When a ligament needs surgery
The knee is held together by four main ligaments. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the one most often torn in rugby, football, netball, hockey and skiing, usually in a sudden twist or landing. The posterior cruciate (PCL) and the medial and lateral collateral ligaments are injured less often, typically by a direct blow or a fall.
Not every ligament injury needs an operation. Some partial tears and many collateral ligament injuries heal with bracing and physiotherapy. Reconstruction is usually recommended when the knee gives way, when you want to return to pivoting sport, or when there is other damage in the joint such as a meniscus tear that will not settle on its own.
What the operation involves
ACL reconstruction replaces the torn ligament with a graft, most often taken from your own hamstring or patellar tendon. The surgery is done through small arthroscopic incisions and usually takes about an hour. Most patients go home the same day or the following morning.
Dr East assesses each knee at consultation, with an MRI where needed, and discusses graft choice, timing and what to expect before any date is set.
Recovery and return to sport
You will walk with crutches for the first week or two and start physiotherapy almost immediately. Cycling and straight-line jogging typically return at around three months. A return to full pivoting sport is usually cleared between nine and twelve months, once strength and control are back to a safe level.
Rehabilitation matters as much as the surgery. Dr East works with physiotherapists across Pretoria East and Centurion, and will guide you through each stage.