Recovering After ACL Surgery: Answering All of Your Top Questions
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If you’ve ever had to undergo ACL reconstruction surgery, you know that the recovery process can be long, challenging, and leave you with many unanswered questions. In this post, I’ll be discussing the most common questions regarding ACL injury rehabilitation in depth to help you set clear expectations and optimize your healing.
This article is thanks to information provided by Dr. Kero Abdelmessih, who works specifically with ACL recovery patients. He’ll be helping to provide thoughtful answers to your most burning questions. Let’s dive in!
When Can You Return to Sports After ACL Surgery?
On average, people shouldn’t return to sports or even begin progression back to sports any sooner than 9 months post-op. Research clearly shows that returning before 9 months elevates your risk of re-tearing that ACL graft by 7 times, whether in the same knee or the other.
I know that seems like an incredibly long time to wait when some people claim to be playing sports again at 6 months out. Keep in mind that timeframes under 9 months are riskier for most people and represent more of an outlier scenario. Be patient to allow adequate healing before taxing your new ACL.
What is the Best Way to Get Out of Bed With a Knee Brace On?
In the first few days after surgery, simply getting in and out of bed can feel like a monumental task. Using a knee brace adds another layer of difficulty. So how do you make this basic activity less challenging?
Dr. Kero suggests having someone assist you at first by gently lifting under your heel and sliding you to the edge of the bed. If you don’t have help nearby, use the Velcro straps of the brace itself. Wrap them around your hand to help safely pivot your leg out of bed.
The key is not to overly rely on other people or your upper body too much. You want to be able to complete this movement on your own within a couple of weeks. That’s why it’s so vital to prioritize regaining quad strength and hip flexor mobility in physical therapy.
What is the Best Graft Option for ACL Reconstruction?
There are four main types of grafts used in ACL repair surgery: patellar tendon, hamstring tendon, quadriceps tendon, and cadaver or allograft tissue. Which is the best option? Well, it depends on several factors.
Your age, activity level, surgeon’s expertise, and unique knee anatomy all play a role. There are pros and cons to each graft choice related to harvest morbidity, rehab difficulties, re-tear rates, and more. Ultimately, you and your surgeon should decide based on what will provide optimal outcomes for your lifestyle goals.
Just remember, if you’re young and active, allograft tissue is generally not recommended because it carries higher failure risks. Most surgeons reserve those for patients over 40-45 years old.
What Type of Post Op Pain is Normal?
It’s completely normal to have post-surgical pain and swelling during at least the first couple of weeks. Your discomfort should decrease steadily from that initial high point after surgery.
By around 6 weeks, a rating of 3-4/10 is common if you’re progressing well. This reflects more of an ache than stabbing, radiating pain. Sharp pains past the early phase warrant checking in with your care team.
Always rate and track your discomfort levels. Sudden unexplained spikes or plateaus likely signify an issue needing attention. Don’t try to tough out worsening symptoms!
Are Clicky Noises Normal a Year After Surgery?
Yep! Clicking, and crunching noises emanating from your knee following ACL reconstruction are very common. As long as these sounds don’t coincide with pain or functional deficits, they’re nothing to worry about.
What causes these noises? In most cases, they originate from tiny gas bubbles popping around the repaired joint surfaces. If loud snaps accompany certain motions, this could indicate soft tissue catching and requires evaluation.
The bottom line is don’t panic about clicks alone. They generally don’t negatively impact stability or signify inadequate healing. Consider them par for the course!
How Can I Regain Full Squat Capability?
Many ACL patients struggle to squat down fully after surgery. Regaining this mobility takes time and deliberate effort. Attempting to aggressively stretch into a deep squat prematurely often backfires.
Instead, try this systematic approach recommended by Dr. Kero:
Start by performing bodyweight squats during your warmups. Notice where you begin compensating to complete the movement. Common trouble spots are letting your torso fall forward or heels coming up.
Next, do some deep squat isometric holds against a squat rack for support. Actively work on relaxing tight spots for 15-30 seconds per rep. Don’t force range that causes sharp discomfort.
When ready to load the pattern under tension, use a light counterbalance, like a 10-lb plate held straight out in front of you. This helps you stay upright and centered as you descend.
Progress depth and weight slowly in the squat over several months. Stop and regress if you lose an optimal form or feel tweaky knee pains.
The keys are patience, controlled loading, and not comparing yourself to others. With smart consistent practice, you’ll regain full comfortable squat capability.
How Can I Best Return to Volleyball After ACL Surgery?
Volleyball places heavy demands on the lower limbs with all those jumps, quick starts and stops, and direction changes. So recovering athletes need to rebuild strength and then train power plus agility.
Once you achieve at least 90% quad strength compared to your opposite side, add in targeted rapid force production work. Plyometrics, when properly coached, are extremely helpful here.
The idea is to teach your brain and muscles to contract with speed and precision again. This protects the ACL graft tissue while dynamically stabilizing your knee.
Don’t attempt to slap on a brace and dive back into full-court volleyball too quickly! Following sport-specific programming under expert guidance gives you the best odds of staying injury-free.
The Takeaway
Recovering from ACL reconstructive surgery involves much more than just letting time pass. You need to tackle strength and mobility restrictions, loading progressions, return-to-sports clearances, and so much more.
We hope this post sheds some light on many of your biggest questions and concerns around the rehab process. The most successful patients direct their efforts toward regaining optimal function, rather than fixating on arbitrary timelines.
Never hesitate to reach out to knowledgeable professionals like Dr. Kero with your ACL recovery challenges and needs for guidance. The more informed you stay, the smoother your journey back to the activities you love!
