Recovering from PCL Avulsion Surgery
How long is the recovery from a PCL avulsion injury?
Your recovery from a PCL repair will begin the first day after your operation. Immediate physical therapy intervention allows for optimal recovery of one’s range of motion and quad re-activation according to the PCL repair protocol. Patients should not bear weight on the operative leg for the first 6 weeks after surgery. After this initial period, they may progress from crutches. Patients can usually return to driving 2-3 weeks after they are able to walk. Endurance and strengthening can be started in the second phase of rehabilitation. Agility exercises start at 4 months along with the running progression if previous stages have been successfully completed. Depending on the severity of the injury and other associated ligament injuries, recovery can be between 6 to 12 months, with return to sport expected no earlier than 9 months post-op.
At a Glance
Dr. Jorge Chahla
- Triple fellowship-trained sports medicine surgeon
- Performs over 700 surgeries per year
- Assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Rush University
- Learn more