The Basics of ACL Repair

Written By: Rachael Kaine

ACL Repair: the Lead Up

An injury to your ACL an require a great deal of recovery time - and in some cases, the need for surgery in order to correct the issue. The time spent before surgery is just as necessary as the recovery process after it, making what you do in order to prepare just as important as the surgical procedure and the recovery process.

ACL repair surgery Washington DC can be scheduled for people with injuries of varied degrees, but typically, doctors will only recommend this procedure if your condition has the potential to worsen or impact your ability to take part in a sport you love. ACL repair is one of the most common surgeries done to the knee, and the injury to this ligament happens to people each and every day. Once an injury occurs, it is more likely to happen again with repetition of the same activity that caused the first injury. Seeing a professional as soon as you become injured is essential to getting proper care and treatment, allowing you to be back on your feet as soon as possible.

After ACL Repair

The recovery period after having this type of surgery can last months, making it a tedious and lengthy process that must be done with a plan for success in place. There are different stages to recovery, with the first being pain management, which leads up to rehabilitation. The surgery is an extensive one, and will result in some pain, both at the surgical site and all over the rest of your body. The first few days, you won’t be able to do much, which can result in soreness. You’ll have medication that will help you get through things for short term relief, including anti-inflammatory medications, opioids, and even local anesthetics. These will be used to get you through the days immediately following surgery, as well as helping you to manage when you begin the next steps of the recovery process: getting back to normal.

The first two weeks of ACL surgery DC recovery will be spent focusing on allowing the surgery site to heal on the outside, as well as re-learning to extend the knee fully. During this time, it will become sore and tired easily, requiring the use of ice and even a brace. This will keep you from overdoing things, and may even be paired with crutches and a range of motion device. The ultimate goals of the rehab on your knee are to get you back into optimal shape, using tried and true methods meant to help you progress little by little. Not only do you need to learn how to re-use the knee, you will have to rebuild the muscle, learn to balance and rebuild your endurance.