What should I do to prepare for ACL surgery?

What should I do to prepare for ACL surgery?

How to prepare for surgery

1. Ask questions. Knowing what to expect from surgery is half the battle.
2. Take care of yourself. This may be the most important step for you to keep in mind before your procedure.
3. Plan ahead. After surgery, you’ll be non weight bearing for several weeks.
4. Practice walking with crutches.
5. Try to relax.

Do I need full range of motion before ACL surgery?

Restoring knee range of motion should be one of your primary goals prior to ACL surgery. 1 If your knee is bending and straightening fully before surgery, it is likely to quickly recover full ROM after surgery.

Do you do physical therapy before ACL surgery?

Although it’s not necessary to have physical therapy before ACL surgery, research shows that doing so can offer significant advantages, especially for athletes who want to return to playing sports after the surgery. Physical therapy before surgery is sometimes referred to as prehabilitation.

How long do you have to fast before ACL surgery?

Don’t eat or drink anything for 8 to 12 hours before surgery.

How can I bend my knee before ACL surgery?

from MOON Knee Group

1. Lie on your stomach.
2. Bend your operative knee to move your heel up toward your back.
3. Hold this bent-knee position for five seconds.
4. Slowly lower the foot back down to the table slowly (over two to three seconds).
5. Perform 12 repetitions three times per day.

Should I wear a knee brace before ACL surgery?

Wearing a brace after injury and before surgery will help to stabilize the knee joint and reduce the risk of re-injury while you wait, which is important to minimize the possibility of complications. It can help maintain modified physical activity and muscle strengthening.

What questions should I ask before ACL surgery?

Here are some questions to ask the doctor prior to ACL surgery.

• What does ACL surgery involve?
• How long is the recovery process?
• When is it safe to return to work?
• Who is a good candidate for ACL surgery?
• Is ACL surgery the right option for every person?
• What are the risks of ACL surgery?
• Talk to an orthopedic surgeon.

Can you walk on a torn ACL before surgery?

A knee brace prevents the knee from moving inward, but some limited movement is possible. With both MCL and ACL injuries, walking will only be limited to short distances before undergoing surgery or physical therapy.

What should I avoid before ACL surgery?

Nutrition and Diet Before ACL Surgery

• Limit or stop using things such as caffeine, nicotine, and alcohol in the weeks leading to surgery.
• Take certain nutritional supplements — such as multivitamins, vitamin C, and zinc — before surgery. These help promote wound healing during post-op recovery.

What should I do the night before ACL surgery?

Physical Therapy and Rehab Before ACL Surgery Before surgery, doctors often prescribe physical therapy — “prehabilitation” — to help: Reduce swelling in the knee. Improve strength in the muscles around the knee. Restore, as close as possible, the normal range of motion in the knee.