What does recovery look like after ACL reconstruction surgery?

ACL reconstruction recovery is long, but it is active. Most patients feel mostly normal at about three months, start jogging at about three months, and return to full sports at seven to nine months. The roadmap below walks through prehab, the first two weeks, getting off crutches and the brace, building strength, running, and the sport test that clears you to play. If you have already had surgery, enter your surgery date and it will show you which stage you are in and what comes next.

One thing changes the first six weeks more than anything else: your meniscus. If it was not torn, or the tear was trimmed, you put full weight on the leg from day one with crutches for balance. A small meniscus repair (one or two stitches) changes nothing. A larger repair means full weight with the brace locked straight for six weeks. A meniscus root repair, which is uncommon, means toe-touch weight bearing on crutches for six weeks. The roadmap lets you choose which one applies to you.