What to Expect with ACL Surgery

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By Amy Jorgensen
eHow Contributing Writer

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If you are going to have anterior cruciate ligament surgery on your knee, then you should be aware of what to expect from it. Even though the surgery may not return your knee to its full capacity, up to 98 percent of athletes who have the operation return to sports, according to Dr. Tarek Souryal of the Texas Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Group.

Pain

For the first few days after surgery, you can expect to feel the pain once the anesthesia wears off. Your doctor will prescribe medication for the pain which will give you some relief.

Swelling

You can expect to see a swelling around the area of the incision, around the joints right up to the shin. This will subside within a week, once the pain starts to reduce.

Numbness

If the surgery is done to rectify the patellar tendon, then the nerves nearer to the skin that give the skin its sensation are cut to reach the tendon. This will cause a feeling of numbness in that area.

Muscle

With swelling at the joints, the quadricep muscles of the operated leg will not contract like the normal leg. The muscle tone will not function, making it look smaller than the normal leg.

Skin Discoloration

Discoloration of skin is seen around the knee right up to the shin. This is because of the bleeding caused by surgery. With the help of gravity, the fluid will move right down to the ankles.