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How much is ACL surgery?

Author

James Craig

Published Jan 06, 2026

It will cost approximately $20,000 to $50,000 to pay for the surgeon fee, facility fee, anesthesia and graft. Additional costs include medical equipment such as knee braces and crutches which will add an extra $500. Physical therapy adds a cost of $1,000.

How much does it cost to repair a ACL?

Typical costs: For patients not covered by health insurance, the cost of ACL reconstruction, including the surgeon's fee, facility fee, anesthesia and graft, if needed, ranges from just under $20,000 to $50,000. ACL reconstruction usually would be considered medically necessary and covered by health insurance.

What is the cost of knee ACL surgery?

What is the ACL Ligament Surgery Cost in India? ACL Ligament Reconstruction Surgery Cost in India is between 2.5 lakh to 3.5 lakh. But its depends on implants.

Is ACL surgery a major surgery?

ACL reconstruction surgery can help restore range of motion, function and stability to the knee joint after an ACL injury. ACL reconstruction surgery is a common but major surgery with risks, like any other surgery.

How painful is a ACL surgery?

Most people have some surgery-related pain and discomfort for the first week or so. Not surprisingly, pain decreases with time. By the end of a week or two at the most, you should have very little discomfort. Swelling and bruising are also relatively common, and like discomfort, they're temporary.

32 related questions found

How Long Does ACL repair last?

The surgery usually takes 2 to 2½ hours, and you won't need to stay in the hospital overnight. To do the reconstruction, the surgeon will drill bone tunnels into the tibia and the femur, remove the torn ligament, then place the ACL graft in about the same position.

Can an ACL heal on its own?

We consider non-surgical treatments first, but if the tear is complete and the knee is unstable, or the knee doesn't heal with non-surgical treatment, surgery may be necessary. The ACL cannot heal on its own because there is no blood supply to this ligament.

How long does an ACL tear take to heal without surgery?

Non-surgical Treatment

The time it takes to recover is approximately 3 months.

Do you have to pay for ACL surgery?

Costly surgery and health outcomes

The average cost of an ACL reconstruction, including hospital fees, is $8,364. On the top the financial expense, rehabilitation and recovery times can be long, and the injury puts people at greatly increased risk of osteoarthritis in later life.

How Long Does ACL surgery take?

The procedure usually takes less than two hours. It will require an incision to remove a tendon if you are undergoing an autograft, in which a tendon from another part of your body is inserted in your knee.

How do they repair ACL?

Most often, surgeons recommend ACL reconstruction after it tears. For this procedure, the surgeon will remove the damaged ligament and replace it with a new one, called a “graft,” which can be made of tissue from the patient's own kneecap tendons or hamstrings—or from a deceased donor.

How long is recovery from knee ligament surgery?

Recovering from surgery

After having reconstructive ACL surgery, a few people may still experience knee pain or instability. Recovering from surgery usually takes around 6 months, but it could be up to a year before you're able to return to full training for your sport.

How serious is a ACL tear?

One of the most feared sports and work injuries is a tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), which has ended or derailed the careers of numerous high-profile athletes. A torn ACL is very painful and can debilitate a person for several months and perhaps for life, although recovery for some is possible.

Can I live with a torn ACL?

Can I live a normal life with an ACL tear? Yes, but it may take some time before you're completely back to how you were before the injury. Whether you choose to have surgery or not, with physical therapy you will eventually be back to normal and able to live your life.

Can you walk with a torn ACL?

With ACL tears, walking is possible but can be painful. The patient should be able to walk in a straight line but will be unable to make sudden turns or pivot. A knee brace can help stabilize the knee, but with ACL tears, surgery is almost always required.

What happens if you don't repair a torn ACL?

If nothing is done, the ACL injury may turn into chronic ACL deficiency. Your knee may become more and more unstable and may give out more often. The abnormal sliding within the knee also can hurt cartilage. It can trap and damage the menisci in the knee and can also lead to early osteoarthritis.

What does a partially torn ACL feel like?

A loud pop or a "popping" sensation in the knee. Severe pain and inability to continue activity. Rapid swelling. Loss of range of motion.

Can you straighten your leg with a torn ACL?

When you've torn your ACL you will lose a range of motion. Try bending your knee and then straightening it out. If you can't bend your knee to a 90 degree angle or straighten out your leg because of pain, stiffness and swelling, then it is likely that you've torn your ACL.

What is Grade 3 ACL tear?

Grade 3. Grade 3 ACL tears happen when the ACL is torn completely in half and is no longer providing any stability to the knee joint.

How do you know if ACL is torn on MRI?

ACL tear may only involve one bundle. Imaging signs of isolated posterolateral bundle tear are as follows: gap sign: fluid signal and/or a gap between the medial aspect of the lateral femoral condyle and the lateral aspect of the mid-ACL, can be seen on either axial or coronal MRI images.

Why does the ACL tear so easily?

The ACL tears more often than any other ligament—there may be as many as 200,000 ACL injuries per year in the United States—because of the lack of muscle support for twisting or rotational movements around the joint.

Is ACL surgery a permanent fix?

"ACL reconstruction is fairly effective, but some people don't ever fully recover," said study co-author Matt Seeley, associate professor of exercise sciences at BYU. "The way you move is related to the outcome of your ACL surgery."

Will my knee ever be the same after ACL surgery?

Long-term results after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery aren't always perfect. But for the majority of patients, the outcome is favorable and patients are happy with the results.

Does age affect ACL recovery?

Impact of age and ACL surgery options

Recent studies have shown that ACL outcomes in younger, more active patients are more successful when their surgeon uses the patient's own tissue—and not a cadaver graft—to reconstruct the ACL. “There is always a risk that a graft will fail following reconstructive surgery,” Dr.