How do you prepare for ACL tear surgery? (Postoperative)

Before ACL tear surgery, you will undergo several weeks of physical therapy. The goal before ACL tear treatment is to reduce pain and swelling, restore your knees full range of motion and strengthen muscles.

What happens during ACL tear treatment? (During operation/treatment)

An ACL reconstruction surgeon will replace the damaged ligament with new ACL graft tissue that is either taken from your own body or donated from someone else. Most ACL reconstruction surgeries are performed under basic anesthesia. So, you'll be asleep during the surgery and not feel much. Ligament tear treatment usually lasts around a couple of hours, and you won't need to stay in the hospital overnight. For the ACL reconstruction, your ACL reconstruction surgeon will drill bone tunnels into the tibia and the femur, remove the torn ligament and place the ACL graft in the same position.

What happens post ACL knee surgery?

• You will be on crutches and not allowed to bear weight on your knees
• Your doctor may incorporate the usage of continuous passive motion machine
• You will be advised to  start Physiotherapy about a week after surgery and continue for the next few months.

What are the potential risks involved with ACL injury treatment?

The possible complications associated with ACL reconstruction surgery include:

• Bleeding and blood clots
• Continued knee pain
• Disease transmission
• Knee stiffness or weakness
• Loss of range of motion
• Improper healing

However, most anterior cruciate ligament surgeries are known to yield excellent results and restore full knee stability.

Lifestyle changes:

Your doctor will  recommend you to incorporate lean protein (red meat, chicken or fish), dairy, and fresh citrus.

Key Terminologies

Femur: The bone of the thigh or upper hindlimb, articulating at the hip and the knee

Tibia: The inner and typically larger of the two bones between the knee and ankle (or the equivalent joints in other terrestrial vertebrates), parallel with the fibula.

Please contact CureConsult about any questions you have, and we will connect you to the best doctors for ACL surgery.