ACL Reconstruction Surgery Abroad
Waiting months - sometimes longer - for knee surgery can feel unbearable when every step, twist, or unexpected wobble reminds you that your joint isn’t stable.
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What happens, step by step
Pre-Surgery Consultation
- You’ll meet your orthopaedic surgeon and anaesthetist to plan your procedure.
- General anaesthetic is typically used, so you’ll be fully asleep and pain-free.
Keyhole Surgery Begins
- The surgeon makes 2–3 tiny incisions to insert a miniature camera (arthroscope) and surgical tools.
- This minimally invasive approach reduces scarring and speeds up healing.
- Damaged ACL tissue is cleared in preparation for the new graft.
Graft Selection and Tunnel Placement
- A strong tendon graft is taken from your hamstring or patella (or occasionally from a donor).
- Small tunnels are drilled into the femur and tibia to anchor the new ligament in the right anatomical position.
Graft Fixation and Closure
- The graft is threaded through the bone tunnels and fixed securely using bio-compatible screws or buttons.
- The incisions are closed with sutures or strips and covered with a sterile dressing.
- Ask for written documentation of the procedure and the graft used.
Recovery and Mobilisation
- Most patients stay one night in hospital and start physio within 24 hours.
- You’ll begin walking with crutches, with a tailored rehab plan to rebuild strength and stability over the coming weeks.
ACL tears are common in fast-pivoting sports such as football, rugby and skiing, where sudden stops or awkward landings put immense strain on the knee. The sooner the ligament is repaired, the better the chances of a confident return to sport - and everyday life - without chronic pain or recurrent giving-way episodes.
Some UK patients look at ACL reconstruction surgery abroad, most often in Poland, Latvia and Turkey. Prices are usually below UK private fees and dates are often available within weeks. Standards vary between clinics, so this guide also covers what to check before you book.
ACL Surgery Cost Comparison: UK vs Europe
Private ACL reconstruction in the UK typically costs £7 000 – £10 000, with some London hospitals quoting guide prices above £8 000 once consultation and imaging are added. By contrast, clinics in Poland, Latvia and Turkey commonly quote packages of around £3 000 – £5 700, including flights and hotel, because of lower operating costs and exchange rates.
Occasionally, UK residents may apply for S2 funding, which lets the NHS pay for pre-authorised treatment in an EU state hospital when UK waiting-times would cause “undue delay”. The scheme doesn’t cover private clinics, and approval must be secured before you travel, but it can reduce out-of-pocket costs for eligible patients.
For a detailed breakdown of current prices, flight costs and what’s included in each package, read our blog ACL Reconstruction Cost: UK vs Europe.
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What Recovery Looks Like After ACL Reconstruction
Recovery begins right away - carefully, and with the right support in place.
- Week 1 – 2 | Settle swelling & protect the graft – Expect bruising and stiffness. Use ice, elevation and prescribed analgesia, practise ankle-pumps and gentle heel-slides to regain 0° extension and about 90° flexion. You’ll mobilise partial-weight-bearing on crutches and keep the leg raised whenever you rest.
- Week 3 – 6 | Walk unaided & restore range – Once you can straight-leg-raise confidently, crutches are usually retired around week 3. Physio now targets full extension, ≥120° flexion, proprioception drills and low-impact cardio such as static cycling or pool work.
- Week 6 – 12 | Build strength & low-impact cardio – The graft is still bonding to the bone, so avoid twisting motions. Progressive resistance (leg press, bridges, 0–60° squats) plus balance-board work strengthen quads and hamstrings; straight-line jogging can begin near the three-month mark once single-leg control tests are passed.
- Months 3 – 6 | Jogging & sport-specific drills – Rehab intensifies with plyometrics, agility ladders and change-of-direction patterns. Many patients resume light, non-contact sport between four and six months, but clearance depends on strength symmetry and hop-test scores - not the calendar alone.
- Months 6 – 12 | Return to full contact sport – Meeting objective criteria (≤10 % strength deficit, balanced hop tests, psychological readiness) and waiting at least nine months cuts the risk of a second ACL injury by up to seven-fold compared with an earlier comeback. When you tick every box, high-impact competition is back on the menu.
Timings are averages; your surgeon and physiotherapist will tailor milestones to your graft type and overall health.
Before you travel, ask the clinic whether it offers:
- On-site physiotherapy while you are still in hospital (see our guide to knee replacement exercises for the kind of work involved)
- Hotel-based rehab after discharge, and what it costs
- Video follow-up check-ins once you are home
Every recovery is different, so agree a written rehab plan before you go and arrange physiotherapy in the UK for your return.
Where Do UK Patients Go for ACL Reconstruction?
ACL reconstruction is usually done by orthopaedic surgeons who specialise in ligament surgery, including ACL, PCL and MCL repairs, using arthroscopic (keyhole) techniques. Places UK patients often consider include:
Riga, Latvia
Private orthopaedic hospitals, some with MRI and diagnostics on site. There are direct flights from London, Manchester and Edinburgh.
Lower Silesia, Poland
Private hospitals in the Wrocław region, including towns such as Jelenia Góra in the foothills of the Karkonosze mountains. Flights to Wrocław take just over 2 hours from the UK, and Jelenia Góra is about 90 minutes by road from the airport.
Southern Poland, near Kraków
Clinics in and around Kraków and the Tatra mountains, including Nowy Targ, some of which focus on ligament surgery for active people and skiers. Kraków airport has flights from several UK cities.
Hospitals in the same region can differ a great deal, so check the individual clinic and surgeon rather than the country. You can browse clinics by country.
Is ACL Surgery Overseas Safe?
In an accredited hospital with an experienced knee surgeon, ACL surgery abroad can be as safe as in the UK. Whether a particular clinic meets that standard is something to check, not assume.
- Complication rates – Large international registries put post-operative infection after ACL reconstruction at ≈ 0.4 – 0.6 %, and some European sports-injury units report 0.2 – 0.5 %, compared with a 0.75 % wound-complication rate recorded across the English NHS. Ask any clinic for its own figures.
- Standards and oversight – Hospitals in the EU operate under EU rules, including Directive 2011/24/EU on cross-border healthcare. Check the hospital's entry on its country's official register, and whether it holds the ISO 9001 or other accreditation it claims.
- Surgeon volume – Ask how many ACL, PCL and multi-ligament reconstructions the surgeon does each year, and check them on their professional register.
Questions to ask about support
- Who is your contact from booking to the flight home, and who handles transfers and paperwork?
- When does physiotherapy start, and is there video follow-up once you are back in the UK?
- Will you have a private room and English-speaking staff, and can a companion stay nearby?
Thera Travel never recommends a clinic. If you are considering a particular hospital, check what the official records say about it, free.
Can I Pay With Finance?
Some third-party lenders specialise in medical travel finance, and some clinics offer payment plans. Thera Travel does not arrange finance, so compare the terms carefully.
What’s Included In The Price?
Many clinics quote a package that covers everything except flights, but check. Ask for an itemised quote in writing that shows what is included and what could be charged on top.
How Quickly Can You Be Treated?
Clinics abroad can usually offer a date within 2 to 3 weeks, though this varies by clinic and surgeon.
How to Check a Clinic Before You Book
Five checks to make before you pay a deposit:
- Check the register – Find the hospital on its country's official register, under the legal name shown on the quote.
- Check the surgeon – Get their name in writing and look them up on their professional register.
- Read the reviews – Include the low-rated ones, and make sure the Google listing is the actual hospital.
- Get the quote itemised – In writing, showing what is included (surgery, hotel, transfers, physio) and what is not.
- Plan for problems – Ask what happens if something goes wrong once you are home.
At many clinics, physiotherapy starts the morning after surgery, most patients are discharged after one night, and surgeons typically clear you to fly home 3 to 4 days after the operation. For more, see the 15 questions to ask a clinic.
Related Guides
- ACL Reconstruction Cost in Poland: What UK Patients Actually Pay in 2026
- Cost of ACL Reconstruction in Poland vs UK Private: Get Back in the Game
- Poland vs Latvia for ACL Surgery: The Sports Medicine Showdown
- Latvia vs UK Private for ACL Reconstruction: Get Back to Sport
What it costs: ACL reconstruction cost in the UK
Clinics UK patients look at
The four with the most Google reviews among the orthopaedic clinics we hold. Each has a free page with its records.
Apollo Hospitals, Greams Road, Chennai
KIMS-Sunshine Hospitals, Begumpet
Yashoda Hospitals, Somajiguda
Yashoda Hospitals, Malakpet