Knee Braces And Supports
Knees braces and supports are very important to stabilize the knee and the grafted ACL throughout the rehabilitation process. Knee braces have settings, and they are positioned to hold everything in place, and the knee will only move as far as the settings allow. Some patients continue wearing knee braces after the injury is completely healed to provide added protection and decrease the risk of re-injury, especially athletes who resume sporting activities. Knee braces and supports like crutches and support stockings are an integral part of the healing process.
Crutches will be needed when you patients return home. They are used to take the weight off the knee while it heals. Some patients are able to put their full weight on the surgically repaired knee without crutches within two to three weeks after surgery. Patients who had work done on their knee in addition to an ACL reconstruction usually need four to eight weeks to be rid of crutches. Another support used during recovery and rehabilitation is special support stockings, which help keep the blood flowing in the leg, ankle, and foot. They also contribute to lowering the patient’s risk of blood clots.
Read about the most common surgery used to treat a torn ACL now.