FAQs About ACL and Meniscus Surgery Recovery

ACL Recovery FAQ

ACL surgery is an intimidating experience that many athletes must go through. Naturally, people have questions about the process and want to learn from others who have gone through it. Learn more about my experience with ACL surgery recovery in this ACL recovery FAQ.

The Surgery

What was your surgery?

I had ACL reconstruction and medial and lateral meniscus repair in April 2018. In May 2019, I had a partial medial meniscectomy (meniscus trim). In September 2022, I had another partial meniscectomy on my medial meniscus.

What ACL graft did you use?

I used the patellar tendon ACL graft because of its bone-to-bone healing.

How long was your surgery?

My ACL and medial and lateral meniscus surgery was about 3.5 hours long.

How can you reduce swelling after ACL surgery?

RICE. Rest, ice, compression, elevate. Right after surgery, I had to ice nearly constantly. For this, I found an ice machine was extremely helpful. You also need to listen to your knee throughout recovery. After my exercises, I would use a compression sleeve. I tried to lay with my knee elevated above my heart as often as possible.

How can I reduce stiffness?

My knee was very stiff after surgery. In the following weeks, I worked on mobilizing my patellar tendon, massaging scars, and range of motion exercises.

Recovery

How long was your knee swollen?

I dealt with swelling for over three months. After that, my knee was not constantly swollen, but it would easily get swollen after exercise. By about 8 months I stopped experiencing that consistently, and it swelled up only on very rare occasions.

How long does pain persist?

I still deal with pain in my knee two years post-op. I had a very constant/ noticeable daily pain for around 4 months. After that, it was only sometimes. After about 8-10 months I did not have as much pain. 10 months+ post-op I just continued to deal with anterior knee pain. After my meniscus trim, I now experience pain on my medial joint line sometimes as well.

How long does stiffness last?

My knee was stiff for about four months. It slowly improved over time.

Did you experience numbness around the knee?

Yes. I have a numb spot below my knee. I do not notice it anymore.

When can I walk?

I began walking without crutches 3.5 weeks after surgery.

How do you get off crutches?

I followed the instructions of my PT. First, I worked on walking with two crutches. I then went down to one crutch. Finally, I did not use any crutches. I worked on standing on two legs, walking form, shifting my weight, and walking marches to improve my form and strength.

When can I run?

I began jogging 5 months after surgery. That is when I was cleared to jog. I started very slow for only a couple of minutes. I could sprint around month 8-9, when I also started some cutting/agility.

How long did it take you to recover?

I was cleared to start the return to sport protocol 10 months post-op. At that time, I was ordered to continue 6 more weeks of PT and slowly work back to fully playing. By 11 months post-op, I was playing soccer again. Watch my entire recovery HERE.

Did you wear a brace?

I never wore a brace. I wore a compression sleeve after exercise, and I occasionally used K-tape later on in my recovery.

Do I need a brace/ how long do I need to wear a brace for?

You will need to speak to your doctor about any plans to wear a brace and how that process will work.

Are you as fast/agile after coming back?

Yes. I regained my athleticism and feel as strong as before.

Return to Sport ACL Recovery FAQ

Can you play soccer again?

Yes I can play soccer at a high level once again.

Is your knee different now than before surgery?

Yes. My knee is different than before surgery. I can feel a difference, and it gets sore after I play and I am always dealing with some anterior knee pain. I can do everything, but I have to monitor it closely.

Did you experience anterior knee pain/tendinitis during or after recovery?

Yes. Throughout my entire recovery I dealt with anterior knee pain and patellar tendinitis.

Do you take any supplements for your knee?

In the past, I have taken glucosamine and chondroitin. I now take a collagen supplement. The one I use is the Vital Proteins Collagen Protein Powder.

Range of Motion

When did you get full range of motion?

As of 2 years post-op, I still do not have it. I had nearly the same ROM around 6 months post-op, but it continued to slightly improve after that. I have full hyper-extension, but I still lack a couple of degrees in active flexion and still feel tightness if I try to full flexion.

Does working on range of motion hurt?

Working on ROM is extremely painful. At every stage in my recovery, that process was excruciating. It is normal for working on ROM to hurt, and you will need to push through pain to make progress. If you have concerns, check with your doctor about it.

How can I improve flexion?

To work on flexion, you should work most on fluid movements. Some ways to work on flexion include:

• Biking (no resistance, half-circles to start out with).
• Wall slides
• Prone quad stretch with band
• Rolling forward while sitting on an exercise ball
• Nustep machine
• Leg press (basically no weight, you are just doing this to get into a far squat without the weight of your body)

How can I improve extension?

If you are struggling with extension, then you need to work on low-intensity stretches and holding them for a long time. Some ways to do this include:

• Prone hang (add ankle weight)
• Elevate your foot
• Hamstring stretch with band
• Leg extension (very little or no weight, can use a light resistance band)