Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction

ACL reconstruction surgery usually take between one to two hours depending on associated injuries. Patients are usually under general anaesthetic or have an epidural.

During the surgery, your surgeon will examine your knee to establish the extent of the damage. The ACL reconstruction will involve removing the remainder of the torn tissue and taking tissue from another part of your body to recreate the torn ACL. In some instances, if the ACL is repairable, a primary repair is done.

Prior to surgery, it is recommended that the patients goes through pre-ACL reconstruction rehabilitation with a dedicated physiotherapy programme to achieve a good range of knee motion prior to receiving surgery which helps shorten recovery time and prevents the development of scar tissue in the knee.

The recovery period after an ACL reconstruction depends on multiple factors, such as your age, fitness level and associated injuries. However, most patients are able to leave the hospital the same day.

It’s safe to put weight on your leg as soon as you’re able to get up, but you’ll need to use crutches to start with. It usually takes about two weeks before you can walk without crutches and fully bend your knee.

Your physiotherapist will give you some exercises to do while you recover. Initially, you will need to rest your leg and keep it elevated as much as you can.

You should be able to return to work four to six weeks after the operation if you have a desk job. Those with more physical jobs will need a longer recovery time.

It usually takes six months to make a full recovery and return to sports.

Our dedicated recovery team of specialist orthopaedic nurses and physiotherapists will work with you closely to ensure you build strength and mobility as quickly as possible.