ACL Repair Surgery: What To Do Ahead Of Time
If you have recently torn your anterior cruciate ligament and have an ACL repair surgery scheduled, you may be curious as to how to prepare yourself for the surgical procedure. You may also be wondering what steps you can take to help ensure that your recovery goes well and as quickly as possible. After all, ACL repair surgery is not "a walk in the park". However, the good news is that this particular type of surgery is minimally invasive and does not require that your knee be opened up entirely, under most circumstances. Keep reading to learn more about how to prepare for your upcoming ACL repair surgery.
Discuss the Injury with Your Surgeon
It is important to sit down with your surgeon and talk about your diagnosis and the upcoming surgical procedure. You need to fully understand what caused the injury and be familiar with all treatment options apart from the surgery. You need to be aware of any and all potential risks and benefits associated with the ACL repair surgery, as well as the possible limitations.
Take Care of Yourself
While you may be a bit worried because of your injury, it is imperative that you take proper care of yourself leading up to the surgery. The healthier you are, the strong you can expect to be during and after the surgery. If you smoke, stop. If you drink, stop. Make sure that you are eating as healthy as you can. If you have received any specific instructions from your surgeon, follow them to the letter. Be sure to stop taking any medications that you are on as directed by your surgeon.
Follow the Pre-Surgical Instructions
Your surgeon is going to provide you with a list of instructions that should be followed before the surgery. Most of these will be for the day or two before the day of the surgery, but some may be for a week or two beforehand. Regardless of when they are for, it is imperative that you follow them as they are stated, even they seem silly. For instance, you will likely be told what and when you can drink and eat. However, this is incredibly important to ensure your body is prepared for the surgery. If you aren't sure why you should do something, consult with your surgeon, as this may make it easier to follow that particular instruction.
While there are many other things you can do ahead of the surgery to prepare yourself and to ensure that you have a speedy recovery afterward, the aforementioned are some of the more important ones. For more information, talk to your ACL repair surgeon.