Where To Get ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Lawrenceville

Learn About ACL Reconstruction Surgery and if It’s the Best Option for You.

Were you diagnosed with an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear?

Is the pain coupled with confusion about your injury weighing you down? Learning the basics about any injury you have is essential to your physical healing and mental wellness. The ACL is one of four ligaments in your body that stabilizes the knee joint. This ligament is commonly injured when direct contact is made with the knee or when the knee itself twists or bends unnaturally. Athletes, whose sports involve running, jumping, or pivoting, are particularly vulnerable to ACL tears.

At Trenton Orthopaedic Group at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, our knee specialists understand how stressful and debilitating an ACL injury, regardless of who you are or how it occurred. We want to you to be aware of all of your treatment options, particularly ACL reconstruction surgery. With the accurate information and the help of our Rothman Orthopaedic Institute physicians, you can the right treatment plan for your injury.

Below are some questions you may have about ACL reconstruction surgery in Lawrenceville.

Three Questions About ACL Reconstruction Surgery in Lawrenceville

1. Do I need ACL reconstruction surgery? Are there other options?
   Surgical treatment is usually advised for an ACL tear. Because the position of the ACL allows it only a limited blood supply, it typically does not heal on its own. However, select patients may go through non-surgical treatment options first. These options include managing the injury through physical therapy and rehabilitation, and wearing a hinged knee brace as recommended by your doctor. Patients with partial tears and few symptoms of instability are some of the most likely to have success without ACL surgery. It is imperative to note, however, that not having ACL surgery increases the chance of a secondary injury occurring due to repeated instability episodes in the knee. Ask your knee specialist if surgery is the best option for your case.

2. What is the surgery like?
   Reconstruction of the ACL requires the use of a graft made of tendon. This substitute may come from a patellar tendon autograft, hamstring tendon autograft, quadriceps tendon autograft, or an allograft patellar tendon. (“Autograft” indicates it comes from the patient, whereas “allograft” is taken from a cadaver.) The chosen graft is inserted into the knee joint via arthroscopic tools and serves to the replace the original anterior cruciate ligament. The graft heals on its own to become the new ACL.
   
   The most common ACL reconstruction technique involves drilling bone tunnels into the tibia and femur to input the ACL graft. Other variations which may be applied under special circumstances include “two-incision,” “over-the-top,” and “double-bundle” ACL reconstructions. Ask your physician and surgeon about the detail of your potential surgery, so you can be as involved in and knowledgeable about the process as possible.

3. How long will the recovery take?
   Your recovery time after ACL reconstruction surgery will vary depending on the type and success of the surgery. Usually, patients are able to bike within the first three to six weeks, run on a treadmill after 10 to 12 weeks, run outside by three or four months, and resume activities or sports involving pivoting motions by six to eight months. Physical therapy is a crucial part to your recovery process, and you should begin rehabilitation exercises soon after surgery. Move slowly at first, and do not perform any activities without the approval of your doctor or physical therapist.

The specialists at Trenton Orthopaedic Group at Rothman Orthopaedic Institute will help you regain full function of your knee joint. To learn more about ACL reconstruction surgery in Lawrenceville, or to make an appointment, please visit us here or contact us at 1-800-321-9999.