As many former patients can attest, recovering from an ACL tear can be an arduous journey. However, with patience and practice, you can get back to the speed and shape you were in before your injury. If you are about to undergo ACL surgery, you are just beginning your recovery journey. By following these tips, you can aid the healing process and soon get back on your feet.

Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions

Before you leave the hospital or office in which you have surgery, your orthopedic surgeon may give you a set of instructions to follow during your recovery. Be sure to adhere to his every direction. If you push your knee to do too much too fast, you can derail your progress and delay your return to the court or field. So to facilitate the healing process, stay off your knee until your orthopedist allows you to use a brace or crutches.

Keep Up with Rehabilitation

Soon after your surgery, you will likely begin rehabilitation. Rehabilitation is an essential part of recovery for ACL tears. The physical therapist that guides you through your exercises has the knowledge and experience to safely help you regain strength, flexibility, and range of motion in the knee. To get your knee back to health, though, you must be diligent about going to your rehabilitation appointments and doing any at-home exercises that your physical therapist assigns.

Practice Other Forms of Self-Care

To help your knee heal, you must also look after your total wellbeing. Only when you practice healthy habits can you provide your body with the nourishment and support it needs to repair your ACL. Eating a nutritious diet, sleeping enough each night, and refraining from harmful activities such as smoking and excessive drinking can foster the increasing health of your knee. By following these suggestions, it may be only months before you can return to your normal level of physical activity.

Have you suffered an ACL tear? Getting proper treatment is essential to your recovery. Call Able Orthopedic & Sports Medicine today at (718) 690-9520 to speak with one of our associates about our orthopedic surgery services for the greater Forest Hills and Queens communities.