One of my patient stories gets a lot of questions — Liam’s story about his medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction. It’s a great one because it really shows how important the recovery process is in terms of getting back to your active lifestyle — in Liam’s case, he had surgery in both knees, but after following my post-op protocols, he was able to return to playing hockey. It takes time to return to your full strength, but once you do, you really can get back to an active lifestyle.
Clearly, Liam’s story resonates with others who are worried about what to expect, like this commenter:
I have an upcoming medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) surgery. How much time will I have to wait until I can start (slowly) moving again?
After MPFL surgery, you can weight bear immediately and bend your knee when sitting. Usually you can get back to nearly full activity in four months if you are strong going into the surgery.
While most of the questions center around how quickly you can return to full activity, some people wonder about using a brace while others just want to learn more about what’s involved in the procedure.
Watch Liam’s story and read other frequently asked questions (and my answers).
