Postoperative Recovery of The Anterior And Posterior Cruciate Ligaments

Postoperative recovery of the anterior and posterior cruciate ligaments.

The cruciate ligament of the knee, also known as the cruciate ligament, is located just behind the center of the knee joint and is covered by a synovial membrane. It can be divided into the front and the back. It is the ligament that connects the calf (tibia) and thigh (thigh), so that it will not move forward, is very strong, and plays a very important role in stabilizing the knee joint. The cooperation of the two ligaments can limit excessive movement of the knee joint. After cruciate ligament trauma, if you continue to exercise or always repeat certain actions, the knee will easily shift and subluxation symptoms will occur. If this happens repeatedly, the meniscus and cartilage that serve as the knee cushion are easily damaged. The joint will wear out and cause it to degenerate prematurely. Therefore, in order to allow the joints to resume normal physical activities, surgery is required to stabilize the joints.

During postoperative rehabilitation, it is important to restore the range of motion of the knee joint as soon as possible within a safe range, and to restore the muscle strength centered on the thigh. However, it takes 6 to 8 weeks for the ligament to heal after transplantation, and it takes 3 to 4 months for the cells and blood vessels in the weakened tendon to regenerate and return to a certain strength after transplantation. Therefore, during this period, it is necessary to fully protect the reconstructed ligaments and at the same time perform rehabilitation, otherwise there is a risk of joint instability again.

What patients should pay attention to is:

1. The knees should not be fully extended prematurely.

2. Do not bend your knees deeply by bending your knees to the end or making sitting recoil.

3. Be careful not to put towels or hands behind the calves on the bed to avoid stretching the calves forward.

4. Do not put pressure on the muscles in front of the thigh (quadriceps) with the knee straight.

It takes 6 to 8 months for the ligament to regenerate after ligament surgery. During this period, rehabilitation activities are required to resume normal exercise and daily life. But in order to prevent re-injury, it is necessary to fully restore muscle strength. After the operation, you need to wear a brace, fix the knee, and adjust to a proper bending angle so that the knee can bend slightly to rest. In addition, it is best to prepare tools that can be iced, such as ice gel bags, to prevent knee swelling. Or wear elastic stockings to prevent blood clots. There may be numbness, swelling, and difficulty moving the legs after the operation, but don't worry, these symptoms will disappear within 4 to 5 days due to the effect of stopping blood flow during the operation.

One day after the operation, the patient can be allowed to move in a wheelchair, but be careful not to stumble. After wearing a knee brace 1-2 days after the operation, you can start to raise your legs to strengthen the thigh muscles. You can apply a cold compress for 15-20 minutes after training, and be careful not to take too long. In addition, if the patella does not move well, it will be difficult to bend and stretch the knee, so move or tilt the patella up, down, left or right. One to two weeks after the operation, knee bending training can be started. Avoid pulling your knees at other times. If the weather is very hot, you can open the brace but be sure to put a roll of towel behind your knees to prevent your knees from overextending, and you must wear a knee brace when moving or sleeping. In this regard, the use of knee brace is more convenient than traditional plaster.

Two weeks after the operation, the knee can begin to bend and stretch. However, please do not warp in the opposite direction. But pay attention to controlling the angle, generally do not bend more than 135 degrees or sit upright within 6 months after the operation. So it is very important to use a adjustable knee brace that can control the angle. Three months after the operation, most patients are allowed to lightly jogging and cycling, but the saddle needs to be lowered so that the knees are not overextended, as well as to prevent sudden stops and turns. Five months after the operation, you can start to practice jumping, stopping and turning around, and sports activities can start slowly. Although light exercise is gradually allowed to resume 6 months after the operation, too intense exercise may not be allowed. Because if you can't get enough muscle strength, the risk of injury again is high. At this time, the knee flexion range will no longer be limited, but people who receive meniscus sutures should try to avoid weight-bearing in sitting upright and deep flexion positions to avoid straining the suture site. Eight months after the operation, starting from this time, the average patient will be allowed to return to competitive sports. The rehabilitation period of knee surgery usually ends 6 to 8 months after the operation, but it must be done 2 years after the operation and 5-10 years after the operation. Physical examinations such as X-ray examination and muscle strength measurement must be performed regularly.