Recovery from MACI, with its evidence showing
A staged program built from the peer-reviewed literature — with the strength and origin of every part of it visible, honest about the large areas where nothing is known, and split by lesion location because the guidance for the two is close to opposite. Written by a patient, not a clinician, and it says so.
The six stages
I · Before
Am I doing this, and how do I arrive in the best possible condition?
II · Protect 0–6w
How do I protect this without wasting away?
III · Load 6–12w
How do I return to full load and full motion?
IV · Build 3–6m
How do I rebuild a leg?
V · Sport 6–12m
How do I reintroduce impact without gambling?
VI · Years 1+
How do I not lose this in year three?
Week ranges describe published protocols — they are not deadlines. Where a stage isn’t written yet it isn’t linked; this site doesn’t do placeholder pages.