How to Heal After ACL Surgery
Talk to your doctor about necessary medications., Ask about other medications and supplements., Monitor your side effects., Be responsible., Watch for a fever., Take excessive pain or swelling seriously., Look for increased bleeding or redness...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Talk to your doctor about necessary medications.
After surgery, your doctor will recommend medications to help control post-operative pain; these drugs may be either over-the-counter pain relievers or prescription narcotic analgesics.
In addition, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for the first few days after surgery to minimize the risk of any infections developing.
Make sure you understand how and when to take your medications, and read all labels carefully.
Pain medication, in particular, can be dangerous and addictive if not used with appropriate caution. -
Step 2: Ask about other medications and supplements.
If you were taking any other medications but stopped prior to your surgery, ask your doctor before beginning to take them again.
If you plan to take any other medications or supplements, the same rule applies: talk to your doctor first.
You want to make sure that these drugs will not interact with your prescribed pain medications.
Double-check before assuming that a particular medication is safe. , Common side effects of pain medications include constipation, nausea, dizziness, and drowsiness.
Contact your doctor if these side effects are severe and persistent, or if you experience more alarming symptoms, like itching, rashes, swelling, or difficulty breathing – these could be signs of an allergic reaction. , Know what to avoid when taking your medication.
For example, most narcotic analgesics cause drowsiness, so you shouldn’t drive or operate machinery while taking them.
Similarly, you should avoid drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes while you are taking medication. , In the days following your surgery, you should monitor your temperature.
A fever is a sign of post-operative infection, which could be dangerous, so call your doctor if your temperature exceeds 101 °F (38 °C). , If you are in a lot of pain, even when taking your prescribed medication, or if you notice a lot of swelling around your incision, call your doctor.
There may be no problem – different people react differently to surgery – but it’s important to err on the side of caution during the post-operative period. , If your incision starts to bleed more heavily, or if the area around it begins to get redder, call your doctor.
These symptoms could be signs of an infection or other problem. , Pus or a bad-smelling discharge from your incision is a strong indication that there’s an infection present.
Contact your doctor immediately. , Cold therapy (also called cryotherapy) can reduce your pain and inflammation, making you more comfortable and shortening your recovery time.
However, people with certain conditions should not use cold therapy, so always discuss it with your doctor first.
Some examples of contraindications of cold therapy include cold intolerance, cold urticaria, cryoglobulinemia, Raynaud disease, and a history of pyoderma gangrenosum.
If you have any of these conditions, you should probably not use cold therapy. , Your doctor will let you know how frequently you should use cold therapy, and for how long.
Typically, post-operative patients use cold therapy during the first 48 hours after surgery, or sometimes for the whole first week, for about 20 minutes at a time.
Cold therapy can also be useful after the immediate post-operative period, following physical therapy or exercise.
Ask your doctor about this possibility as well. , Cold therapy can come in the form of ice packs, gel packs, or motorized devices with wrap pads.
Whichever you use, apply it outside your dressing, not directly to the skin. , Immediately after surgery, limit your diet to clear liquids.
Ask your doctor when it will be safe for you to expand your diet to include solid foods. , Research suggests that the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids assists in post-injury collagen formation and control of inflammation.
Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include herring, salmon, sardines, mackerel, lake trout, and albacore tuna.
You can also take supplements. , Good sources of Vitamin C include citrus fruits, berries, bell peppers, and dark green leafy vegetables.
Good sources of vitamin E include wheat germ, sunflower seeds, and nuts.
You can also get both in supplement form. , Starting a few days after surgery, elevate the leg with the ACL injury above the level of your heart.
Elevation will help reduce your swelling.
Using pillows to elevate your leg is fine, but don’t put the pillows directly under your knee; this can limit your range of motion. , For the first few days or weeks after surgery, you may find that you need crutches in order to move around effectively.
Don’t push yourself too hard: use the crutches if you need them. , Once your dressing is removed, you can shower, but do not immerse your knee until your doctor says it’s okay to do so. , Depending on your schedule and the kind of job you have, your time away from work or school will vary.
In general, someone with a desk job may need only a couple of weeks off; people with more strenuous jobs will need months.
Talk to your doctor about your specific circumstances, and make a plan. , After surgery, you will likely have physical therapy (see below).
For the first few months after surgery, do not do strenuous activity outside of this physical therapy.
As always, check with your doctor about your particular circumstances and how much activity you can allow yourself. , In general, you should not drive until you are no longer taking pain medication and no longer relying on crutches to get around.
You should also have good control of your knee.
Typically, this takes at least a week or two. , Your doctor and physical therapist will give you specific instructions for exercises to do during the post-operative period.
Follow these instructions as carefully as possible, as they will help you regain your full range of motion. , After two weeks, your physical therapy should increase in intensity.
You may begin placing more emphasis on strengthening, balance ,and proprioceptive (related to reaction movements) exercises.
Physical therapy should continue to get more and more demanding over the next few months. , Rehabilitation can take six months to a year or more.
Each individual’s progress will be different, so ask your doctor before you return to sports or any other strenuous activity outside of physical therapy. -
Step 3: Monitor your side effects.
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Step 4: Be responsible.
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Step 5: Watch for a fever.
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Step 6: Take excessive pain or swelling seriously.
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Step 7: Look for increased bleeding or redness around your incision.
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Step 8: Call your doctor if you notice purulent or foul-smelling discharge coming from your incision.
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Step 9: Talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of cold therapy.
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Step 10: Follow your doctor’s instructions.
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Step 11: Apply cold therapy outside your surgical dressing.
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Step 12: Start with clear liquids.
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Step 13: Get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids.
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Step 14: Increase your intake of vitamins C and E. Vitamins C and E are antioxidants
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Step 15: which can protect against tissue damage.
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Step 16: Elevate your leg.
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Step 17: Use crutches.
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Step 18: Stick to showering.
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Step 19: Discuss your return to work or school with your doctor.
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Step 20: Avoid strenuous activity outside of physical therapy.
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Step 21: Use caution when beginning to drive again.
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Step 22: Perform post-operative exercises with care.
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Step 23: Increase intensity gradually.
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Step 24: Return to sports only when your doctor approves.
Detailed Guide
After surgery, your doctor will recommend medications to help control post-operative pain; these drugs may be either over-the-counter pain relievers or prescription narcotic analgesics.
In addition, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics for the first few days after surgery to minimize the risk of any infections developing.
Make sure you understand how and when to take your medications, and read all labels carefully.
Pain medication, in particular, can be dangerous and addictive if not used with appropriate caution.
If you were taking any other medications but stopped prior to your surgery, ask your doctor before beginning to take them again.
If you plan to take any other medications or supplements, the same rule applies: talk to your doctor first.
You want to make sure that these drugs will not interact with your prescribed pain medications.
Double-check before assuming that a particular medication is safe. , Common side effects of pain medications include constipation, nausea, dizziness, and drowsiness.
Contact your doctor if these side effects are severe and persistent, or if you experience more alarming symptoms, like itching, rashes, swelling, or difficulty breathing – these could be signs of an allergic reaction. , Know what to avoid when taking your medication.
For example, most narcotic analgesics cause drowsiness, so you shouldn’t drive or operate machinery while taking them.
Similarly, you should avoid drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes while you are taking medication. , In the days following your surgery, you should monitor your temperature.
A fever is a sign of post-operative infection, which could be dangerous, so call your doctor if your temperature exceeds 101 °F (38 °C). , If you are in a lot of pain, even when taking your prescribed medication, or if you notice a lot of swelling around your incision, call your doctor.
There may be no problem – different people react differently to surgery – but it’s important to err on the side of caution during the post-operative period. , If your incision starts to bleed more heavily, or if the area around it begins to get redder, call your doctor.
These symptoms could be signs of an infection or other problem. , Pus or a bad-smelling discharge from your incision is a strong indication that there’s an infection present.
Contact your doctor immediately. , Cold therapy (also called cryotherapy) can reduce your pain and inflammation, making you more comfortable and shortening your recovery time.
However, people with certain conditions should not use cold therapy, so always discuss it with your doctor first.
Some examples of contraindications of cold therapy include cold intolerance, cold urticaria, cryoglobulinemia, Raynaud disease, and a history of pyoderma gangrenosum.
If you have any of these conditions, you should probably not use cold therapy. , Your doctor will let you know how frequently you should use cold therapy, and for how long.
Typically, post-operative patients use cold therapy during the first 48 hours after surgery, or sometimes for the whole first week, for about 20 minutes at a time.
Cold therapy can also be useful after the immediate post-operative period, following physical therapy or exercise.
Ask your doctor about this possibility as well. , Cold therapy can come in the form of ice packs, gel packs, or motorized devices with wrap pads.
Whichever you use, apply it outside your dressing, not directly to the skin. , Immediately after surgery, limit your diet to clear liquids.
Ask your doctor when it will be safe for you to expand your diet to include solid foods. , Research suggests that the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids assists in post-injury collagen formation and control of inflammation.
Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include herring, salmon, sardines, mackerel, lake trout, and albacore tuna.
You can also take supplements. , Good sources of Vitamin C include citrus fruits, berries, bell peppers, and dark green leafy vegetables.
Good sources of vitamin E include wheat germ, sunflower seeds, and nuts.
You can also get both in supplement form. , Starting a few days after surgery, elevate the leg with the ACL injury above the level of your heart.
Elevation will help reduce your swelling.
Using pillows to elevate your leg is fine, but don’t put the pillows directly under your knee; this can limit your range of motion. , For the first few days or weeks after surgery, you may find that you need crutches in order to move around effectively.
Don’t push yourself too hard: use the crutches if you need them. , Once your dressing is removed, you can shower, but do not immerse your knee until your doctor says it’s okay to do so. , Depending on your schedule and the kind of job you have, your time away from work or school will vary.
In general, someone with a desk job may need only a couple of weeks off; people with more strenuous jobs will need months.
Talk to your doctor about your specific circumstances, and make a plan. , After surgery, you will likely have physical therapy (see below).
For the first few months after surgery, do not do strenuous activity outside of this physical therapy.
As always, check with your doctor about your particular circumstances and how much activity you can allow yourself. , In general, you should not drive until you are no longer taking pain medication and no longer relying on crutches to get around.
You should also have good control of your knee.
Typically, this takes at least a week or two. , Your doctor and physical therapist will give you specific instructions for exercises to do during the post-operative period.
Follow these instructions as carefully as possible, as they will help you regain your full range of motion. , After two weeks, your physical therapy should increase in intensity.
You may begin placing more emphasis on strengthening, balance ,and proprioceptive (related to reaction movements) exercises.
Physical therapy should continue to get more and more demanding over the next few months. , Rehabilitation can take six months to a year or more.
Each individual’s progress will be different, so ask your doctor before you return to sports or any other strenuous activity outside of physical therapy.
About the Author
Marilyn Stokes
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow lifestyle tutorials.
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