How to Recover From ACL Surgery

It takes six months or longer to fully recover from ACL surgery. A torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is a knee injury that often occurs during running, jumping or playing a contact sport such as football or hockey. Surgery is often needed to repair an ACL in someone who wants to resume high-intensity activities. During surgery, the ACL is replaced with a graft from a cadaver or the patient's leg. The recovery process after ACL surgery is more difficult with the latter method, because a second incision is made to obtain the replacement tendon.

Instructions

• 1

  Keep constant ice on the knee during the first few days after surgery to greatly reduce swelling and pain. You might want to purchase an electric cooling device that allows you to continuously ice the knee, even during the night. These devices look like a small cooler that you fill with ice and water a few times a day. A cuff is strapped to the knee and connects to the cooler with a hose.

• 2

  Lay with the leg elevated during the first week. Stack pillows and blankets under the leg to raise it above your heart.

• 3

  Take the pain medicine and anti-inflammatory medicine as prescribed by the orthopedic surgeon. This will help you get up and moving around. You will be taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medicine for an extended period.

• 4

  Begin exercises to restore the range of motion as soon as possible. The surgeon might want you to begin this as soon as the day after surgery, even though it is painful. Press down on your thigh for a slow count to 15 to straighten the leg. Next, bend the knee and pull the thigh toward you for a slow count to 15. Ideally, you will see an improvement in the knee's range of motion within the first week.

• 5

  Put weight on the leg when walking as soon as possible or as instructed by your surgeon. You will wear a full leg brace while walking that locks the leg in a straight position. Continue to use the crutches to keep your balance.

• 6

  Remove the bandages as instructed by the surgeon. Keep the incision site dry during bathing.

• 7

  Go to the follow-up appointments. The doctor can remove stitches or staples as well as adjust the leg brace so you have a greater range of motion.

• 8

  Attend physical therapy weekly to help your knee recover from ACL surgery. Although it is painful, physical therapy will help strengthen the knee and increase the range of motion.

• 9

  Resume normal activities and return to work when you have adequate mobility. You will wear a full leg brace, which is strapped on over your pants legs, for at least several weeks.

• 10

  Expect it to take at least six months to fully recover from ACL surgery before you can return to playing competitive sports. You might feel like the knee has healed 100 percent before it has. The new ligament must grow into the bone before it is safe to return to intense physical activity and there's no way to rush this process.