What Not to Eat After ACL Surgery?

Nutrition plays an important role in wound healing and recovery after any surgery. Nutritional support is key to post-operative recovery and rehabilitation after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction surgery. 

Improper nutrition can affect the healing process and your overall recovery. You must ensure that you eat healthily while recovering from an ACL reconstruction. Also, watch out for the foods that you need to avoid post-surgery. After ACL surgery, some foods may be best to avoid or limit to support the healing process and reduce the risk of complications. 

What is the importance of nutrition after ACL surgery? 

ACL surgery is a procedure that involves the removal of a torn, damaged, or injured anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), and its replacement with a graft. The replaced graft is either taken from your own body (autograft) or a deceased donor (allograft). The ACL runs diagonally across the knee and connects the femur (thigh bone) to the tibia (shinbone). It helps stabilize the knee and facilitates movements like rotating, twisting, stretching, and jumping. 

Healthy lifestyle changes are essential while recovering from ACL surgery. Diet is one of them, as nutrition plays a crucial role in your recovery. Adequate intake of nutrients, including protein, vitamins, and minerals, can help to:

• Promote tissue repair and healing: Protein is essential for building and repairing damaged tissues, such as the ACL.
• Reduce inflammation: Anti-inflammatory nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, can help reduce swelling and promote faster healing.
• Support immune function: Vitamins and minerals, such as Vitamin C and Zinc, play a role in supporting the immune system, which is important for recovery after surgery.
• Maintain muscle mass: Consuming enough protein can help prevent muscle loss, which is important for regaining strength and function after surgery.
• Improve overall health: A balanced diet that provides all the necessary nutrients can improve overall health, which can positively impact the

While planning your diet, it is important to know what foods to avoid and what to include. Here is what you need to know while making a diet plan post an ACL surgery.

What Foods Should You Avoid After ACL Surgery?

After surgery, you want to heal as quickly as possible to resume your normal activities. Postoperative recovery and rehabilitation are very important aspects that determine the success of your surgery. Nutrition also plays a key role in your rehabilitation program, which aids in faster healing. Diet and nutrition promote faster healing, but certain foods in your diet can have a negative effect on your healing and recovery. They delay the healing process post-surgery. Following are some foods that need to be avoided after ACL surgery: 

• Caffeine
  • Caffeine, which is present in tea, coffee, and energy drinks, is a stimulant that can have negative effects on the healing process after a surgery or injury. Caffeine can cause dehydration, as it increases urine output and reduces fluid retention, which can lead to slow healing. Dehydration can impair the cells’ function in the healing process and delay tissue repair.
  • It is also a vasoconstrictor, which narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow. This reduction in blood flow can limit the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the affected area, which is essential for the healing process.
  • Moreover, caffeine can also increase stress hormones, such as cortisol, in the body. This can have a negative impact on the immune system and can slow down the healing process.
• Alcohol 
  • Alcohol consumption can suppress the immune system and reduce the body’s ability to fight off infections. This can increase the risk of post-operative infections and slow the healing process.
  • It is a blood thinner (that leads to thinning of the blood) so consuming alcohol can cause excessive bleeding after surgery.
  • Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a reduction in blood flow to the affected area. This can limit the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the affected area, which is essential for healing.
• Excess sugar
  • Sugar can cause an increase in inflammation in the body, which can slow down the healing process. Chronic inflammation can also impair the function of cells involved in tissue repair.
  • Excess sugar consumption can impair the function of the immune system, reducing its ability to fight off infections and promote healing.
  • Excessive sugar consumption can increase oxidative stress, which can cause damage to cells and tissues, impair the healing process, and increase the risk of complications.
• Excess salt
  • Salt can cause fluid retention, which can lead to swelling and impede the healing process. This can also increase the risk of blood clots, further slowing down the healing process.
  • Excessive salt consumption can increase blood pressure impairing blood flow to the affected area and slowing down the healing process.
  • It can also impair the function of the immune system, reducing its ability to fight off infections and promote healing.

The above foods may also add to the inflammation of the knee joint, leading to further damage and delayed healing. 

What foods are beneficial after ACL surgery?

A well-balanced and nutritious diet is crucial for proper tissue growth, repair, and speedy recovery. Recovery and rehabilitation measures after an ACL reconstruction surgery should be coupled with a healthy diet to improve your recovery rate. Consulting a nutritionist or dietician can help plan your diet during your recovery period.  Surgeons suggest that you start with clear liquids after the surgery and gradually progress to solid food day by day. Several foods can be beneficial after ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) surgery, including:

• Proteins
  • Protein is essential for tissue repair and healing,.
  • They reduce the risk of post-surgical infections.
  • Protein sources: soybean, spinach, beans, lentils, meat, egg, seafood, poultry.
• Calcium
  • Calcium is important for maintaining strong bones and can help promote healing after ACL surgery
  • Calcium sources: milk and other dairy products, spinach, and broccoli.
• Vitamin D
  • Vitamin D has anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation and promote healing after ACL surgery.
  • Vitamin D sources: sunlight, eggs, fish, fortified dairy products or breakfast cereals.
• Vitamin C
  • Vitamin C is an integral part of your immune system.
  • It has antioxidant (natural or artificial substances that help prevent damage to our body’s cells) properties.
  • Vitamin C is essential for the production of collagen, a protein critical for tissue repair and healing.
  • Vitamin C sources: citrus fruits, broccoli, bell peppers.
• Zinc
  • It helps collagen synthesis and protects bones and ligaments from injury or trauma.
  • Speeds up healing.
  • Zinc sources: meat, cereals, nuts.
• Omega 3
  • Omega 3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory (reduces inflammation) properties. Inflammation is the body’s natural defense against harmful substances.
  • This aids in preventing trauma to the bones and their surrounding structures like tendons, cartilage, and ligaments.
  • Omega 3 sources: walnuts, flax seeds.
• Fiber
  • Pain medications given after ACL reconstruction surgery may lead to constipation. 
  • Fiber-rich food prevents constipation due to its laxative property.
  • Fiber sources: apple, lentils, avocados.

One may note here, that maintaining a healthy weight post an ACL surgery is also important. It prevents additional strain on the knee and allows proper recovery. So make sure your diet does not make you lose control over your weight. 

Takeaway

Nutrition is the key component of your recovery program post-ACL reconstruction surgery. It aids in proper healing and reduces post-surgical complications. It helps nourish your body well and stimulates collagen production, which is crucial for functioning bones, tendons, ligaments, and cartilage. However, certain foods should be avoided in your diet to prevent the occurrence of any post-operative swelling or infection. Consult our expert panel of dieticians and nutritionists at Medfin to guide you better on a well-balanced and nutritious diet post-surgery

Disclaimer: 

The content on this site is the copyright of Medfin and is intended for informational and educational purposes only. This should not be considered as a substitute for medical and surgical expertise. Results from any treatments or surgeries are subjective to an individual patient and the type of procedure/ surgery performed. Please seek help from best doctor for ACL in Bangalore regarding any medical concerns. Medfin will not be responsible for any act or omission arising from the interpretation of the content present on this page.