Most people who have ACL surgery have reduced pain, good knee stability, and a return to normal activities. But some still have knee pain and instability. A few people may need another surgery (revision ACL reconstruction). Revision ACL reconstruction is generally not as successful as the initial ACL reconstruction.
Surgery can be stressful. This information will help you understand what you can expect. And it will help you safely prepare for surgery.
ACL reconstruction surgery is generally safe, but all surgery has risks.
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of four knee ligaments that connect the upper leg bone (femur) with the lower leg bone (tibia). When you injure or tear your ACL, your knee is less stable. It may "give out" when you do not expect it and then become stiff and swollen.
Surgery can help your knee feel better. But in some cases, the knee may not be as strong as before it was injured.
This type of surgery replaces your damaged ACL with a new one. The new one is called a graft. Most of the time, the graft is a tendon taken from your own knee or hamstring. But it may come from a donor.
After surgery, most people can return to their normal activities.
After you recover, you should have less pain. And your knee should be more stable.
How soon you can go back to work depends on your job. If you sit at work, you may be able to go back in 1 to 2 weeks. If you are on your feet at work, it may take 4 to 6 weeks. If you are very physically active in your job, it may take 4 to 6 months.
A rehabilitation (rehab) program can help your knee get better faster.
If you commit to your rehab and work hard, you will see a lot of improvement in a few months. Within a year, you should be able to do all the activities you did before. This includes playing sports. But you may have to wear a brace when you play sports.
Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery replaces the damaged ligament with a new ligament called a graft. In most cases, the graft is a tendon taken from your own knee or hamstring. In some cases, the graft comes from a donor.
You will feel tired for several days. Your knee will be swollen. And you may have numbness around the cut (incision) on your knee. Your ankle and shin may be bruised or swollen. You can put ice on the area to reduce swelling. Most of this will go away in a few days. You should soon start seeing improvement in your knee.
You may be able to return to most of your regular activities within a few weeks. But it will be several months before you have complete use of your knee. It may take as long as 6 months to a year before your knee is ready for hard physical work or certain sports. Surgery can help. But even after surgery, your knee may not be as strong as it was before the injury. You will need to build your strength and the motion of your joint with rehabilitation (rehab) exercises.
How soon you can return to sports or exercise depends on how well you follow your rehab program and how well your knee heals. Your doctor or physical therapist will give you an idea of when you can return to these activities. Most people can jog in about 4 months and run or cycle in about 4 to 6 months. You may need to wear a knee brace when you play sports.
The goal of ACL surgery is to:
For anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery, the replacement graft can be harvested from up to three tendons. The surgeon uses part of the tendon from the semitendinosus muscle and part of the tendon from the gracilis muscle. The graft is pulled through tunnels that were drilled in the upper and lower leg bones. Then the graft is secured with screws or staples.
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