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How long does it take to recover from ACL surgery?

Full recovery from an ACL injury in an athlete or highly active individual takes months. Luckily, for the typical American, this timeline is significantly reduced. 

  • You will be able to walk around the house (with a leg brace and crutches) one day after surgery. 
  • You will use crutches for the first two weeks on average.
  • You will begin physical therapy in the first two weeks and continue for several weeks on average. Athletes will undergo longer and more intense treatment.
  • Standing for long periods of time and walking long distances (again with the brace) will be possible after three to four weeks.
  • You will be able to remove the leg brace about six weeks after surgery.
  • Full recovery is expected around two to six months. 

ACL surgery is very common. Surgeons’ experience with this procedure translates into excellent success rates. ACL surgery has very few complications and even fewer failures requiring a return to the operating room.

What is ACL Knee Surgery?

When is ACL Surgery Necessary?

Can an ACL Tear Heal Without Surgery?

Is ACL Surgery a Major Surgery?

How soon can I return to work after ACL surgery?

* Savings estimate based on a study of more than 1 billion claims comparing self-pay (or cash pay) prices of a frequency-weighted market basket of procedures to insurer-negotiated rates for the same. Claims were collected between July 2017 and July 2019. R.Lawrence Van Horn, Arthur Laffer, Robert L.Metcalf. 2019. The Transformative Potential for Price Transparency in Healthcare: Benefits for Consumers and Providers. Health Management Policy and Innovation, Volume 4, Issue 3.

Sidecar Health offers and administers a variety of plans including ACA compliant and excepted benefit plans. Coverage and plan options may vary or may not be available in all states.

Your actual costs may be higher or lower than these cost estimates. Check with your provider and health plan details to confirm the costs that you may be charged for a service or procedure.You are responsible for costs that are not covered and for getting any pre-authorizations or referrals required by your health plan. Neither payments nor benefits are guaranteed. Provider data, including price data, provided in part by Turquoise Health.

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