I had a PCL surgery last month. When can I start walking again?

Question

Hello doctor,

About a month ago, I underwent a posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery, and the doctors fixed two screws in my body. The doctors gave me a knee brace after 15 days. When can I walk with the knee brace? When can I walk without the knee brace? Are the screws to be mandatorily removed in the future or will they be left there? Can I bear some weight on my knee? Can I join work again soon? I am a chartered accountant. After six weeks, can I walk with the help of a knee brace but without a walker? Please answer my queries. I have also attached my MRI reports for your reference.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I have seen your MRI reports (attachment removed to protect patient identity). You can walk with the knee brace support immediately if the doctors have fixed the bone with the screws perfectly. It depends on the extent of the surgery. Most doctors prefer to wait for a week before allowing the patients to walk again. You will have to wait for at least six weeks to walk without the knee brace. The screws are to be removed only if there is loosening or if it causes pain or infection. After a week, you can place your body weight on your knee while walking with the knee brace. You should be able to recover from your knee surgery in six weeks and get back to your sitting job comfortably. This professional advice provided by me stands subject to the actual examination of the report or image and is based entirely on inputs provided to me. It should be correlated with the clinical findings.