'll also connect you with a physio near you through our network of partner clinics, which is growing, particularly across Sydney. If you already have a clinic you like, or you need someone with particular experience, tell us and we'll arrange the referral. You're free to see any physiotherapist you choose; using our network isn't a condition of the program.

What this program adds on top of that:

Oversight: a set of eyes on the whole 12 months, not just the block of appointments you're in right now
Milestone review: scheduled points where your progress is reviewed against the stage you're at
Progression guidance: help understanding what the next stage should look like and what to raise with your local physio and surgeon
A consistent point of contact: someone who knows your history across the full recovery, including if you move, travel or change clinics

Two ways to see one of our physiotherapists

Different people need different amounts of support. Neither option is better than the other; they're built for different situations.

Rapid Telehealth Consult

Suited to a one-off question, a second opinion on how your progress is tracking, or a quick check between appointments with your local physio.

See how Rapid Telehealth Consults work →

12-Month Recovery Program

Suited to people who want structured oversight across the full recovery. That often includes people who are:

returning to a pivoting sport such as football, netball, basketball or skiing
fitting rehabilitation around work or study
living regionally or remotely
without easy access to a physiotherapist who regularly works with post-operative knees

Our physiotherapists

The consultations in this program are delivered by physiotherapists employed by Well2Wise.

All are registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), the national body that registers health practitioners in Australia
All have substantial caseload experience in post-operative ACL and meniscus rehabilitation
They work to rehabilitation protocols aligned with your operating surgeon, and communicate with your surgical team where that's appropriate and you've agreed to it
Where practicable, the same physiotherapist follows you across the full 12 months, so you're not re-explaining your knee each time

Your physiotherapist works with your surgeon's instructions and your local physiotherapist's plan, not around them. If something in your recovery needs a face-to-face assessment or a surgical review, they'll tell you to go and get one.

If something doesn't look right

If your physiotherapist has a concern about how your knee is tracking, they'll raise it with you. Where your surgeon is part of the Well2Wise network, they can raise it with your surgeon's rooms directly, with your consent. Where your surgeon isn't part of the network, they'll tell you clearly what to raise and how soon, so you can take it to your own surgeon or GP. Either way, decisions about your surgical care are made by your surgeon.

Pricing

You see the price before you enrol, so you can plan for it. We're not trying to be the cheapest; we're trying to make the cost predictable.

12-Month Recovery Program: $650. An all-inclusive price covering the six scheduled telehealth consultations and your program materials across the 12 months
Rapid Telehealth Consult: $40. A single 20-minute consultation
Extended Telehealth Consult: $60. A single longer consultation

All prices include GST. Some health funds pay a rebate on eligible telehealth physiotherapy consultations.*

*Rebates vary between funds and levels of cover, and not all funds cover telehealth physiotherapy. Check with your insurer to confirm your eligibility before enrolling.

How it works

1. Enquire. Tell us your operation type and roughly when it's happening, or that you're still deciding, and we'll explain how the program would fit your recovery
2. You're matched with one of our physiotherapists. Based on your operation and your goals
3. Pre-op consult. Records your baseline, sets up your prehab plan, gets your local hands-on physio lined up and explains the roadmap ahead. If your operation has already happened, it becomes your baseline consultation instead
4. Scheduled reviews across 12 months. At 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months and 12 months, with your exercise library, education materials and app messaging available throughout

Common questions

Do I still need a local physio?

Yes. This program does not replace face-to-face physiotherapy. Hands-on treatment, supervised strength work and any assessment that needs someone physically examining your knee all have to happen in person, especially in the early weeks after surgery. The program sits on top of that local care and provides oversight across the full 12 months.

Can you help me find a local physio?

Yes. If you don't have one, or you're not sure yours regularly works with post-operative knees, your Well2Wise physiotherapist will talk through what to look for and we'll connect you with a clinic near you through our network of partner physios, which is growing, particularly across Sydney. If you already have a clinic you like, or you need someone with particular experience, tell us and we'll arrange the referral. You can see any physiotherapist you choose; using our network isn't a condition of joining.

Can I message my physiotherapist between consultations?

Yes. App messaging is included for the whole 12 months, and it goes to your own physiotherapist, not a general help desk. It's built for the quick questions and short chats that can't wait for your next scheduled session, with photos or short videos when something is easier to show than describe, and a short video call when it helps to look at something together. Because it's the same physiotherapist across the 12 months, you're not re-explaining your knee each time. If a question needs a proper assessment rather than a quick answer, it moves into a consultation. It isn't an emergency service: anything urgent should go to your surgeon's rooms, your GP, or 000.

Can I start before my operation?

Yes, and it's the better way to use the program if there's time. The pre-op consult takes you through a guided movement screen and records your baseline knee scores, sets you up with a prehab plan to settle the knee before the operation, walks you through your rehab roadmap and the milestones ahead, and gets your local hands-on physio booked in. Your surgeon's pre-operative instructions always come first if the two ever differ.

Can I get a second opinion on the surgery itself?

Yes. If you'd like another orthopaedic surgeon's view on whether to operate, which operation, or the timing, we can arrange a consultation with a surgeon in the Well2Wise network, bookable through the app. Those consultations are with independent orthopaedic surgeons. Well2Wise arranges the booking and handles the payment side, and the clinical opinion is the surgeon's. Our physiotherapists don't decide whether you should have surgery, and won't push you either way.

What's in the exercise library?

Pre-operative and post-operative exercise programs for ACL and meniscus surgery, in the Well2Wise app, with video and written instructions for each movement. Your physiotherapist sets which stage you're working from and moves you on as your recovery progresses, so what you see is matched to where you actually are rather than a generic list. It stays available to you for the full 12 months.

Is it the same physiotherapist each time?

Where practicable, yes. You're matched with one of our physiotherapists at the start and they follow you across the 12 months. If they're unavailable for a scheduled consultation, another of our physiotherapists will see you and will have your program notes, so you won't have to start from scratch.

What if my surgery date changes?

It's not unusual for a surgery date to change. The program runs for the 12 months following your surgery, so rest assured: if your date moves, tell us and we'll reschedule your consultations around your new operation date.

Can I join after surgery?

Yes. Many people enrol after their operation. The pre-op consult shown in the timeline then becomes your baseline consultation instead. It's used to record where you're up to and work out what the next stage should be, and the remaining reviews are scheduled from your actual surgery date rather than from the day you joined.

What if I'm not returning to sport?

The program still applies. Return-to-sport testing is only one use of the 12-month review point. If your goal is work, walking, gym, gardening or simply a knee you trust on uneven ground, the reviews are set against those goals instead.

Does this replace my surgeon's follow-up?

No. Your surgeon's post-operative appointments are a separate part of your care and you should keep attending all of them. Our physiotherapists work to protocols aligned with your operating surgeon and will refer you back to your surgeon if something needs their review.

What if my surgeon isn't part of the Well2Wise network?

That's fine. You can join the program whoever operated on you. The difference is only in how concerns get raised. Where your surgeon is part of the Well2Wise network, your physiotherapist can contact their rooms directly, with your consent. Where they're not, your physiotherapist will tell you clearly what to raise and how soon, so you can take it to your own surgeon or GP. Either way, decisions about your surgical care are made by your surgeon, not by Well2Wise.

What happens after 12 months?

The program ends at the 12-month review. If you want continued support after that, you can book Rapid Telehealth Consults as you need them, or continue with your local physiotherapist. There's no automatic renewal.

Is telehealth appropriate for post-operative knee rehab?

Telehealth is well suited to some parts of post-operative rehabilitation: reviewing your progress, checking exercise technique, adjusting your program, answering questions and planning the next stage. It is not suited to hands-on treatment or to assessments that require a physical examination, which is exactly why this program is designed to run alongside in-person physiotherapy rather than replace it. If your physiotherapist thinks something needs to be looked at in person, they'll tell you.

Ready to talk about your recovery?

Send us your operation type and date and we'll explain how the 12-Month Recovery Program would work alongside your local physio.

Enquire about the program → Or book a single consult