Many surgeons start their ACL repair patients in rehab the day after surgery. The first few weeks of therapy comprising guarded weight-bearing exercises so the new ligament does not come loose from the screws. As the patient continues to heal and the knee becomes stronger, it introduces more difficult exercises. A patient will remain in physical therapy for 10-12 weeks following an ACL reconstruction.
During sports, ACL injuries most commonly occur that involve sudden stops and changes in direction — such as basketball, soccer, football, downhill skiing, and gymnastics.
In ACL reconstruction, they remove and replace the torn ligament with a piece of tendon from another part of your knee or from a deceased donor. This surgery is an outpatient procedure that’s performed through small incisions around your knee joint.
You may have surgery if you:
ACL Repair specialist Dr. Saurin Shah says the ACL ligament is one of the most commonly injured ligaments in the knee. Following an ACL tear, patients usually have pain and swelling in the knee.
It often uses diagnostic tests and an MRI to confirm an ACL tear. Once the ACL tear confirms, the physician will decide if the patient needs surgery to repair the torn ligament. There are several ways to repair with surgery to ACL rupture, all of which require a graft to repair and reconnect the ACL to the femur and tibia.
It can harvest the graft from the patient’s own body during the surgery or come from a cadaver. Holes are drilled in the femur and tibia where the ACL originally connected to the bone. The new graft ligament then pulls through the holes and attached with screws. Rehabilitation is an important part of ACL recovery.
ACL injuries are common among people who play sports. The ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) is a band of tissue within the knee.
It gets damaged when it stretches or tears. This can happen if you turn sharply or move suddenly while you’re running or jumping. When your ACL is healthy, it helps to hold together the bones of your knee.
It also helps to keep your knee stable. If it gets damaged, you may have trouble putting pressure on your knee, walking, or playing sports. If you strain or slightly tear your ACL, it may heal over time with your doctor’s help and physical therapy.
But if it’s completely torn, you may need to have it replaced especially if you’re young and active or an athlete who wants to keep playing sports. If you’re older or less active, your doctor might recommend treatments that don’t require surgery.
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