Well prepared for your anterior cruciate ligament surgery
As soon as you tear your cruciate ligament and make an appointment for surgery, it is useful to inform those close to you about this to inform. This way they can take this into account. It is also important for an employer to know this in a timely manner. After 4 to 6 weeks you can often drive and do office work again. For more physically demanding jobs, you can return to work after 10 to 12 weeks. Always discuss this with your doctor first. To be sure, also check what you are there for insured and what additional costs you may expect. This way you will have as few surprises as possible. After your operation, a quick recovery is of course desired and it is preferable to have met one in advance physiotherapist. This way you can be sure that the physiotherapist is a good fit for you, you no longer have to worry about the search for an available physiotherapist and you can start physiotherapy before the operation to do preoperative tests.
How do you know if your cruciate ligament is torn?
You can notice a torn cruciate ligament:
- You feel or hear something snap in your knee.
- You experience pain in the knee.
- The knee becomes swollen in a few hours.
- It feels as if you are not standing firmly on your feet. You can easily fall through your leg.
What can you expect after the operation?
You may experience pain and swelling in the knee after the operation. If you are in pain, you can take painkillers. But usually, anterior cruciate ligament surgery is not very painful. The first day after knee surgery, physiotherapy is used to try to bend the knee to approximately ninety degrees again and to stretch it properly. Once this stretching, pain and swelling are under control, you can try walking with two crutches. Is this going well? You can then leave the hospital and continue your recovery at home.
Repair of an anterior cruciate ligament
For recovery, it is important that you start physiotherapy within a few days of returning home from the hospital. Due to possible queues, it is advisable that you contact the physiotherapist where you will be recuperating before the operation. You will receive a referral for physiotherapy during your admission to hospital, but you can also go to Physiotherapy Iburg without a referral. We specialize in the recovery of your knee after surgery. Your knee will last your entire life, which is why rehabilitation by a specialist is important.
How many physio treatments are needed after cruciate ligament surgery?
The new anterior cruciate ligament needs to bond, so your knee needs time before it can move properly. The rehabilitation takes about 6 to 12 months. Up to one year after the date of operation of your anterior cruciate ligament, physiotherapy is usually reimbursed by basic insurance. The first 20 treatments must only come from the supplementary insurance.
In rehabilitation, you can expect the following victories:
- After 2 to 4 weeks of walking without crutches.
- After 4 to 6 weeks of cycling and driving.
- Take up light work after 6 weeks.
- Take up heavier work after 10-12 weeks.
- After 6-9 months of responsible exercise.
- Resume contact sports after 9-12 months.
Would you like to know more about rehabilitation after cruciate ligament surgery?
Do you have any questions after reading this information? Please contact us or read here further.
