how long does it take an ACL injury to heal?
/ Published in ACL Reconstruction, Athlete Knee Care, Knee Injuries, Knee Surgery, L.A. Knee Guy
How Long Does It Take An ACL Injury To Heal?

The most commonly injured knee ligament is the anterior cruciate ligament, also referred to as the ACL. The ACL is one of four primary ligaments in your knee, and it connects your femur (thigh bone) to your tibia (shin bone). A torn ACL injury will not only be very painful when you put any weight on your leg, but will cause your knee to swell up and leave you unstable. ACL tears most often occur while playing sports, due to sudden stops or changes in direction. And because many of the people who suffer ACL injuries have active lifestyles, one pressing question many of them ask is: how long will I be out of commission?

The first thing you should know is that a torn ACL will not heal itself. So, while the swelling and pain may eventually abate, unless you have a very minor injury (a sprain), your options are either surgery, or living with limited activities. 

Further, leaving an ACL tear untreated may lead to additional knee problems and damage to other parts of the knee. This is because the ACL keeps your knee stable. By not repairing it, your knee will be less stable, and will likely “give out” occasionally, which means that you could end up tearing other ligaments or tendons, and even damaging cartilage or grinding bone on bone. So if you opt to avoid surgery, you have to reconcile yourself not only to limiting your activities in the future, but also to the possibility that you may invite other knee problems, meaning that knee surgery may still be in your future.

Serious Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries Warrant Surgery

The severity of your tear will fall among one of three levels. Grade one tears, or sprains, occur when the ligament has been overstretched but can still stabilize the knee. Grade two tears are uncommon, but occur when the ligament has been partially torn and is now loose and doing little to stabilize your knee. Grade three tears involve the ligament being torn entirely in half, causing it to no longer offer any stabilization to the knee joint. These tears are considered a severe knee injury and often occur alongside additional damage to your articular cartilage, joint capsule, or collateral ligaments.

ACL Reconstruction Surgery

If your ACL is torn, reconstruction surgery is the wisest option for most patients. ACL reconstruction involves replacing the injured ligament with undamaged tissue, usually collected from your hamstring. The surgeon will remove the destroyed ACL and place the graft tissue in its place using bioabsorbable pins. At TJN Orthopaedics, our patient’s ACL reconstructions are completed arthroscopically, which only requires a tiny incision. And while this type of surgery usually allows for a speedier recovery compared to traditional ACL surgeries, it will still take some time to fully recover. 

Recovery After ACL Surgery

Following your procedure, you’ll spend several hours recovering before being released. Your surgeon will provide you with an after-care plan and a prescription for pain-relieving medications. For the first one to two weeks following surgery, you will have to use crutches and keep all weight off your knee. During this time, your knee will also be in a brace to immobilize it and prevent you from damaging the “new” ligament while it begins to heal.

If your job does not require a lot of physical activity, you will probably be able to return to work once your brace has been removed and you feel strong enough to stand and walk slowly. But if your job requires physical activity, you will likely be unable to undertake those tasks for at least three months. The only exercises you should undertake during this time are the ones your physical therapist assigns you, unless your doctor clears you for additional movement.

The average ACL reconstruction patient will be able to return to more strenuous activities around six months after surgery. While this may seem like a frustrating amount of time to wait, the last thing you want to do is jeopardize your ACL reconstruction and end up back at square one. The goal is to regain the ability to once again engage in the physical activities you most enjoy, long-term and pain free. Moreover, you won’t be entirely idle: your rehabilitation plan will include exercises to strengthen your leg and repair knee mobility. 
Following your doctor’s prescribed recovery plan is the best way to ensure you regain optimum mobility and strength in your knee. If you have any kind of knee injury, contact TJN Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine today, and begin your journey back to pain-free movement.

Tagged under: , ,

What you can read next

Are There Specific Concerns That Athletes Should Be Aware Of?
Arthritis is not technically a disease, but a condition defined by inflammation of the joints. It can affect one joint or many joints, and it can cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and weakness in the joints. It afflicts more than 50 million adults and over 300,000 children in the United States. Medical specialists break down arthritis into more than 100 different types, some of which go by another name. The most common type is osteoarthritis, but rheumatoid arthritis, gout, fibromyalgia and lupus are all classified as arthritic conditions. When you take it as a whole, arthritis, then, can strike at any age. However, the most common type, osteoarthritis, is the one that most people think of when they think of arthritis, and the type of arthritis people mean when talking about the knees. Osteoarthritis usually develops after the age of 50, but it can occur at any age. Since it is caused, essentially, by “wear and tear” on the knee joint, people who do a lot of weight-bearing activities can develop it early on in life. For example, a warehouse worker who has to carry heavy boxes around on a concrete floor every day and puts a lot of repetitive stress on his knees may develop arthritis while in his 30’s. The fact is, most people have some level of arthritis once they reach their 60’s, simply because the cartilage in the knee wears down after so many years of use and of bearing most of the body’s weight. Some people have a genetic predisposition to get arthritis, and those who are very physically active and those who already have bone anomalies are also more at risk. More men than women get arthritis before the age of 50, but after 50, more women than men will get arthritis. This is often because women gain wait after menopause, and this extra weight can put extra stress on the joints after half a lifetime of wear and tear. When to See a Specialist While pain and stiffness are the most common symptoms of arthritis, there are several other indicators. “Crepitus” is the word that is given to the creaking, grinding, snapping, or clicking noise that happens when patients move their joints, and it is a common symptom of arthritis. In addition, a person may have difficulty walking, the knees can buckle, skin can swell or feel warm or look red. If you have any of these symptoms and they do not abate after a few weeks of rest and taking over-the-counter anti-inflammatory or pain reliever medications, you should see an orthopedic specialist. Initially, your doctor will examine your knees to see if the symptoms you are experiencing are consistent with arthritis, or may be indicative of other knee problems. Your doctor will perform diagnostic tests, and may order images of your knee. If you are diagnosed with arthritis, the next step will be to determine what the appropriate treatment should be. How to Treat Arthritis in the Knees Nowadays, most joint diseases can be treated without any surgery or with minimally invasive surgical procedures. If your arthritis is not very advanced, your doctor might recommend that you take some basic steps that can relieve your condition, such as losing weight, selecting lower-impact exercises like walking, wearing special inserts in your shoes, wearing a knee brace, and getting some physical therapy. In many cases, these simple steps can do a great deal to relieve pain and weakness in the knees, and will provide more broad health benefits, as well. If the arthritis has progressed to the point that there is significant loss of bone and loss of cartilage, surgery is likely to be necessary. When possible, Dr. Tchejeyan at Tchejeyan Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine utilizes arthroscopy, a minimally invasive surgical method which usually does not involve the use of general anesthesia and is performed as an outpatient procedure. Take Care of Your Knees and Take Care of Your Health Even if you are young, you can get arthritis, so do not ignore chronic knee pain, thinking that it will “just go away” or that you are too young to have this condition. Arthritis in the knees can become so debilitating that it can prevent you from being able to carry out even normal, everyday activities. What is more, when you cut back on activities like walking, not only can the arthritis get worse, but your overall health will suffer and your enjoyment of life can be greatly reduced. If you have knee pain and suspect it may be arthritis, you need to get it diagnosed and treated so that you can get back on track with your life, regain your vigor, and improve your health. Contact us today at TJN Ortho to schedule a consultation appointment.
At What Age Does Knee Arthritis Usually Start
healing aptellar tendonitis
The Fastest Way To Heal Patellar Tendonitis