Should or should not get ACL surgery?

If your knee is unstable, surgery is usually recommended. If your knee is stable, nonsurgical options may suffice. Other determining factors include: Return to activities: If you must return to sports or other activities that require pivoting or sharp movements, ACL reconstruction surgery is usually recommended.

Is it worth getting an ACL reconstruction?

ACL reconstruction is generally recommended if: You're an athlete and want to continue in your sport, especially if the sport involves jumping, cutting or pivoting. More than one ligament is injured. You have a torn meniscus that requires repair.

What happens if I don't do ACL surgery?

If nothing is done, the ACL injury may turn into chronic ACL deficiency. Your knee may become more and more unstable and may give out more often. The abnormal sliding within the knee also can hurt cartilage. It can trap and damage the menisci in the knee and can also lead to early osteoarthritis.

Is it OK to wait on ACL surgery?

If you wait too long to treat a torn ACL, you're at risk of developing chronic knee pain and knee instability. Waiting to get treatment may mean that surgery is your only option. Or you may need to cope with ongoing instability by modifying your activities and giving up intensive sports.

Can you live without fixing your ACL?

It is possible to go through life without an ACL. Eventually, scar tissue builds and will contribute to some knee stability. However, it is not the same stability that an ACL provides. Whether or not you are a physically active individual or casually active, it is possible to maintain your quality of life successfully.

ACL tear treatment - Is it possible to avoid surgery and further knee damage?

How long can I delay ACL surgery?

A delay of more than six months increases the risk of further damage and degeneration of the involved knee.

Will I ever be the same after ACL surgery?

Patients can expect a 70% return-to-sport within seven years after ACL Reconstruction. A January 2022 study (27) in The American Journal of Sports Medicine discussed long-term patient-reported rates of return to sport and revision risk after ACL reconstruction.

Can I live with torn ACL?

Can I live a normal life with an ACL tear? Yes, but it may take some time before you're completely back to how you were before the injury. Whether you choose to have surgery or not, with physical therapy you will eventually be back to normal and able to live your life.

How urgent is ACL surgery?

How soon can I have surgery for a torn ACL? Often the best time to have reconstructive surgery is immediately after the injury. This is before muscle wasting and knee stiffness has occurred. This will result in the fastest recovery.

Will walking on a torn ACL make it worse?

Your knee is less stable with a torn ACL, and it will affect your gait as well as how your knee moves and bears the weight of your body. Walking on a torn ACL can cause additional damage to your knee, such as tears to the cartilage of the knee and worsening the ACL tear.

Should you worry about ACL surgery?

And while modern, minimally invasive surgical repairs of the ACL do a good job restoring control of these movements, the risk of re-tear remains higher than we would like, Dr. Gardner explains. In research studies, the risk of re-tear ranges from about 2% to 20%, depending on the patients studied.

What is the failure rate of ACL surgery?

Can ACL surgery fail? ACL surgery can fail, even in the best of circumstances. It is generally felt that a well-done ACL reconstruction has about a 5% chance of failure due to trauma. The most common cause of an ACL graft failure is a technical error with malposition of the original ACL reconstruction tunnels.

How can I strengthen my ACL without surgery?

Perform stretching program daily. Cardio program is recommended 3-5 times a week for 20-40 minutes Perform strengthening/proprioception exercises 3 times a week. Perform plyometric/jumping/agility exercises 2 times a week. Perform return to sport activities as directed by physician and physical therapist.

Do you need ACL surgery yes or no?

What is the bottom line on treatment for torn ACLs? Surgery is generally recommended for people with recurring ACL injuries and high level athletes who plan on returning to their sport of choice. The AAOS recommends non-surgical treatment for patients who have a lower activity level or more minor ACL injuries.

Is ACL surgery the best option?

In general it is safe to say that if you are young and active with high physical demands then autograft ACL is the best options. Patellar Tendon autograft is likely the best option in younger, higher demand athletes.

Does ACL surgery hurt a lot?

Most people have some surgery-related pain and discomfort for the first week or so. Not surprisingly, pain from knee surgery decreases with time. By the end of a week or two at the most, you should have very little discomfort. Swelling and bruising are also relatively common, and like discomfort, they're temporary.

How many hours does ACL surgery take?

The surgery usually takes 2 to 2½ hours, and you won't need to stay in the hospital overnight. To do the reconstruction, the surgeon will drill bone tunnels into the tibia and the femur, remove the torn ligament, then place the ACL graft in about the same position.

What to do while waiting for ACL surgery?

Is knee stronger after ACL surgery?

Conclusion: An ACL graft after a reconstruction surgery is initially stronger, but over time becomes weaker, and eventually is almost as strong as your original ACL. These changes occur as a result of the body's natural reaction to the new ACL graft.

Is it easy to Retear your ACL right after surgery?

Recovery from ACL surgery is a slow process, and the types of activities you do at the start of your recovery rarely put enough stress on the new graft to cause a tear. This means that it will be very hard to reinjure/rupture your ACL graft right after your surgery.

How old was Tom Brady when he tore his ACL?

The season-ending ACL injury that Tom Brady suffered in 2008 was no laughing matter, but the 44-year-old now can joke about it. As many New England Patriots remember, Brady hurt his knee while being tackled by Kansas City Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard during the 2008 season opener.

When is the best time to do ACL surgery?

Various authors suggest that ACLR be performed at least 3 weeks after injury in order to avoid arthrofibrosis. More important than time alone, objective criteria including perioperative swelling, edema, hyperthermia, and ROM are important indicators of when surgery should be performed.

What not to do with torn ACL?

Don't: Walk, swim, cycle, bend and extend your knee, etc. until you're cleared to do so. You want to rehab your ACL.

Can ACL repair naturally?

Full ACL tears cannot heal on their own. These tears almost always need to be treated surgically, typically using a minimally invasive approach called arthroscopy.

How long is ACL recovery without surgery?

Overall, the length of recovery from a complete ACL injury is approximately 9-12 months if you have a reconstruction surgery. Recovery is shorter without surgery (approximately 3 months).