Recovery from a mild to moderate sprain following a knee hyperextension injury can take 2 to 4 weeks. It’s important during this time to limit activities that can further strain the knee and to continue to manage swelling and pain.
Surgical reconstruction of an injured ligament often leads to full recovery and return to function in a high percentage of cases. It’s considered the gold standard for ACL injuries but often brings with it a long recovery time of 6 months or more.
Physical therapy is necessary to increase strength and rehabilitate the knee and surrounding muscles to pre-injury condition and can help reduce recovery time.