How to Prepare for ACL Surgery
Discuss the different aspects of ACL surgery with your physician., Make sure that surgery is the only option., Set up your house so that you will be able to move around easily after your surgery., Stop taking NSAIDs two weeks before your surgery...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Discuss the different aspects of ACL surgery with your physician.
This will help you understand the true nature of your health status and assist you in making an informed decision.
Ask as many questions as possible.
Let the physician know of any concern or anything that is unclear to you.
During the ACL surgery, a tendon from other place of your body will be taken and used to surgically reattach the two torn ligaments.
This is needed because even surgery cannot simply sew back together the ligament without additional tissue.
The surgery is done with the use of a narrow, fiber-optic viewing scope.
The surgeon will create a small incision on the knee.
The scope will then guide the placement of the ACL graft. -
Step 2: Make sure that surgery is the only option.
In most cases, surgery is the last option when it comes to ACL injuries.
Therefore, you and your physician should have already explored other medical interventions before resorting to surgery.
Remember that not all ACL tears needs surgery.
People who have only stretched or partially torn their ACL can recover easily with physical therapy and non-invasive treatments.
Usually, surgery to treat an ACL tear is needed for athletes who need stronger and more stable ligaments to support intense and sudden movements.
Surgery of the ACL may also decrease the chance of its recurrence.
There are two cruciate ligaments, the anterior and posterior.
Along with these ligaments are the collateral ligaments positioned at the side.
When there is more than one ligament injured and other adjacent structures of the knee are affected, then surgery is probably the best option. , Take a moment to think about your living space.
If you need to go up or down stairs to reach your bedroom, make sure that this is okay with your surgeon.
Otherwise, you will need to come up with an alternate living arrangement. , Discontinue your use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).
These medicines thin your blood, which can result in complications due to bleeding after or during surgery.
In order to reduce your chance of complications, avoid the following medicines:
Aleve (Naproxen) Advil (Ibuprofen) Motrin , If you use tobacco products of any kind, discontinue your tobacco use at least 4 weeks before (and for 8 weeks after) your surgery.
This is important because tobacco products negatively affect your body’s ability to heal itself, which could lead to infection.
There are many online resources to help you stop smoking.
Additionally, many commercially available products exist to help, such as patches, nicotine gum, and more. , You will most likely need to stop taking prescription medicines that are used to thin your blood or prevent blood clots from forming 7-days prior to your surgery.
These medicines can cause you to bleed excessively during surgery, and should be avoided.
Consult with your physician to determine if this applies to you. -
Step 3: Set up your house so that you will be able to move around easily after your surgery.
-
Step 4: Stop taking NSAIDs two weeks before your surgery.
-
Step 5: Quit using tobacco products four weeks before your surgery.
-
Step 6: Talk to your doctor one week before your surgery about discontinuing medication used to thin your blood.
Detailed Guide
This will help you understand the true nature of your health status and assist you in making an informed decision.
Ask as many questions as possible.
Let the physician know of any concern or anything that is unclear to you.
During the ACL surgery, a tendon from other place of your body will be taken and used to surgically reattach the two torn ligaments.
This is needed because even surgery cannot simply sew back together the ligament without additional tissue.
The surgery is done with the use of a narrow, fiber-optic viewing scope.
The surgeon will create a small incision on the knee.
The scope will then guide the placement of the ACL graft.
In most cases, surgery is the last option when it comes to ACL injuries.
Therefore, you and your physician should have already explored other medical interventions before resorting to surgery.
Remember that not all ACL tears needs surgery.
People who have only stretched or partially torn their ACL can recover easily with physical therapy and non-invasive treatments.
Usually, surgery to treat an ACL tear is needed for athletes who need stronger and more stable ligaments to support intense and sudden movements.
Surgery of the ACL may also decrease the chance of its recurrence.
There are two cruciate ligaments, the anterior and posterior.
Along with these ligaments are the collateral ligaments positioned at the side.
When there is more than one ligament injured and other adjacent structures of the knee are affected, then surgery is probably the best option. , Take a moment to think about your living space.
If you need to go up or down stairs to reach your bedroom, make sure that this is okay with your surgeon.
Otherwise, you will need to come up with an alternate living arrangement. , Discontinue your use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS).
These medicines thin your blood, which can result in complications due to bleeding after or during surgery.
In order to reduce your chance of complications, avoid the following medicines:
Aleve (Naproxen) Advil (Ibuprofen) Motrin , If you use tobacco products of any kind, discontinue your tobacco use at least 4 weeks before (and for 8 weeks after) your surgery.
This is important because tobacco products negatively affect your body’s ability to heal itself, which could lead to infection.
There are many online resources to help you stop smoking.
Additionally, many commercially available products exist to help, such as patches, nicotine gum, and more. , You will most likely need to stop taking prescription medicines that are used to thin your blood or prevent blood clots from forming 7-days prior to your surgery.
These medicines can cause you to bleed excessively during surgery, and should be avoided.
Consult with your physician to determine if this applies to you.
About the Author
Brandon Myers
Professional writer focused on creating easy-to-follow crafts tutorials.
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