Duration of a cruciate ligament tear

introduction

The cruciate ligament tear (also: cruciate ligament rupture) often occurs in the context of sports injuries, such as excessive rotational movements during Soccer, twisting ankle while jogging or having an accident To ski. Usually the anterior cruciate ligament is affected and requires surgical therapy with subsequent rehabilitation. Conservative treatment with physiotherapy and splinting is only possible for cruciate ligament tears in which the cruciate ligament has not been completely severed or the correct knee position is still guaranteed.

Duration of a cruciate ligament tear

Depending on the treatment scheme chosen, the duration of the subsequent restriction of movement also varies. However, they are mostly used in both surgical and conservative treatment several months renouncing sporting activities is required.

Duration of healing

If the cruciate ligament tear is operated on, this is usually done by replacing the torn one tendon through the body's own material. Often the tendon becomes one for this Thigh muscle or a portion of the Kneecap tendon used. The duration of complete healing with this type of treatment is usually around half a yearbecause the transplanted tendon must first adapt to the new type of load and fully attach to the bone. Rehabilitation should begin immediately after the operation. Cooling and protection of the joint prevent swelling and have a positive effect on the healing process. Also with the passive extension of the knee joint using a rail should be started immediately after the procedure. The splint should ideally be about six weeks last. Also physiotherapeutic measures should be included in the treatment from the beginning, appropriate to the stage. Because the strengthening of the thigh muscles leads to additional relief of the cruciate ligament transplant. Under no circumstances should the knee joint be overloaded, as this would only hinder the healing process. About three weeks after the procedure you can additionally Coordination exercises can be carried out, which have a positive effect on the fine-tuning of the individual muscle groups with one another and can thus prevent incorrect inflation.

Sports activities should after about two months at the earliest and then only those that are associated with less stress on the knee joint. An example of this would be Cycle on a level route. A month later, well after about three months, is usually allowed to swim. Running sports as well as light jogging should be four months at the earliest operated after the procedure. Only when there is no pain, the full range of motion is available again and usually only after consulting the treating doctor, the original sport should be practiced again. This is usually the case after six or more months at the earliest the case. Under certain circumstances a Knee brace initially support the sporting activity. However, this should be discussed with the doctor on a case-by-case basis.

Duration of the operation

Surgical treatment of a torn cruciate ligament should ideally be carried out when the acute inflammatory reaction has subsided and the knee is in an irritation-free state. This means that the acute inflammatory reaction subsided and the knee is neither red nor swollen. Most of the time, the surgical procedure takes place around four to six weeks after the actual injuryto prevent further inflammation complications.

Exceptions to this are additional injuries to other structures in the knee joint such as the meniscus rupture or complex types of injuries. Then the OP should take place within the first 24 to 48 hours after the event.

The operation is usually performed arthroscopically, i.e. by means of Jointoscopy as part of a minimally invasive operation. All that is required is two small skin incisions through which the instruments and a camera are inserted. Overall, the procedure itself takes about 40 minutes to just under two hours (Duration of a knee arthroscopy), depending on how the crack runs and the conditions for the reconstruction.

Appointment with a knee specialist?

I would be happy to advise you!

Who am I?
My name is dr. Nicolas Gumpert. I am a specialist in orthopedics and the founder of .
Various television programs and print media report regularly about my work. On HR television you can see me every 6 weeks live on "Hallo Hessen".
But now enough is indicated ;-)

The knee joint is one of the joints with the greatest stress.

Therefore, the treatment of the knee joint (e.g. meniscus tear, cartilage damage, cruciate ligament damage, runner's knee, etc.) requires a lot of experience.
I treat a wide variety of knee diseases in a conservative way.
The aim of any treatment is treatment without surgery.

Which therapy achieves the best results in the long term can only be determined after looking at all of the information (Examination, X-ray, ultrasound, MRI, etc.) be assessed.

You can find me in:

• Lumedis - your orthopedic surgeon
  Kaiserstrasse 14
  60311 Frankfurt am Main

Directly to the online appointment arrangement
Unfortunately, it is currently only possible to make an appointment with private health insurers. I hope for your understanding!
Further information about myself can be found at Dr. Nicolas Gumpert

Duration of conservative therapy / without surgery

The conservative therapy of a cruciate ligament tear is only possible if the tendon cracked no more than 25% is or the tendon has detached from its bony attachment, but the correct knee axis is still receive is. Conservative treatment can also be used for patients who are older or who are not very active in sports. If this is the case, surgery can be dispensed with and treatment with the help of physical therapy and Splint respectively. First there is the discharge in the foreground, followed by targeted Muscle building to stabilize the knee joint. With professional implementation and care, the duration of conservative therapy is usually between six months to a year until the original mobility and resilience is achieved again. However, this should also be discussed with the attending physician and, if necessary, a new examination of mobility should be carried out in order to rule out the need for a surgical procedure.

Length of sick leave

The duration of the inability to work after a cruciate ligament rupture depends primarily on the Type of activity and is depending on the physical Degree of exposure differently. For office work with primarily sedentary work, the duration of the sick leave is usually around four to six weeks. If there is more stress on the knee joint, for example during standing activities or driving a motor vehicle, the sick leave can also be two to three months as this may require a large range of motion and the freedom of crutches. The additional protection of the knee in everyday life and especially in relation to sporting activities should nevertheless be retained.

Duration in the hospital

The hospital stay is usually very short and only lasts due to the minimally invasive procedure two to daysprovided there are no further complications and the operation goes according to plan. Additional injuries accompanying the cruciate ligament rupture can also extend the hospital stay if necessary.

Duration for the need for crutches / crutches

The time it takes to use crutches or crutches can vary greatly depending on the type of injury and it is difficult to generalize. The stability in the knee joint is decisive for removing such walking aids. Good physiotherapeutic support with early and adequate strengthening of the leg muscles can reduce the time required to use walking aids. As a rule, crutches or crutches are prescribed by the doctor for about six weeks. In many cases, however, a full load on the knee joint is already possible after about three to four weeks. Walking without a walking aid usually a few days afterwards. However, this should be discussed with the attending physician or physiotherapist.

Summary

A cruciate ligament tear will require one in most cases operative therapy and goes with a comparatively long rehabilitation period hand in hand. Simple activities can be carried out again after a few weeks for the Full load However, as part of sporting activities should usually at least half a year be awaited. In addition to surgical care, there should always be a physiotherapeutic accompanying therapy aspired to the Muscle building and thus to give the damaged knee joint additional and lasting support.

Became a conservative therapy option If you have chosen, the freedom from pain and mobility should be checked again after a few months in order to rule out an operation that may have become necessary and thus avoid consequential damage.

The duration of the Hospitalization An operation usually only takes a few days, but the follow-up treatment is of great importance for future knee function.

And last but not least, you can use knee stabilizers Exercises to prophylaxis a renewed injury can be built into everyday (sporting) life.