Recovering from a knee ligament injury can take weeks or months, depending on the severity of the injury. During the start of a knee ligament recovery period, patients should rest and keep weight off of the affected knee to prevent the injury from becoming worse. crutches, canes, or knee braces may be used as well. Over-the-counter or prescription medications, may help relieve pain and reduce swelling. After a couple of weeks, doctor's may also recommend exercising injured knees to prevent the muscles from weakening.
Knee ligament recovery times vary greatly, depending on the severity of the injury. Stretched knee ligaments, for example, will usually heal faster than torn ligaments. Ligaments that have completely ruptured, on the other hand, will usually take a much longer time to heal completely. Surgery is usually required for these types of knee injuries.
Patients who have knee surgery should receive instructions from their doctors about caring for their incision sites. Generally, the incisions should be kept as clean as possible and covered with a dry bandage. Any signs of infection around the incision, such as redness and discharge, should be reported to a medical professional as soon as possible.
Rest is usually necessary during knee ligament recovery, and a person should not put any weight on the injured knee. This can help prevent the ligaments from becoming more injured. Patients are often advised to support themselves with walking aids, such as crutches or canes.
Doctors might also recommend using a knee brace during knee ligament recovery. Some of these braces limit a person's movement to help prevent further injury and pain. Other types of knee braces simply provide support for the knee during the recovery.
Knee injuries are often very painful. Most doctors will usually prescribe a strong painkiller. Over-the-counter pain relievers may also be helpful during knee ligament recovery.
Many over-the-counter pain medications can also help reduce swelling that often accompanies knee ligament injuries. Swelling can also be reduced by regularly applying ice packs to the injured knee. Elevating the knee is also recommended, since this can help prevent fluids from pooling in the area.
A doctor may also recommend performing light leg exercises a few weeks into a knee ligament recovery. This can help prevent the muscles in the legs from weakening. These exercises will often consist of simply raising and lowering the leg, or lifting a light weight with the leg. Physical therapy may also be recommended after a severe knee ligament injury.