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When recovering from ACL injuries, do your best to follow the advice of a trusted physio in Grafton. You should also try following these three tips.
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April 20, 2017 Physio Tips: 3 Steps to Faster and Proper Recovery from ACL Injuries Image 1: Woman with injured knee following exercises prescribed by her physio ACL injuries are among the most common injuries among athletes. According to the New Zealand Orthopaedic Association, roughly 3000 reconstructive ACL surgeries are performed in New Zealand each year. Prompt ACL reconstruction is important since poor healing can often lead to arthritis in the affected knee, as well as other complications that can have an adverse effect on a person’s quality of life. If you have recently undergone reconstructive surgery, it’s only natural to want to get back to the sport you love as soon as possible. However, recovering from an ACL injury is more like a marathon than a sprint. Despite the stories you hear about professional athletes returning from knee injuries in record time, you still need to give your body enough time to heal and recover. Page | 1
Of course, this isn’t to say that there aren’t a few things you can do to complement the treatment you received from a trusted physio in Grafton help speed up your recovery. With that in mind, here are a few tips to help with your recovery: Control Your Pain Efficiently Studies have shown that those who only take their pain medication after their surgery once they begin to feel pain often have difficulties with their range of motion later on during rehabilitation. Ideally, you should be following the advice of your physio on when to take your pain medication. Do not try to spread out the time between doses too far as this can lead to significant discomfort. It’s understandable to want to be off your painkillers as soon as possible, but put your trust in your doctor’s instructions. Avoid Drinking and Smoking Alcohol and cigarettes are your worst enemies during your recovery period. Both substances significantly reduce the body’s ability to heal itself since alcohol restricts proper blood circulation while cigarettes limit oxygen in the blood, as well as introduce toxins into the body. This is especially true for serious injuries like ACL tears. In some cases, drinking and smoking can even set your recovery back by one or two months. You’ll want to avoid alcohol and cigarettes during the entirety of your recovery. Shift Your Mindset One of the biggest challenges people recovering from ACL injury is that they often “baby” their injured knee. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking the injured side of your body is “injured” or “broken”. The sooner you realize that reconstructive surgery has helped your injured knee Page | 2
become an equal to your other knee, the more receptive your body becomes to the rehabilitation exercises you perform at your local physiotherapy centre like Institute Of Sport Physiotherapy. These are only some of the things you can do to help speed up you recovery. Don’t hesitate to ask your physio about other steps you can take to facilitate both proper healing and a faster recovery. Phone 379-5767 now for an appointment with Graeme Hayhow. About Institute Of Sport Physiotherapy: The Institute of Sport Physiotherapy has helped patients in Grafton and Newmarket recover from various injuries. They have worked extensively with many professional sports team in New Zealand, including the All Blacks and the New Zealand Cricket Team. The experience of Graeme Hayhow enables him to make a real difference in your treatment. Sources: Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injuries, http://www.WebMD.com Recovering from ACL Surgery, VeryWell.com Page | 3
