What is the ACL all about?

ARTHROSCOPY of the knee is an operation in which a small camera and surgical instruments are inserted into your knee through two or three small (1cm) puncture wounds. The structures within the knee are assessed including the meniscus (mobile footballer’s cartilage), the synovium (lining of the knee), the articular cartilage (joint surfaces), and the cruciate…

Basic Science and Articular Cartilage Healing Articular cartilage has no blood supply and no nerve supply. Chondrocytes (articular cartilage cells) obtain their nutrition from the synovial fluid while the underlying bone provides nutrition to the deeper layers. Chondrocytes function to produce the extracellular matrix and work hard to produce proteoglycans. Collagen fibres turn over less…

Return to work when your knee feels comfortable and when you feel confident that your knee will be able to stand the stresses of your job. If you have an office type job you should be able to return to work after 1 week. If your job is strenuous and involves climbing and squatting then…

Equipment considerations that can help you activate your quadriceps muscle, improving your pre-operative condition and aiding your post-operative recovery.

Strenuous physical activity and sport can be resumed when the knee is feeling strong and comfortable and is no longer swollen, which is usually after two to three weeks. This may depend on the type of surgery carried out. It is advisable to gradually increase your level of activity. Before returning to competitive sport such…