ACL surgery is usually performed as a day case, so you shouldn’t need to stay overnight and will be able to go home the same day. Before you leave the hospital, your surgical team will want to feel confident that you can manage your discomfort and that you know how to change the dressings on your incisions.
It’s normal for the areas around the incisions to be swollen and bruised for up to six weeks following ACL surgery, and it can take up to a fortnight for your wounds to heal after ACL surgery.
Getting back to sports after ACL surgery
In terms of getting back to doing the sports you love, we’re afraid you will have to be patient.
While it will be possible for you to do some types of sport within a few months of your surgery — such as swimming — contact sports, martial arts and any activity where the knee could twist will be strictly off-limits for as long as a year. Regrettably, there is nothing that can be done to speed up this recovery either.
“One of the most common questions I’m asked is if there’s any tricks or techniques that can be used to accelerate the ligament graft and help patients get back to their sport more quickly,” explains Mr El-Tawil. “Unfortunately, healing after ACL reconstruction is a biological process and nothing any surgeon can do can speed that up”.
It's important that patients don’t try to rush back to their chosen sport, even if they feel ok. It could do further damage, which means even more time being unable to be physically active.
Going back to work after ACL surgery
Most patients with fairly sedentary jobs they perform at home can go back to work within a day or two of their surgery.
However, if you commute or have a more physically-demanding role, you may be advised to wait for up to six weeks before you return to work.
When can I drive after ACL surgery?
Most patients should be able to resume driving between four and six weeks after their ACL surgery.
However, we recommend that you check with your surgical team and your insurance company to make sure that you aren’t in breach of your policy conditions.
Will I be in pain after my ACL surgery?
Unsurprisingly, pain is one of the most common worries of any patient undergoing a surgical procedure. Fortunately, it’s not something that you particularly need to worry about in this case.
“Pain is not a massive feature of ACL surgery,” reassures Mr El-Tawil. “The incision made to harvest the hamstring is nearly always slightly more tender than the knee itself.
Most patients can manage with a combination of ibuprofen and paracetamol and may not even need to take these as quickly as a week after surgery. However, if you do need something stronger, don’t hesitate to ask your surgical team”.