Frequently Asked Questions
Crutches should be used post-operatively typically for a minimum of 2 weeks, but this varies from person to person. Once confidence is gained, they may be discarded. Your physiotherapist will help you decide when they can be discarded. It is imperative that when using crutches, you don’t limp and have full confidence in the leg.
Initially you may experience pain at the site of surgery, it is imperative that medication is taken regularly to avoid breakthrough pain. The pain should settle on regular medication, within a couple of days the discomfort and pain should ease. Should it persist, I urge you to contact us or your physiotherapist so we can reassess you.
Post-operatively most sites of surgery feel warm and there may be a small amount of bleeding from the old surgical scars. This should not be persistent and should stop within a day or two. Should it persist, we would like to reassess you and the wound should be re-dressed. With time the warmth in the knee will settle. This can typically last up to 6 weeks. We would prefer a wound to have healed completely within 7 to 10 days.
A return to sports following an ACL surgery is typically between 8 to 9 months with regular physiotherapy and rehabilitation. A return to activities of daily living is, however, much quicker. This rehabilitation journey is closely monitored by your physiotherapist.
Typically, I prefer to do my own wound inspections and therefore the plaster should remain in place until your follow-up appointment. Should they get wet, please contact us so that we can assess whether your appointment needs to be moved earlier.