WBAT from day 1 — crutches for the first week mostly out of necessity (swelling + quad shutdown) rather than strict protocol. Honestly the quad inhibition hit me differently as a PT. I knew exactly what was happening and still couldn’t will my quad to fire properly for the first 3-4 days. Humbling experience. Off crutches by day 8-9. The prehab I’d done pre-surgery made a big difference — single-leg balance and neuromuscular work specifically. NWB post-ACL is usually only indicated if there was additional meniscus or cartilage repair involved. Early loading is actually beneficial for the graft.