A tear to the knee’s medial collateral ligament (MCL) often needs to be treated with surgery, especially if the tear is moderate to severe. Many patients who are faced with MCL surgery are concerned about what they will experience in terms of MCL surgery recovery time. Below, we will take a look at what you can expect.
How MCL Surgery Works
MCL surgery is normally performed using arthroscopic knee surgery, which is a minimally invasive form of surgery. During this procedure, you are placed under conscious sedation, which means that you receive anesthetic and a sedative to make you comfortable and relaxed during the procedure. You will not remember the procedure afterwards.
The doctor makes several small incisions, about the size of a pencil, on the knee. A camera is inserted through one incision, allowing the doctor to see the inside of the knee. Tools are inserted through the other incisions so the doctor can operate.
Expected MCL Surgery Recovery Time
Recovering enough to perform day-to-day activities is a relatively rapid process, but making a complete recovery takes longer. Here’s what you can expect in terms of MCL surgery recovery time:
- Return home the same day as surgery – there is no hospital stay
- You will walk around for a few minutes for the first few days after surgery, but otherwise not feel up to much
- Your pain will be managed with prescription medication at first, then over-the-counter medication later on
- After about a week, you will probably feel well enough to return to a desk job and perform other day-to-day activities
- Around this time, you will begin participating in formal physical therapy to help you regain strength and flexibility
- After about 6-8 weeks, most patients can return to more physically active activities, such as working in a factory
- For athletes, it can take several months until it is safe to train at an elite level again
Following your doctor’s instructions during recovery can help minimize your MCL surgery recovery time. In addition, it is best to understand and be alert to the signs of possible complications, such as infection, so that treatment for complications can occur as quickly as possible if necessary.
As you consider the recovery time you may encounter with MCL surgery, it is important to compare it to what you would experience without effective treatment. In the absence of treatment for an MCL tear, your symptoms would most likely continue indefinitely and worsen over time. Therefore, a shorter period of recovery is preferable to a longer period of continuing damage and symptoms.
If you suffer from knee pain, Dr. Howard Marans would be happy to hear from you. To schedule your consultation today, please click below and enter your information or call OC Orthopedic at (714) 979-8981.