ACL - Reconstruction / Surgery / Recovery
Golden Clinics Blogs
The knee is often cited as the most arduous joint in the human body and is subjected to enormous forces during sports movements. These pressures are withstood by several systems comprising the five major ‘static’ constraints of the knee: the two cruciate ligaments, the two collateral ligaments, and the popliteus tendon. The ACL is undoubtedly the most vital of these five structures.
Signs That Show You Have a Torn ACL?
It never ends to amaze how many different presentations people have at portraying their ACL injury. They will have most likely twisted their knee and felt or heard a pop; occasionally it is another one that hears the noise. The person is uncertain to be able to continue the activity or even bear weight, and the knee fills up with blood very quickly because the ACL has a sufficient blood supply. More often than not, the injury is missed at the initial evaluation due to X-Rays being normal and over the next few weeks the knee feels much better. As the pain settles down, walking and even running in a straight line isn’t usually trouble but when endeavoring to turn or take sidestep the knee feels shaky and the sufferer may narrate their inconstancy by skidding clenched fists against each other.
Reasons Behind ACL Injury
Mostly the ACL injuries arise throughout sports and exercises that can put a strain on the knee.
Here are some main reasons for ACL injuries.
- Quickly slowing down while turning direction
- Turning with your toes firmly settled
- Grounding from a jump wrongly
- Halting suddenly
- Undergoing a direct blow to the joint
Physical therapy normally fails to heal an ACL injury in most of the patients, even though regular Exercises, Physiotherapy & good Rehabilitation may help in recovery of patients with partial tears.
ACL Reconstruction Recommendation
- If you are a sportsperson and want to stay in your sports, particularly if you are sports like jumping or pivoting.
- More than one ligament of your knee is wounded.
- Your knee does not feel confident in your daily routine and you are forced to make modifications
- The pain is letting your knee affect daily movements
Preparation Prior To ACL
Preparation Prior To ACL
Prescriptions
The surgeon must be aware of any medicines or steroid supplements you take. If you frequently use aspirin or any other blood-thinning pills, your physician may advise you to stop taking these kinds of medications for a week of reconstruction surgery which will help in lessening the chances of excessive blood loss.
Expectations
Anesthesia is generally used during ACL reconstruction surgery, which will make you feel comfortable during the surgery. ACL reconstruction is ordinarily accomplished by tiny cuts. One incision is made to keep a thin camera called an arthroscope and others to let the surgical tools enter the joint area.
ACL Reconstruction Procedure
The surgeon will inspect your knee through tiny incisions by an arthroscope, clear it of the injured tissues and other pathologies. A part of tissue is harvested from your same lower limb, rerouted to form the new ligament and fixed with small implants to give you a stable intact ligament.
Post- ACL Reconstruction Procedure
After regaining your senses from the anesthesia, you would be started with exercises the same day. Next day, you would be allowed to walk without support independently and start your basic activities. Apart from this, your surgeon may suggest you wrap a knee bolster that shields the grafting.
You will also get special guidance on how to regulate inflammation and discomfort after reconstruction. It is vital to keep your leg raised, apply an ice pack to your kneecap for better relief.
Recovery
After a successful ACL reconstruction surgery, generally, it takes three to six months to recover. Within the first few weeks after reconstruction, you must try to retrieve an array of movement the same as your other knee.
