What NOT to do after ACL surgery

Recovering from an ACL reconstruction takes time. Your surgeon will take you through the rehabilitation process and the steps you should follow to ensure your ACL treatment is successful.

But did you know there are some things that you shouldn’t do if you are looking to make a quick recovery from ACL surgery?

Here’s what you need to avoid:

• Do not put too much pressure on your knee and body. It’s easy to feel impatient throughout your rehabilitation. While you might no longer notice any pain in your knee, it’s important to give your knee and body enough time to recover before putting too much pressure on it.
• Don’t over ice your knee. This tip comes as a surprise to many patients. While icing your knee can help recovery, wrapping your knee in ice for an hour or more at a time can lead to nerve damage. Ensure you limit icing your knee to 20minutes just 3-4 times a day.
• Avoid sleeping with your knee bent. This can lead to a build up of scar tissue on your knee, which can later prevent you from fully extending your knee.
• Do not overcompensate your recovering knee. As is the case with most injuries, it is natural to shift your body’s weight to your uninjured limb to protect your recovering knee. However, shifting your weight to your other leg can potentially cause injury to your strong knee and hold your recovery back. It is best to try to equally balance your weight distribution across both legs.
• Do not be afraid to tell your doctor if you are worried about something. If you notice a sudden increase in pain, experience fever or develop an infection, it is important to tell your doctor. It can be easy to assume that it’s all part of recovery, but if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t.

After an ACL injury and surgery, it’s important to give your rehabilitation and treatment 100% of your focus to reduce the risk of further injury and to help your knee recover.

Dr Stuart MacKenzie is one of the top Orthopaedic Surgeons in Newcastle and the Hunter Valley and has helped many patients through the treatment and recovery of an ACL injury.