Meniscus tears generally heal in approximately three months or sooner (with and without surgery), while ACL tears take longer. If you don't need surgery, recover takes about three to six months. Recovering from ACL surgery can take six months to a year.
The recovery time also tends to vary; most issues related to the meniscus will usually resolve within a few weeks to three months, while ACL-related problems typically take 6-12 months to fully recover.
A meniscal repair will help reduce the effects of osteoarthritis because the damaged cartilage is repaired and saved versus being removed. An ACL may possibly have the least long term effects. Some patients may have decreased strength of the operated side and increased patellar tendinitis.
Many ACL tears we see only have problems ascending stairs, jogging, or walking downhill but can walk up hills and on flat roads without an increase in pain. A meniscus tear, on the other hand, will cause fairly severe pain even just standing on it.
This is because this area has rich blood supply and blood cells can regenerate meniscus tissue — or help it heal after surgical repair.
Small tears often heal on their own, while others may require arthroscopic surgery. Most people fully recover from a torn meniscus and can get back to doing their favorite activities without knee pain.
Typically, mild meniscus tears heal within two to three weeks. Symptoms of moderate meniscus tears or strains: Pain at the side or center of the knee. Stiffness.
The quick answer is that the ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is most likely to be considered the worst ligament in the knee to tear.
Can you walk with a torn ACL? The short answer is yes. After the pain and swelling subsides and if there is no other injury to your knee, you may be able to walk in straight lines, go up and down stairs and even potentially jog in a straight line.
If you have a knee with no ACL ligament , be wary of tears in the meniscus. This also likely means that traditional knee surgeries that remove parts of the torn meniscus will also make the knee less stable.
Knee function after ACL repair depends on a lot of factors, which can vary — sometimes a lot — from one person to another. After surgery, you can expect to begin physical therapy fairly quickly. Physical therapy helps your knee regain flexibility and strength while also promoting healing of the joint tissues.
Tensile strength is the amount of pressure something can bear before breaking. Therefore, right after surgery, the graft is typically stronger than the original ACL.
Without an ACL, the knee is very unstable (and weak) during lateral movement. This is why some players that depend on quick, rapid side movements can't play with an injured ACL, while others who move mainly forward and backward with less lateral motion have a better chance to wear a brace and continue play.
Continuing to walk on the affected leg can aggravate your symptoms, making pain and stiffness worse in as little as a few days. Plus, suffering a torn meniscus may also increase your risk of complications, like developing osteoarthritis in that knee.
Quadriceps weakness is commonly reported after ACL injury and reconstruction. This weakness and associated dysfunction have been implicated as a source of reduced knee related quality of life, increased risk of knee osteoarthritis, and long-term functional disability.
Strenuous exercise can tear the meniscus, a layer of cartilage in the knee. Gentle exercises — such as mini squats, standing heel raises, and hamstring curls — may help with recovery.
This is based on the suggestion that as you drop into a squat, your anterior cruciate ligament (ACL for short) is placed under stress — and that this stress can lead to damage. Research has shown that the force placed on your ACL actually decreases the more your knee is bent.
After you damage your ACL, it's very likely that you won't be able to bend and flex your knee like you normally would.
While not always the case, an ACL tear is in most cases going to be the more severe injury. It is considered worse than tearing the MCL because ACL tears are in general more complex to treat and require a longer recovery time after surgery.
Torn patellar tendon
It attaches the bottom of the kneecap to the top of the shinbone, and a complete tear separates the tendon from the kneecap. The leg should be able to handle full body weight once again four to six weeks following surgery, but it could take up to six months for a player to return to game action.
For example, the MCL is a capsular-type ligament with a better blood supply and outside the synovial fluid of the knee, which allows clot formation and a better healing environment.
If you sit at work, you may be able to go back in 1 to 2 weeks. But if you are on your feet at work, it may take 4 to 6 weeks. If you are very physically active in your job, it may take 3 to 6 months.