BEFORE SURGERY
A Digital Marketing Playbook for Physical Therapy Practices
Attracting ACL Pre-Hab & Rehab Patients
WIN THE ACL PATIENT
Today, we will be covering…
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We Are The Premier PT and Rehabilitation Marketing Agency That Takes Your Marketing to That Next Level
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In 2025:
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THE CHALLENGE: THE SURGEON REFERRAL LOCK
Surgeon Controls
Orthopedic surgeons refer to their own affiliated PT facility, often before the patient even knows they have a choice.
Patient Doesn't Know
Most patients assume they have no choice. They follow the surgeon's recommendation without question.
You Lose the Patient
By the time they're post-op, the decision is made. Private PT practices lose patients they never had a chance to reach.
The answer? Get there FIRST digitally.
KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE: WHO YOU'RE MARKETING TO
🏠 THE SPORTS MOM
🏃 THE YOUNG ATHLETE
YOUR ROADMAP TODAY
01
Website & SEO
Condition pages that rank & convert
02
Google Ads
Pre-hab campaigns targeting athletes & parents
03
Email Marketing
Re-engage past patients before surgery season
04
The Marketing Plan
12-month calendar & budget framework
05
The Patient Pitch
Why YOUR clinic beats the surgeon's PT
SECTION 01
WEBSITE &
SEO STRATEGY
Building the digital home for your ACL expertise
CONDITION PAGES: YOUR #1 SEO ASSET
What is a Condition Page?
A dedicated web page for a specific diagnosis or condition, in this case, ACL tears, that educates the patient AND signals your expertise to Google.
Why Google Loves Them
What to Include
Pages You Need NOW
LOCAL SEO: DOMINATE THE ACL SEARCH IN YOUR MARKET
Top Keywords to Target
Quick Wins to Rank Faster
CONTENT THAT CONVERTS: WHAT YOUR ACL PAGE MUST HAVE
1
Hero Section
Clear headline: "Expert ACL Rehab & Pre-Hab" + phone CTA above the fold. Don't make them scroll to find you.
2
Education Block
Explain ACL tears in plain English. Answer: "Do I need surgery?" and "What is pre-hab?" — this is what moms Google at night.
3
Your Process
Show a 4-6 step visual journey from evaluation → pre-hab → post-op → return to sport. Athletes want to see the path back.
4
Social Proof
Video testimonials from athletes who returned to sport. Google star rating embed. Before/after functional outcome data.
5
FAQ Section
"How long does ACL rehab take?" "Will insurance cover this?" "Can I choose my own PT?" — these drive SEO & trust.
6
Strong CTA
"Schedule Your Free ACL Evaluation" — with a form above the fold AND at page bottom. Make it frictionless.
SECTION 01
WEBSITE EXAMPLE
SECTION 02
GOOGLE ADS
STRATEGY
Capture athletes & parents the moment they search, before the surgeon does
THE PRE-HAB OPPORTUNITY: GOOGLE ADS BEFORE SURGERY
What is Pre-Hab?
Pre-hab = physical therapy BEFORE ACL surgery. Research shows patients who do pre-hab recover 30–40% faster. This is a massive, underserved search category, and your biggest ad opportunity.
~60%
of ACL patients are
never told pre-hab exists
30-40%
faster recovery with
pre-hab before surgery
$8-15
avg. cost-per-click for
ACL-related ad keywords
Campaign Types to Run
BUILDING YOUR ACL ADS CAMPAIGN: THE BLUEPRINT
STEP 1
Keyword Targeting:
Exact & phrase match: "ACL physical therapy," "knee rehab near me," "ACL prehab program," "sports PT [city]". Exclude: "ACL surgery," "ACL surgeon."
STEP 2
Audience Targeting:
Geotarget 10–15 mile radius. Layer in: Parents of teens (Facebook Audiences), sports/fitness interests, age 13–18 (for athletes) and 35–55 (for moms).
STEP 3
Ad Copy That Wins:
Headline 1: "ACL Pre-Hab & Rehab in [City]" | Headline 2: "Get Back to Sport 40% Faster" | CTA: "Book Your Free Eval Today"
STEP 4
Landing Page:
Send all ACL ad clicks to a dedicated ACL landing page — NOT your homepage. Include: headline, outcomes, social proof, and a simple form.
STEP 5
Budget & Bidding:
Start: $500–$1,000/mo. Use Maximize Conversions bidding. Track form fills + calls as conversions. One new patient pays for 1–2 months of ads.
SECTION 03
MARKETING
Re-engaging past patients — your warm, untapped ACL audience
EMAIL YOUR PAST PATIENTS: YOUR WARMEST ACL AUDIENCE
Why Past Patients Are Gold
3 Email Segments to Build
Sample Email Campaigns
Subject: "ACL Season Is Coming, Is Your Athlete Ready?"
Sent pre-season. Explains pre-hab benefits. CTA: Free ACL Risk Screen.
Subject: "We Helped [Name] Get Back to the Field in 6 Months"
Patient story email. Builds trust with parents. Links to ACL page.
Subject: "Your Child Has a Choice in Physical Therapy"
Educational email: 'You don't have to go where the surgeon sends you.' Direct, empowering.
THE ACL EMAIL DRIP: YOUR 6-EMAIL SEQUENCE
DAY 1
Education
"Your Athlete's ACL: What Every Parent Needs to Know"
Goal: Educate & build authority
DAY 4
Pre-Hab Intro
"What Is Pre-Hab and Why It Changes Everything"
Goal: Educate & build authority
DAY 9
Social Proof
"Meet [Athlete Name] — Back to Soccer After ACL"
Goal: Build trust & differentiate
DAY 14
Empowerment
"Did You Know You Can Choose Your Own PT?"
Goal: Build trust & differentiate
DAY 20
Offer
"Free ACL Evaluation — Limited Spots This Month"
Goal: Convert to consultation
DAY 30
Urgency
"Last Chance: Free ACL Risk Screen Before Season"
Goal: Convert to consultation
SECTION 01
NEWSLETTER + BLOG EXAMPLE
SECTION 04
YOUR
MARKETING PLAN
The 90-day launch plan and 12-month calendar for ACL domination
YOUR 90-DAY ACL MARKETING LAUNCH PLAN
DAYS 1–30
Foundation
DAYS 31–60
Launch
DAYS 61–90
Optimize
12-MONTH ACL MARKETING CALENDAR
Q1 (Jan–Mar)
Pre-Season Push
Q2 (Apr–Jun)
Spring Sports Peak
Q3 (Jul–Sep)
Summer Training
Q4 (Oct–Dec)
Football/Fall Sports
DIGITAL MARKETING QUICK IMPROVEMENTS: DO THIS NOW
Website
Google Business
Social Media
SECTION 05
SELL
“WHY YOUR CLINIC?”
Why patients should choose YOU over the surgeon's affiliated PT facility
PRIVATE PT vs. ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON'S PT: THE TRUTH
Category
Your PT Clinic
Surgeon-Affiliated PT
One-on-One Time
✓ Full session with your PT every visit
Often techs or aides after intake
Specialization
✓ Sports rehab & ACL specialists
General PT across all conditions
PT-to-Patient Ratio
✓ 1:1 or 1:2
Often 1:4 or 1:5
Pre-Hab Program
✓ Structured 4–6 week pre-op program
Rarely offered
Return-to-Sport Testing
✓ Functional testing before clearance
Inconsistent protocols
Scheduling Flexibility
✓ Evenings & weekends available
Business hours only
Insurance
✓ Most plans accepted
May be in-network only
EDUCATING PATIENTS: IT'S THEIR CHOICE (AND THEY DON'T KNOW IT)
The most powerful thing you can do is EDUCATE patients that they have a choice. Most never question the surgeon's referral.
Website: "Know Your Rights" Section
Add a section to your ACL page titled 'Did You Know You Can Choose Your Own Physical Therapist?' with a direct, friendly explanation of patient freedom of choice laws.
Email: Empowerment Messaging
The subject line "You don't have to go where the surgeon sends you" is one of the highest-performing messages in PT marketing. Compassionate, educational, direct.
Social Content: FAQ Reels
Short video: "3 Things to Ask Before Choosing a PT After ACL Surgery." This gets shared by parents and positions you as the trusted advisor.
Google Ads: Intent-Based Copy
Run ads targeting "can I choose my own physical therapist" and "ACL PT options." These searchers are actively questioning the surgeon referral — they're your best prospects.
BUILD YOUR CLINIC'S ACL VALUE PROPOSITION
Your messaging framework: Answer these 4 questions CLEARLY on every marketing touchpoint.
Q: Why ACL patients?
A: We specialize in sports injury and ACL rehab — it's what we do best.
Q: Why pre-hab?
A: Starting before surgery dramatically reduces recovery time — we've seen it hundreds of times.
Q: Why us vs. the surgeon's PT?
A: You get one-on-one care from a licensed PT every single visit. No techs. No shortcuts.
Q: What outcome do we promise?
A: Our goal is getting you back to your sport — fully functional, not just pain-free.
SOCIAL MEDIA: REACHING MOMS & ATHLETES WHERE THEY ARE
Best for: Moms 35–55
Top Content:
Best for: Athletes 14–24
Top Content:
YouTube
Best for: All Ages — Research Phase
Top Content:
SECTION 01
SOCIAL EXAMPLE
MEASURING SUCCESS: THE KPIs THAT MATTER
Website KPIs
Goal: 200+ visits/mo, 3–5% CVR
Google Ads KPIs
Goal: <$50 cost/lead, >3% CTR
Email KPIs
Goal: 30%+ open rate, 5%+ CTR
Business KPIs
Goal: 5+ new ACL patients/month
5 MISTAKES PT CLINICS MAKE WITH ACL MARKETING
✗ No condition page
✓ Every condition you treat needs a dedicated page. A generic homepage won't rank for "ACL rehab near me."
✗ Sending ad traffic to your homepage
✓ ACL ads → ACL landing page. Match message to page. A mismatch kills conversion rates.
✗ Only marketing post-surgery
✓ Pre-hab is a massive, underserved market. Most clinics ignore it. Own it.
✗ Not telling patients they have a choice
✓ If you don't educate them, they'll just go where the surgeon sends them. Freedom of choice messaging wins every time.
✗ No review strategy
✓ Google reviews mentioning "ACL," "sports injury," and "return to sport" directly boost local SEO for your target keywords.
HOW PRACTICE PROMOTIONS CAN HELP YOU WIN ACL PATIENTS
We're a full-service digital marketing agency built exclusively for physical therapy practices.
PT-Optimized Websites
Condition pages, ACL pre-hab pages, and conversion-focused design built for PT clinics.
Local SEO
Rank for ACL keywords in your market. Google Business Profile, citations, and content.
Google Ads Management
Fully managed ACL pre-hab campaigns. We write the ads, manage the budget, track every lead.
Email Marketing (Engage)
Automated email campaigns to your patient list. Pre-built ACL sequences ready to go.
Content Marketing
ACL blog posts, FAQ pages, and social content that builds trust and drives organic traffic.
Reporting & Analytics
Monthly reports showing exactly what's working — leads, rankings, ROI by channel.
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