Use of the splint in everyday life | Splint for treatment of anterior cruciate ligament rupture

Use of the splint in everyday life

Even though the splint on the knee can be annoying, it should be worn without fail, since adequate healing depends on it. The splint should always be worn during the first four weeks. This also means at night while sleeping. Since unconscious movements or the blinding out of the knee problem could also provoke a tearing out of the operation site. In the following weeks it is sufficient to wear the splint during the day.

Sports and Activity

While some sports, such as cycling, may be resumed after only one month or swimming after two months, sports involving rapid movement and/or physical contact should not be resumed until after 9-12 months. In general, the splint should be worn during sports and other activities that put strain on the knee. This may also mean that it must be worn during work. In general, this should always be done in consultation with the treating doctor.

Driving a car to Kreuzbandriss

A very frequently asked question is whether it is allowed to drive a car with a rail on the knee. In general, there are no laws that speak against it. In individual cases, however, the attending physician and the insurance company should be consulted to determine the extent to which there are reasons against it. For the healing process it is in any case elementary important that the splint is also worn when driving a car, so that when the leg is pulled away or similar, there is no excessive flexion that is potentially dangerous for healing.

Motor or CPM rail

CPM is the abbreviation for “Continuous Passive Motion”. This is a splint that is driven by a small electric motor and can help the patient to support the healing process through passive movements. The patient’s affected leg is fixed in the splint.

By switching on the small motor of the splint, a continuous passive flexion and extension of the knee takes place, similar to the movement pattern during cycling. The enormous advantage of this splint is that, depending on the course of healing, any relevant range of motion to be practiced on the patient can be adjusted. This allows the knee to be moved much more frequently without the need for a physiotherapist to be present at all times and without the risk of the patient making excessive movements due to lack of supervision, which would delay the healing process.