How to speed up your ACL surgery recovery

ACL-surgery-recovery

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If you’re recovering from ACL surgery, you know how frustrating it can be to work your way through the long list of instructions from your doctor and physical therapist. You want to get back to doing all the things you love, but it just seems like you’ll never be able to get back to your old self again. Here are some tips and tricks that will help you speed up your ACL recovery so you can get back on track as soon as possible.

Table of Contents

The recovery from an ACL tear surgery can take months, an average of 5-6 months. The postsurgical recovery time depends on age, overall health, type of surgery, and ability to get physical therapy. Understand what you are up against and how to speed up the process with these helpful tips.

Tips for Healing Faster after ACL Surgery

Before Surgery

The decision of when to have ACL surgery is an important one. The timing of the surgery can affect how quickly you return to full activity and ability. It is advisable to wait until the point where you can achieve full Range of Motion before surgery and this should not be rushed. Also, it is important that you select a Best ACL Surgeon who specializes in ACL injury management. wrong decisions may lead to complications and may end your sports career.

After Surgery

  1. Wear a knee brace all day and it should be continued for a minimum of 4 weeks.
  2. Always walk with a walker for the initial few weeks. The patient is allowed full weight bearing during this period.
  3.  Physiotherapy starts immediately after the surgery in the form of an ankle pump and static quadriceps exercises. The ankle pump and static quadriceps exercises are often overlooked and can help with the strength of the muscles around the knee joint.
  4. Ice application 3-4 times a day for 20 minutes each is also important for reducing swelling and aiding in the healing process.
  5.  Keep the body well hydrated. The patient is encouraged to drink plenty of fluids, this helps to maintain circulation and promotes healing.

Finally, adequate rest is essential for a speedy recovery. During the initial post-op weeks, it’s best to sleep on your back or side rather than on your stomach so that you don’t put pressure on your lower body.

At Home

A high protein diet, wound care, a supporting atmosphere, and watching for danger signs like wound infection are all helpful in speeding up the healing process. For instance, a high protein diet can help rebuild muscle strength. Proper wound care should be taken till it heals completely. Watch for danger signs like wound infection so that you can prevent further complications. Any suspicious discharge would need emergency care and proper management.

It is very important that you seek medical attention if any of these signs occur as soon as possible for better healing chances. Furthermore, a supportive atmosphere may be helpful because it is important to have those who care about you around you during this time so they can offer emotional support as well. It is important to stay active and engaged in the healing process so that you can get back on your feet.

Physical Therapy

Physiotherapy starts immediately after the surgery in the form of an ankle pump and static quadriceps exercises. It is continued till complete recovery which is nearly about 3 months. Keep in touch with your ligament surgeon on regular basis for the best results. It’s important to focus on getting a complete knee extension first. Without full extension, normal gait cannot be achieved.

Knee flexion should be gradual and it’s recommended that you should get 30 degrees in the first week. By the 2nd week, you should be flexing all the way up to 60 degrees, 90 degrees by the end of 3rd week and full knee flexion by 4th week.

Between 3-6 weeks after surgery main focus should be quadriceps strengthening using light weights and resistance bands. Full range of motion should be gained by the end of 4 weeks. Knee protection with brace for at least 3-4 weeks. Stair climbing, stationary bike and cross trainer can be used.

Between 7 and 12 weeks after surgery, you should be able to jog around a field or do close chain exercises like resistance band exercises. Open chain exercises are not allowed until 12 weeks post-surgery. You will most likely be able to return to normal activity during this time period.

Other possibilities include doing half squats on your knees. You can slowly start doing more weight-bearing exercises as well, but it’s important not to rush into anything too quickly; overdoing it can lead to more damage or problems late down the line.

Overall Recovery Plan

It’s important to always choose the best ACL surgeon for the best results. In addition, customized recovery protocols are very important for giving you the best result. This will help with speeding up your recovery time and making sure that you get back on track as quickly as possible. So, choosing your sports injury surgeon wisely is a crucial step in speeding your recovery.

Staying Motivated

It’s important to stay motivated and never lose hope. As long as you’re taking care of yourself, eating healthy and staying positive, the time will fly by and the pain will be worth it. If you ever feel discouraged or want to give up, remember that there are people out there who have been through it and came out on top!

The Cruciates is a team of highly experienced and skilled surgeons who are in the sports medicine field from a long time and have dealt with complicated sports injuries. Dr. Nagendra Prasad is one of the best arthroscopy surgeons in India leads the team.

The Cruciates is committed to deliver high-quality services and would like to make sure that, you are satisfied with our work. The team Cruciates provides customized treatment and follow up to each patient to make sure that everyone will achieve desired level of recovery and rehabilitation to ensure early return to sports.

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