ACL Surgery Recovery Timeline

Read the 7 essential tips to speed up the ACL surgery recovery timeline. The typical ACL reconstruction rehabilitation timeline is 6-9months with some going much longer. However if you follow these 7 recovery tips you will see an immediate increase in the rate at which you are recovering.

What affects your ACL recovery rate?

• Extent if damage done to the ACL during the initial injury


• Strength of your leg and knee before you have surgery


• Amount of rehabilitation and post operative physiotherapy you actively participate in


• The surgeons procedure and skill level matters


• If there are any medical complication in the surgery or after it

7 Tips to Improve the Surgery Recovery Timeline

1. Use hamstring from your other leg or donor tenant.

After you are healed this technique won't mean you are any better than choosing another technique. However, if you are interested in being able to function quickly minimizing the damage that happens to the injured leg by taking the hamstring from the opposite leg significantly improves the time it takes to be able to walk on the leg

2. Manage Pain Regularly

Managing pain is more than just comfort. If you successfully manage the pain you are more likely to do the exercises you need to do to be able to recover quickly from ACL surgery and maintain the timeline. In order to manage the pain effectively the best thing to do is set a timer and take the medication regularly and NOT only when you feel the pain coming back.

3. Reduce swelling in knee

Reducing the swelling in the knee shortly after surgery makes a big difference in ACL recovery. The sooner you get the swelling down the sooner you can begin the rehabilitation exercises. To bring the swelling down follow the old acronym RICE.

i. Rest
ii. Ice
iii. Compress
iv. Elevate

I recommend using a cryo cuff and keeping it on almost all the time. Just make sure you have circulation and its not too cold if you decide to sleep with it on.

4. Focus on Range of Motion

The first exercises that you do will focus on range of motion and this is so that you will be able to progress to other exercises. Although you may not think range of motion ties directly to strength loss it does since once you have sufficient range of motion you will be able to walk and once you can walk the rate of atrophy significantly declines.

5. Don't be stupid

This one goes without saying but I think one of the main reasons recovery is delayed is when someone does small damage to their knee shortly after surgery. For example if you cant reach something wait for help or get something else don't put yourself and your recently reconstructed knee in dangerous situations.

6. Set yourself up for success

Its important to have everything around you set up so that you can best make use of your time. If you become to stir crazy it will be difficult to focus and stay motivated on your recovery. Make sure you include the things around you that you will find useful during your recovery

i. Food
ii. Pain medication
iii. Water
iv. Alarm clock/timer
v. TV/Movies
vi. Books
vii. Phone
viii. Music

MOST IMPORTANT!...

7. Set an ACL surgery Recovery Timeline with Goals

a. Nothing will have a bigger impact on the rate you recover than having a ACL surgery recovery timeline. The timeline will help keep you motivated and on track while you progress through your rehabilitation. During my first rehabilitation of my first torn ACL I did not have a guide and as soon as I lost focus I stopped going to physiotherapy after 2 months. Having a recovery timeline will keep you working towards your goal of returning to your pre-injury level of activity.