When you have ACL surgery, you can expect to spend a lot of time resting, rehabilitating and recovering. Not only that, but it can also be a painful experience.
So, it’s important to have a proper understanding of ACL surgery recovery, in addition to getting the best ligament treatment in Kolkata post-surgery.
Here are eight tips to recover after ACL surgery faster and more effectively:
Manage your pain
The first step to recovering from ACL surgery is managing the pain. You may feel it in your knee, hip, and ankle. Generally, you can take over-the-counter pain medications such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to help reduce swelling and inflammation in the joint. However, if you’re experiencing severe pain, see your doctor for an evaluation and treatment options.
Go to physical therapy
Physical therapy can help speed up the healing process by strengthening muscles that support your knee and helping them recover from injury. Also, it helps improve balance, flexibility, coordination, and proprioception (the sense of where one’s body parts are in relation to each other). While most people can complete their rehab on their own at home, going through physical therapy sessions with an experienced professional can be beneficial in speeding up recovery time.
Walk more
In order for you to fully recover from ACL surgery, you need to walk more often than usual while using crutches or a walker. Walking will strengthen the muscles around your knee and improve circulation within them. It will also increase blood flow throughout your entire body which helps prevent swelling and further injury.
Stay in touch with your doctor
If you’ve had surgery, it’s important to keep in touch with your doctor. You don’t want any surprises when you’re recovering from ACL surgery. If anything seems off — or if you have any questions — ask them. Your surgeon may be able to answer some questions that you didn’t even know to ask!
Sleep and eat right
Sleeping properly is vital for recovery from ACL reconstruction surgery. Your body needs adequate rest and sleep to heal, which helps reduce swelling and discomfort. Similarly, it’s important to eat right after ACL surgery so that your body can begin the healing process. This means sticking to a healthy diet low in simple sugars and high in protein, vitamins, and minerals. It also means avoiding foods that would increase swelling and inflammation in the days following surgery.
Reduce swelling
One of the biggest things that can slow down recovery is swelling in the affected area. If you have any kind of swelling, try wearing compression socks or other types of bandages, as well as applying ice. It’s also a good idea to drink plenty of water throughout the day so that dilution can occur naturally and reduce swelling even more.
Don’t rush and be patient
The best way to speed up your recovery is to take it slow. This means no strenuous activity for the first 6 weeks after surgery, and then only at low intensity for the next 2-3 months. If you rush the process and try to do too much too soon, you could end up doing more harm than good.
Rest more
Rest is also very important for healing a torn ACL. Resting your muscles will help them contract back to their normal strength, which will help with moving around again sooner. It’s also important to avoid overexerting yourself while you’re healing, as this can cause additional damage that could slow down your recovery even more than usual.
Final words
The best arthroscopy treatment in Kolkata requires a proper recovery phase to ensure you’re back to your good orthopedic health adequately. Past surgery, many people get careless, which delays their recovery and makes the experience even more discomforting. So, if you just had your ACL surgery, make sure you’re taking proactive steps for faster recovery.