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July, 2025

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ACL Recovery Timeline

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Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,590
i'm just curious to see what people's timelines were as far as acl reconstructions, how long it took them to get to biking, ditching the brace, etc, and how long it took them to get back on skis.
currently im two weeks out, and am at full weight bearing in an unlocked brace, and just starting stationary biking again. i'm hoping to be back on snow at the end of december, taking it easy, which is just shy of 6 months after surgery
12 years ago
2 0
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GEORGEzimmerman
Posts: 1473 - Karma: 440
8 months. skiing before then will hurt like HELL and turn out being a waste of effort n time
12 years ago
0 0
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the.hellion.
Posts: 861 - Karma: 698
On average, with good rehab... 6-8 months.

All depends on how much work you wanna put in though.
I tore both of mine in one season and it took me about a year to a year and half to get back on snow. I lost a lot of muscle mass and my skiing hasn't yet recovered (3 or 4 years later) but I didn't rehab half as much as I should have and life done caught up with me, taking away from ski time.
12 years ago
0 0
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Caucasian_Asian
Posts: 2447 - Karma: 1,665
Six months to get back to full activity, other than PT.

With a tendon graft, it just takes that long for the body to heal.

I still ski with my brace.  Not because I need it, but as a reminder to slow down a touch.  And stay out of the backseat for a while.
12 years ago
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Anathema
Posts: 21048 - Karma: 5,062
about 4 to return to full normal daily activity, 6 to return to sport, but wear a brace with all that shit up to usually about 12 months.

i'd say 3-4 months until things feel pretty good, though, minus the heavy sport / skiing.
12 years ago
0 0
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eheath
Posts: 61985 - Karma: 126,994
When I was 16 it took me about 4 and a half months (early July to mid November) to get to 80%-90% then I skied all winter and never felt 100% and around sometime the following summer I felt 100%. I chose to ski since I was doing competitive moguls and it was basically the last year I tried hard so it was fun probably the year I progressed the most in all aspects of skiing too. FYI I used a brace all ski season.
12 years ago
0 0
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SFB
Posts: 8895 - Karma: 26,366
usually takes 1-2 days anyone who says differently is lying. if you do lunges for 1hr straight 2 days after surgery you will be 100% recovered. trust me it works everytime.
12 years ago
1 0
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Blake.P
Posts: 9894 - Karma: 3,590
If they trim it and just clean it up, you are good basically just when swelling goes down and you can walk comfortably. If they repair it, it's 2weeks to a month in a straight brace and on crutches
12 years ago
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