How long will it take to get out of bed after ligament surgery?

Ligaments are a part that people need to pay great attention to. Although people think that ligaments are just soft tissues that connect joints, problems with ligaments will affect people's movements and cause them to lose some of their mobility. Severe ligament surgery requires surgical treatment, especially leg ligament diseases are the most serious problems. Let’s take a look at how long it will take to get out of bed after ligament surgery?

It usually takes more than one and a half months before you can walk, so be sure not to bear any weight too early.

Currently, the classic surgical treatment for anterior cruciate ligament rupture is arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. A graft is needed during surgery to replace the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. Currently, there are three types of grafts available. The preferred graft is autologous hamstring tendon or middle 1/3 bone-patellar tendon-bone graft. The second type is allogeneic tendon. The third type is artificial ligament, all of which can be used as grafts to replace the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament. Generally, for young patients with higher exercise requirements, autologous tendons are our recommended first choice, while for older patients with lower exercise requirements, allogeneic tendons can be considered.

For patients with complete anterior cruciate ligament rupture, combined meniscus or other ligament injuries, participants in high-level sports, and young patients, surgical treatment should be considered to reconstruct the ruptured anterior cruciate ligament, repair the torn meniscus and articular cartilage, restore motor function, and avoid premature joint degeneration and osteoarthritis.

After the operation, you need to wear a knee brace in an extended position, use crutches, and cannot bear weight on the affected limb. You can start functional exercises such as straight leg raising on the 2nd to 3rd day after surgery, and start practicing passive flexion and extension of the knee joint. We recommend using a knee passive motion trainer (CPM). Activities should be conducted within the range of 0° to 90° 4 weeks after surgery, and the condition should basically return to normal in 6 to 8 weeks. A brace needs to be worn for protection within 6 weeks after the operation, and the affected limb cannot bear weight. A follow-up examination will be conducted after 6 weeks to decide when to start partial weight bearing. Generally, we require patients to begin partial weight-bearing on the affected limb under the protection of a brace 8 weeks after surgery. When you are able to walk normally (2-3 months after surgery), you can start using a stationary bicycle for muscle strength and joint mobility recovery training, and gradually start lower limb muscle strength recovery exercises.

You can start running and jumping exercises 3-4 months after the operation, resume simple sports half a year after the operation, and basically resume normal sports activities one year after the operation.