What do I need at home after ACL surgery?

You may need to wear special support stockings to help prevent blood clots from forming. Your provider will also give you exercises to keep the blood moving in your foot, ankle, and leg. These exercises will also lower your risk for blood clots. You will need to use crutches when you go home.

What do I need to bring to the hospital for ACL surgery?

Can I be home alone after ACL surgery?

It would be most helpful to have someone living with or near you for the first 3-5 days. This is very important for your safety and health that you have around-the-clock care. If you have pets, especially dogs, consider boarding them for a few days.

How do you sit on the toilet after ACL surgery?

Back up until you feel the chair or toilet seat touch the back of your legs. Slide your operated leg forward slightly. Bend both knees and gently lower yourself onto the chair or toilet, using the armrests, countertop, or sink for support.

Do you need someone to take care of you after ACL surgery?

Some people need help for a week with things like going to the washroom, getting out of bed, showering, cooking, etc. Other people might just need someone around to help limit the number of times you need to get up to get things like medication, food, or ice.

ACL Reconstruction

How long should I stay in bed after ACL surgery?

Rest: 0 to 2 weeks after ACL surgery

For the first couple of weeks after surgery, you will need to rest and care for the incision site. Prop your leg — at the calf or ankle — on a couple of pillows four to six times a day.

Should you stay in bed after ACL?

ACL reconstruction is usually a day case procedure. You may require an overnight stay depending on your recovery after the operation and the time of day it was done. You will need to see a physiotherapist before discharge.

Is it hard to poop after ACL surgery?

Constipation is common after surgery, especially while you are taking pain medicine and your daily activity level is decreased. Signs of constipation include: fewer number of bowel movements.

How do I shower after ACL surgery?

You may shower 24 to 48 hours after surgery, if your doctor okays it. When you shower, keep your bandage and incision dry by taping a sheet of plastic to cover them. It might be best to get a shower stool to sit on. If you have a brace, only take it off if your doctor says it's okay.

What should I avoid after ACL surgery?

Don't work your quadriceps early on because this can stretch the ACL graft. Stationery bike riding or lightweight leg presses are recommended during the first three months after surgery. These exercises strengthen the quadriceps while using the hamstrings to protect the ACL graft. Don't swim or run for five months.

Is it hard to sleep after ACL surgery?

Sleep disturbance after ACL surgery is very common, especially in the first 1–2 weeks, and can vary from person to person. The best ways to sleep are often dependent on what works best for you to ensure that your body and knee get the rest required to heal and recover.

What happens after 24 hours of ACL surgery?

Rest and elevate your leg (above the level of your heart if possible) for the first 24 hours by placing a pillow under your calf and/or ankle. Do NOT place a pillow under your knee as it will keep you from straightening your knee. POSSIBLE. Start physical therapy (PT) within the first week after surgery.

What clothes to wear after ACL surgery?

Dress comfortably — Wear loose pants or other clothing that will fit comfortably over your knee bandage when you leave the hospital.

How do I prepare my house for knee surgery?

Can I wear pants after ACL surgery?

Your child should wear shorts or pants that should fit loosely so that they can be worn over bandages and braces after surgery. Bracing is often recommended after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair and other surgeries that may require a controlled range of motion to help protect the area as it heals.

What should I do the first week after ACL surgery?

Can I walk next day after ACL surgery?

ACL surgery is an outpatient procedure, provided there are no complications. Surprisingly, patients can walk 1-2 days after surgery.

Can you get ACL stitches wet?

o You may shower 48 hours after your surgery and get your incisions wet. Let the water run down over the incisions but do not rub or scrub them. o Do not soak or submerge the surgical site for at least 3 weeks following surgery. o Rest and elevate your leg for the first 24 hours.

What hurts the most after ACL surgery?

Kneecap pain (patellofemoral pain) is the scourge of ACL rehabilitation. Sometimes the kneecap is damaged with the original injury but more often than not, the kneecap pain is a secondary event because of tightness of the tissues on the outer half of the knee and weakness of the quadriceps which develops after surgery.

When is the most pain after ACL surgery?

The First Two Weeks After ACL Surgery

It's when you are likely to experience the most pain. However, ACL surgery recovery pain is manageable. Icing and elevating your knee can help reduce your pain, and your doctor will also prescribe pain medicine.

When does it hurt the most after ACL surgery?

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.

Can I climb stairs after ACL surgery?

Answer: Immediately after surgery you will learn to climb stairs safely using crutches. As recovery continues and you work on flexion and extension of the new knee, you will be able to climb without crutches. With the help of physical therapy and building up the quadriceps muscles, stair climbing will be a breeze.

How can I speed up my ACL recovery?

Should I sleep with my brace after ACL surgery?

You should wear this brace whenever you are upright or walking, and during sleep. If you are seated or laying down, and remaining still, you may take the brace off. You may “unlock” the brace hinges and allow the knee to bend, but need to re-‐lock the brace in extension for walking.