What criteria do our experts use to determine when you might be able to return to sports after an ACL reconstruction? Once again we have asked our panel of ACL experts to offer their insights. Thus there is a lot of confusion on the proper way to return to sports after ACL surgery. There are many experts who feel that might be too early. Once PT has started, the research today shows that many people will tolerate an accelerated ACL surgery physical therapy program and be able to return to sports as early as 8 months. Some surgeons are starting physical therapy a week or two after surgery because of this research. It turns out that immediate PT might weaken your new ACL graft. The research regarding the immediate management of an athlete after ACL surgery continues to evolve.
#Returnal reconstructor series
We will get into this in more detail in a later series with many experts who specialize in rehabilitation of ACL injuries. Your recovery from an ACL reconstruction involves not only the physical aspects of your recovery but perhaps equally as important, the emotional and psychological components. Doing so will decrease the risk of re-injuring your knee and re-tearing your ACL.
The later stages of the recovery process involve improving your balance, agility, jumping and landing skills. The first goal of your physical therapy after ACL surgery early on is to get back your motion and strength. Unfortunately, once you tear your ACL you are always at risk of tearing the new ACL. You can drive that risk down to 18-20% with the proper training. You might have a 45% risk of tearing your new ACL if you have not rehabilitated your knee properly. Can I return to sports after ACL surgery?.If you attempt to return to sports too soon you have a significant risk of tearing your new ACL. We have very strict criteria for when an athlete can return to sports after ACL surgery. It involves you, your surgeon, your athletic trainer and your physical therapist.
A successful return to sports after ACL surgery requires a team approach. The risks of returning to the playing field too early after ACL surgery include suffering a re-tear of your new ACL. There are many variables that go into determining when you should try to return to sports after ACL surgery. If you attempt to return to sports too soon after ACL surgery then you run the risk of tearing or re-injuring your new ACL.īelow are 5 expert Sports Medicine opinions about when an athlete can expect to return to sports after having an ACL ligament reconstruction on their knee.Ī successful return to sports after ACL surgery is your number one goal. Many of you will try and rush your return to sports too soon. We have great statistics and great rehabilitation programs to guide you. The research around the return to sports after knee surgery has been studied aggressively for decades. As your surgeons, we know all of you have one goal in mind, returning to sports after your ACL reconstruction. It is a painful procedure with a long-anticipated recovery.