Sleeping after ACL surgery is a must for your recovery. Elevating your leg with pillows and sleeping on your back will help reduce swelling and pain. Of course, you must use a brace as your doctor recommends to maintain knee stability.
Moreover, taking pain medication before bedtime as prescribed will help you sleep better.
By the way, you must not sleep on your stomach or side as it can strain your knee and affect your recovery.
You deserve good sleep and I will show you how to get good sleep after acl reconstruction surgery.
Sleeping Position After ACL Surgery
Sleeping position will help you to reduce swelling and support your knee after acl reconstruction surgery. After acl reconstruction surgery, you can findd out that certain sleeping positions made you feel better and increased your recovery.
Lying flat will allow your knee to extend fully and reduce swelling. You can also sleep on your side with a pillow between your knees. The operated leg should be on top.
Try these during your recovery:
- Back sleeping: Lying flat will allow your knee to extend fully and reduce swelling.
- Side sleeping: Sleeping on your side with a pillow between your knees will provide stability.
- Reclining: Lying on your back with your leg elevated will reduce swelling.
Must try these and find what works best for you. Everyone is different and you will find what works best for you.
Once you find what works best for you, you will have good sleep and good days after acl reconstruction surgery.
Sleeping Position
Sleeping position is a must after acl reconstruction surgery. A good sleeping position will help you to reduce pain and allow your body to recover.
We all know how it feels when we are looking for a good sleeping position. But once you find a good sleeping position, your body will thank you.
Restful sleep will help you to reduce swelling and increase mobility. A good sleeping position will help your body to recover and reduce inflammation. These are two important factors for your recovery after acl reconstruction surgery. If you don’t get good sleep, you will experience more pain and your body will take longer to recover.
Try these:
- Restful sleep will help your body to recover and increase recovery.
- A good sleeping position will reduce pain and increase rehab.
- Try different sleeping positions and find what works best for you.
Generally speaking, everyone is different after acl reconstruction surgery.
Sleeping With A Knee Brace
Sleeping with a knee brace will help you to keep your knee aligned. This is important for your recovery.
A knee brace will provide stability and prevent re-injury and pain if you have knee problems. If you don’t wear a knee brace while sleeping, you may move your knee in ways that will cause you pain and damage your surgical repair.
Leg Elevating Techniques
To reduce swelling, elevate your operated leg on pillows at a 45-degree angle. Your knee should be 12 inches above your heart in the first few days after acl reconstruction surgery. This may seem like a small detail but it is important for your recovery.
Instead of placing pillows under your knee, place them under your heel and calf. This will help you to reduce swelling and increase comfort while sleeping.
If you experience swelling or pulsing in your injured leg after using crutches, elevate your leg. This is a simple trick that will help you to reduce pain and increase your recovery.
Pain Management Strategies
Good sleep is important after acl surgery. Poor sleep will slow down your recovery and cause other health problems.
A study of 83 people who had arthroscopic knee surgery found that 99% had trouble sleeping in the first week after surgery, and 96% and 90%, respectively, in weeks three and six. During these times, the average number of hours slept each night dropped greatly compared to levels before the injury (p<0.001).
A good sleeping position will help you to increase your sleep quality. This is important for your tissue recovery.
Take your prescribed medications as directed by your doctor. This includes over-the-counter and narcotic pain medications.
Before you go to sleep, try these:
- Wear a knee brace while sleeping for compression and support.
- Take your prescribed pain medications.
- Do physical therapy to help your body heal naturally.
Mistakes to avoid
Avoid making common mistakes that will increase your recovery time. Sleeping on your stomach will put stress on your knee and cause pain. Sleeping with a bent knee will reduce circulation and increase swelling. This will slow down your recovery.
As you can see, sleeping in an uncomfortable position will increase your discomfort and slow down your recovery. Listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
Creating an Ideal Sleep Environment
You need a good mattress and pillows to help you to sleep comfortably. You should also reduce noise in your bedroom to help you to sleep better and reduce interruptions.
You can use a red nightlight to provide soft light when you need to get up at night. A quiet and clean bedroom will help you to sleep better and increase your recovery.
Doctor’s instructions and others
Follow your doctor’s instructions for a smooth recovery. You should wear a knee brace after acl reconstruction surgery to prevent movement that will slow down your recovery. You should also watch for fever. If your fever is 101 degrees or higher or lasts for more than three days, contact your doctor.
Watch how athletes keep their legs straight when they do exercises.
To help your recovery:
- Point and flex your ankles ten times every ten minutes for the first few days after acl reconstruction surgery.
- Take anti-inflammatory medications ( Ask your doctor first )
- Do physical therapy to increase flexibility and strength in the affected area.
Follow these tips and your doctor’s instructions and you will have a smooth and fast recovery.
Read more: How Long Do Ligament Tears Take to Heal
Wrap Up
At the end of the day, good sleep after acl surgery is important for your recovery. You should find your good sleeping position, wear a knee brace, elevate your leg, manage pain, avoid mistakes and create a good sleeping environment to increase your recovery.
I hope you will have good nights and a fast recovery. Your body needs good rest to recover and you should give it the best chance by following these tips.
