Recovery


A Tibial Plateau fracture is really not much fun, but it helps if you are prepared and in many cases doctors will not prepare you properly for daily life after your injury. If I had to give you only one piece of Advice on Tibial Plateau eracture recovery it would be: be patient. And in the end, it’s not as bad as it looks.

Below is a more elaborate list of time-tested knowledge and information on different subjects related to your Tibial Plateau fracture. There are also separate sections for the different stages of recovery (from the menu above choose “1-8 weeks” etc.)

*Note: this website is not intended to provide medical advice. Your doctor is a much better source for medical advice.  This information is based on firsh-hand personal experience and research*

What to expect – overview

You will be leaving the hospital on crutches, usually with a hinged brace. For the first few weeks you will experience quite a few different uncomfortable symptoms but these all pass quickly. Natural symptoms include limited range of motion in your leg (in the knee and ankle joints) as well as pain, heat flashes, edema and stiffness Some of these will be caused by the fact that you are not completely mobile. Things will progress from here until in the end you are (in most cases) completely able to do your everyday activities, but it will take some time and hard work.

Time to recovery

Recovery from a Tibial Plateau fracture is different from person to person. It depends very much on the exact type and specifics of injury, your age, prior issues, level of physical activity, physiotherapy, nutrition and many other factors. Given all of these differences it is still quite safe to say that for most people, if you the injury was treated by surgery, you will still be in some kind of recovery for a complete year after your injury¹. In most cases it will be more than that, Improvement showing up to three years after. This sounds like a lot, and it is, but I can assure you that it does get better and that for most people after a few months your the injury will not prevent you from continuing with you daily life and you will be able to do all your daily activities to some extent including walking short distances, going out, meeting with friends, going to work etc.

Weight Bearing

For a period of about 6-8 weeks after the surgery you will be NWB (non-wait-baring), this means that you can not put any pressure on your knee and leg and will need to use a wheelchair, crutches or both. For some injuries it might take up to 12 weeks until allowed FWB(Full weight bearing). Depending on your doctor and your specific health condition you will be moving from NWB to PWB (Partial Weight bearing) or FWBAT (Full weight bearing as tolerated). This period of NWB will cause many mobility concerns and will affect your daily routine.

Mobility

You will be spending a few days in a hospital bed then progressing to a wheel chair and crutches, which you will be using for about 2 months, possibly followed by a single crutch and walking stick (see paragraph above – “weight bearing”). It could be up to 3 months on crutches, and up to 6 still using a walking stick (but usually much less). Also expect that initially you won’t be able to bend your knee much for a few weeks. This is called limited ROM (range-of-motion). Crutches are hard to use at first, and may be painful on the hands and shoulder, but don’t worry you will get used to them very quickly. And as a bonus you will develop very strong arm muscles. In some cases, overuse and pressure on your hands can cause secondary injuries to your wrists, arms or shoulders. If you are in pain from using crutches take it easy and use a wheelchair for a short while. You should also consider testing different types of crutches. Forearm crutches are usually more comfortable (then underarm) and come in ergonomic varieties. Today many advanced crutches also support ergonomic designs, anti-slip, and special features (link, link). Underarm crutches are usually safer then regular forearm crutches (link), but tend to be less comfortable, and don’t come with as many smart designs. Platform crutches might be good for people with a poor grip, but I haven’t tried them myself. Some crutches will also have shock absorbers to help your wrists and arms absorb shock (link).

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All this will require that you prepare for a period of partial mobility. Things you might be limited in doing include – walking up and down stairs, house jobs (cleaning, cooking, washing), carrying things from place to place (no free hands when using crutches), reaching high and low cabinets, showering. At first, you might also have trouble getting dressed and undressed but this will pass quickly. The best way to deal with this is have friends, partners & family help you with everyday chores and prepare the house as much as possible to make things easier. A few things you could do are:

  • Get a shower chair so that you are able to shower without bearing weight (link) and possibly also invest in some big bags or drycast or other cast covers (link) so that you can shower without taking your brace or cast off during the first few weeks.
  • Be very careful when using crutches in a wet surface because you could easily slip. Even more dangerous is if the crutches are wet and the floor is not. Make sure to dry the bottom of your crutches on a towel before leaving the shower.
  • If your crutches are very old and the tips are cracked, replace the tips with new rubber tips. The come very cheaply (link)
  • Use a gripper (link) to be able to reach those unreachable cabinets and to be able to grasp and retrieve items you would not be able to otherwise while on a wheel chair (link).
  • Make sure that someone prepares food and goes shopping for you. Other options include ordering in prepared food and ordering groceries online.
  • If your bed is on the second floor, Consider sleeping in a different room if you find it hard to get up the stairs. You can also climb stairs with crutches, or sitting down.
  • High and low cabinets are are hard to reach. Try moving things around so that they are easier to reach. Doors on low cabinets can also be unhinged to allow for easier access with a wheel chair. They can easily be put back on later.
  • More useful ideas can be found in the “logistics” section and “Tips & Tricks

Physiotherapy

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Physiotherapy is going to be a regular part of your life. The are several goals: increase ROM, increase muscle-mass, teach your musculoskeletal system to operate as before and increase your stability. It is very very important that you start physiotherapy as early as possible and keep at it until you are completely better. This is the one factor that will affect your recovery more then any other and it is completely up to you. I’ve written a complete section on physiotherapy alone. Usually you will be given exercises to perform from your physiotherapist. At the very beginning you will probably not be able to bend or straighten your knee at all. This can be quite frightening but don’t be alarmed. Initially exercises will aim to teach your neurological system to control the leg again. It might even only be hours before you will start to be able to bend your leg, or it could be a few days.  After this, during the NWB (not in all cases) period you will be performing gentle exercises to enhance your ROM, strengthen your muscles and reduce stiffness, sometimes using stretch bands(link). Exercises might be done at home or in a medical center. It is very important that during this stage you follow PT instructions and do the exercises as soon as possible and as much as possible. This will reduce stiffness, boost recovery and give you a better chance at developing good ROM. When you progress to WB, physiotherapy will include many exercises with weights and machinery with the aim of gaining stability and muscle and to exercise everyday activities like walking. I can not emphasize enough how important it is that you keep at it (even if it means you go to work less). To be able to do physiotherapy at home you can consider purchasing light ankle weights(link).  For more info and tips, have a look at the physiotherapy section.

Medical professional

Several medical professionals will be involved in your recovery process, including the radiologists, the OS (“operating surgeon”), Physiotherapist and sometimes others. You will be having regular checkups with them. It is very important that you make sure your OS is a good one, and that you consult with him on every question you have. Be curious and ask everything you want to know. Sometimes doctors will not be generous with information, make sure that you get your answers. You deserve them. Seek extra information in sites like this one (more sites in the further reading section). In many cases the PT and the OS will be discussing your condition either directly or passing notes through you. Make sure that they talk if they are not already talking, but remember that when they give contradicting advice – the opinion of the OS is always the one to go by. You might also want to consider getting a second opinion both before or after your surgery.

Diet

Bone healing requires quite a lot of nutritional help, especially during the first 3 months(This is when the bone is healing), so make sure to eat well, and consider supplementation. For your healing to progress well you need to make sure that you get a lot of Calories, Protein, Antioxidants and minerals. During the first few weeks of healing your body will consume about 2-3(!) times as many calories as normal. This is about 6000 calories per day, so no need to feel bad if you’re eating a lot and very hungry. It’s all going to healing.

Protein is an Important nutritional ingredient. By volume, roughly half of your bone is comprised of protein, and you will also need to get a lot of it to reduce muscle atrophy as much as possible. If you think you are not getting enough protein consider using protein powder to supplement your daily protein intake (link), or adding protein rich food to your diet (meat, eggs, milk products, nuts & seeds).

Minerals are very important for several reasons. By weight bone is about 70% minerals. These are the building blocks of your bones. The high need for minerals will mean you might no be getting enough of them, which can cause other problems. If you are depleted in magnesium for example this may cause muscle cramps which are not much fun during a Tibial Plateau fracture. Consider using a multi-vitamin(link) containing minerals during the recovery process just to be sure. Studies have shown a lower rate of complications in healing in people taking multi-vitamins (link). The most important minerals to consume are Zinc, Copper, Calcium and Silicon.

Vitamins are the catalysts for the process of healing and are also in high need during recovery.  Vitamins that play an important role in bone healing include: Vitamin C, Vitamin K, the Vitamin B-series. Be sure to eat a varied diet and Consider using a multi-vitamin for Vitamins and minerals (link).

Anti-Infalmmatory Nutrients help reduce inflammation and pain. Bone creates a lot of inflammation which causes pain.  Unfortunately it is not advisable to take NSAID (Non Steroidal anti-inflammatory Drugs) during the bone recovery process as these slow recovery. Natural Anti inflammatory agents that may work to reduce pain include Vitmain C, Omega-3 (link) and others.

There are many foods you should avoid. Some foods will interrupt normal absorption of nutrients and their consumption should be limited. Some of these are:

  • Salt or foods prepared with lots of salt
  • More than one cup of coffee or other caffeine beverages. If possible, avoid coffee altogether.
  • Sugar
  • Chocolate (because to caffeine content)
  • Soft drinks and carbonated beverages
  • Alcohol (it inhibits calcium absorption)
  • Caffeine (it increases rate of calcium loss and inhibits absorption)

Pain

Pain is an unpleasant but normal part of recovery. You will be experiencing different types of pain and discomfort throughout your recovery. Pain might be felt in different parts of the leg, and won’t neccesarily concentrate only around the knee. Most pain comes during the first few days and weeks after the surgery. Pain management is an important part of your recovery and you should not be in constant pain. You should use pain medication as advised by your OS or hospital medical staff. If you are unable to use the medication prescribed by your doctor or are more comfortable using a different type of pain medication remember that some types of painkillers should not be taken for long periods of time(read the label!), and that you should never take NSAID as pain-killer while the bone is still healing. These types of medications will postpone healing. Brands included in the NSAID group which you should not use include Aspirin, Motrin, Ibufen, diclofenac, naproxen and others. Don’t use these. Instead use what is recommended by your medical staff or another medication that is not a NSAID. In some case, mostly in the first days you might experience more severe pain that can be treated with stronger drugs. This is normal, but if you experience abnormally strong pain or other abnormal symptoms, get yourself evacuated to a medical center as this is usually nothing but could be a sign of a complication. Make that in the first few weeks you have a bottle or box of painkillers in your pocket so that it’s always handy. Remember – liquid pain medication usually act faster then the tablet equivalent of the same brand.

Staying at home/Mental Health

You might be staying at home a lot and will be quite immobile for a while. This can get affect your mood very much and can at some point get depressing, especially if you are used to being very active. There is no magic pill for this, choose a good book, and a good TV series and try to regularly talk to as many friends, family and close people as possible. The proximity of  friends and close ones is very important. You might also want to find a community of people who have suffered from Tibial Plateau fracture before who share your experiences and feelings. There are several such communities, and some of them they can be in the further reading section of this website. Also, try to do as much exercise as you possibly can. Even if this means exercising while sitting or lying down. This can give real boost to your mood. Another good Idea is to start watching a new TV-show you’ve never had time to watch, or subscribe to online video providers like netflix or amazon prime (link). If in need, consult a psychologist or mental health professional. It is quite normal to be affected by a prolonged period of immobility and recovery, and a psychologist will be able to help with this.

Physical Activity

You will eventually probably be able to do anything you were able to do before your injury. However, this might take a long time (1 or more year for some sports) and you might have to be careful when doing extreme sports. There is a limited amount of things that you may not be able to do exactly as before, for example some yoga postures will not be possible with limited ROM, but you can always work around these limitations by doing things slightly differently. Also, you might experience some pain which will be limiting. If you want to take up a fitness activity shortly after the injury bicycling and swimming are both good options which will also help with recovery. Upper body weight training might also be a good option but will not directly advance your recovery.

Work

You Might be dying to get back to work or could be in need for a vacation. Going back to work is something that very much depends on you and on your specific job and state of mind. Some people go back to work on crutches after 4 weeks (me, for example), while others might wait a whole 6 months.  There is a good side to going back to work (aside from money) since you will be interacting with people all day long and will not be bored. The important thing to remember is that you must avoid overworking and stressing yourself out. When you go to work it is important that you leave enough time and mental energy to be able to do your physiotherapy as much as you need, to rest, to relax and to visit your medical professional. This will allow your body to recover. You might be tempted to sacrifice your physio for your career. Don’t do that. Your career will still be there when you recover, the condition of  your leg is something you will be living with forever.

Sex

There is no physical limitation from having sex as soon as the initial pain has subsided, but this injury can affect your sex life, something which you will not find a lot of information about and your doctor might not tell you. Decreased mobility in one leg and one leg which is half the strength of the other can naturally affect sex. This gets better as your leg heals and strengthens, and you will need to ask your partner to be patient as you progress through the recovery process.

On a good note

Tibial plateau Recovery takes a long time but at the end of the process you are looking at excellent recovery and usually a fully functional life.  Moreover, trying to find the good embedded in the bad, this injury can help you put things in perspective and appreciate all the things you have in life: friends, family, health, a loving spouse. It gives you an opportunity to stop and think about what matters most.

2,212 thoughts on “Recovery

  1. Thanks for sharing so much important information as this information is very helpful for every person who is suffering from the trauma of TF .
    I got operated on 26.12.15 & now this time is recovery time n all the information provided by you will be very useful for me to recover.
    Thanks again ,
    Regards
    Nalin bansal

  2. Thank you for making this website, you have helped me a ton! Im 17 and got mt TPF when a log truck pulled out in front of me the day before thanksgiving. I started to feel depressed, as i was not able to go to school or anything but the doctors. Your diet portion was especially helpful. I lost my appetite completely after the accident, but i still forced myself to eat a little. Thank you, and have a merry christmas!

  3. Christmas will be a bit different this year! Just thankful I didn’t break my neck falling down a flight of stairs onto a concrete pad – bad enough with TPF and torn ligaments, crushed coccyx, #9 and 10 broken ribs, bruised kidney – this happened 29/11 and just now going home as I’m also suffering from post-concussion syndrome, mild TBI. It’s frightening to think a mis-step at home can cause such severe injuries. I was lucky my husband was at home – now recovery at home – quite difficult physical adjustments using wheelchair and walker makes me realize how much I’ve taken mobility for granted.

    • Oh poor you ,how to fall down on style ! Try to stay positive and have a Happy Christmas , good excuse to be pampered and let someone else do the cooking .

  4. Hi thank you for you kind comments. I wrote my message when under extreme shock and being GIDDY – laughing and very little pain. then the next morning -oh my – and the gp had not written orders for intravenous morphine etc…muscle only. and she knew that I have an extreme tolerance to narcotics do my other conditions – took over an hour of screaming 12/10 pain – kept telling me to calm down -yep you try that – tears running down my face.. so a rough dat getting things under control -pain wouls come down to 6 then go up again…. but this afternoon was better and I feel a little opptomistic now. My sister lives with me – so isn;t completely well herself with low energy but is stepping up to the task and already clearing hallways for mobility routes. must email my specialist on some meds that they have changed here before I nodd off – will check out more later – have ordered the egg for breakfast to start protein at every meal – Melanie

  5. 1 week out of surgery for tbf and dealing with all the changes and pain right now so I’m trying to understand more what exactly I’m up against. This article is very helpful and truly appreciated.

  6. Awesome info. Currently in the ER waiting on surgery with screws and plates tomorrow. Now I know why everyone is saying they are sorry for me and have that look of knowing…..I have chronic systemic sarcodosis already and just diagnosed with Adrenal insufficiency. .hence no balance and a fall downstairs. Will check out the rest of your web. Many thanks. Melanie

    • Hang in there Melanie. Do you have someone at home to help you? I am 1 week out and if my husband was not home to help, I don’t know what I would have done.

  7. Motocross crashes are always bad…suffered broken tibia in march after crashing my evo bike. Bones healed (9screws) but its long way for knee now. Torn ligaments and damaged soft tisues….
    You’ll be ok, just stay positive!

  8. Today marks a month since my accident. I was involved in a dirt bike accident where I was thrown off. I landed on my knee which caused 3 fractures and damage to my knee. I was transported to 1 hospital but because it was trauma had 2 be taken to a different hospital who specializes in tramua. Cant wait for that bill. Ive spent 8 days in the hospital with 3 surgeries. I have 3 incisions with 83 stitches about 18 screws I believe. The pain is the worse. I have started therapy but there’s not much I can do because of weight restrictions. Reading these other post helps because I have no one who knows how I feel. I have a week to wait on stitches to be removed then I’ll be able to do more in therapy.
    Looking forward to better days. Happy healing guys!

    • I am a bit over 10 weeks and will be going back to work in Jan. My accident was a motorcycle accident. I was a passenger and we got caught in the soft shoulder of the road while pulling out of our driveway and the bike fell over. My leg lost that battle!
      There is a Facebook site called Tibial Plateau Fracture Recovery and it is very active with tPF sufferers from all over the world. I recommend you look into that. Also, the next few weeks will be really hard, but there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Hang in there!

  9. 3 days out of surgery for TPF. Plate, 9 screws and cadaver bone. Want to know everything I can to recover and verify doctors advice. Vitamins, exercises, pain management. Any tips/best practice advice appreciated. Getting discharged from hospital today.

    • It’s the first anniversary of my accident: hit by a car, depressed tibial plateau fracture, four breaks in pelvis and a bashed head. The crutches, toilet frame, shower chair etc. have all gone. Sleeping is better. I can bend to 100 degrees. I’m almost limp free and hope to ditch the walking stick eventually. There are still a lot of things I can’t do around the house and garden but on the whole I guess I’m celebrating. I still consider myself to be in the recovery phase and will keep up the physio (private in UK) as long as necessary, so my message is, keep working at it, allow yourself some bad days but tick off all the little improvements so you can see progress. My current goal is to come down stairs on alternating feet, not like a toddler. Thanks to all on this site for great advice and support.

      • I am 6 months post op. Still on 2 crutches and had another fall 4 weeks ago and sprained my ankle on the bad leg. I have got a full range of movement now and am havin 2 to 3 physio sessions a week plus one to one yoga. I went back to work 6 weeks after the op. I have some very low days with frustration although I know I am on the mend. It’s very frustrating and no one seems to understand. You have to totally rely on people for everything. I am 56 and usually very active can’t sit down type of person

    • I had my TPF on 7/4/2015 and surgery for plate, screws and bone graft a month later. I broke my wrist in the same accident so I couldn’t use crutches until that healed. From reading the posts on this site I’d say remember everybody’s different and not all fractures are the same. Mine was a type V. I took vitamins and calcium from the start but 12 weeks after surgery my fracture wasn’t healed so now I have a bone stim device that I wear 10 hours a day. I’m still using crutches. My best suggestion is to find a really good physical therapist when your doctor says you can start therapy, probably 2 weeks after surgery, and take the pain meds. If therapy isn’t painful they may not be doing enough or pushing you hard enough. Anyway that’s been my experience. Best of luck!

      • NO a knee scooter will not encourage you to use your muscles correctly.Essential for good recovery .Likewise a push along ,not ggod for posture except as a last resort.

  10. I fell down the stairs missing three steps and fractured my left ankle and my left tibia fracture and i had surgery four days laterand I have been instructed by my doctor not to bear weight on the leg. My first appointment to go back to the doctor on 12/10/2015 and I am wondering how long will it be before I recover to be able to walk. How mcuh therapy or what is the next few steps am I looking forward to? I have only been down for almost 3 weeks and i just need some more advice on the recovering process, Thank you for taking the time to respond to my concern about getting well. And will it be normal or do you have any kind of complications after you can start walking?

    • Tamela, it will take 6-8 weeks following surgery for a Tibia fracture. Do exactly what the Doctor tells you to do. Did they do a fixation on your Tiba. Some people walk with a limp after they are released to bear weight. It’s along recovery my surgeon told me it takes a year or two to fully recover. Hope this helps.

    • Do try to find a physio ,it was a physio who pointed out to me that my foot and knee were misaligned ,I have never limped thanks to a good physio .They will lso give tou exercises to strenghten tou muscles without hurting your back in the process .Try to think of you accident as a prelude to a working holiday ,relax and work at getting better !

    • I shattered my Right Tibia at my knee (Tibia Plateau) Sept 12, 2015. I started weight bearing at 25% about 4 weeks ago and just starting to go to about 75% weight bearing this week with crutches. It is very slow going and painful. It is hard to explain how weird it feels. Like a giant cramp in my muscles of lower leg. Not sure this is normal. Calling the Doctor tomorrow since I have read it could mean blood clots. Also some tightness in the knee which I would think was expected. I am bending my knee at about 95 degree angle which is encouraging. So bottom line is at 3 months out now I feel like I still have a good ways to go but at least I am more mobile now. Best of luck to you.

    • Thebones heal and are weight bearing in 8-9 weeks then the rehab to motion again is key .things are still tender but there is light at end of tunnel

  11. My advice 18 months on ,is to find a good physio who you trust and stick with them BUT make sure they really understand your problems and a sports physio doctor is even better ,hard to find but they do exist .A large centre with all the latest technology will pin point where your weaknesses are ,for me it as the quadriceps which were still not 100% and not “pulling their weight ” so to speak .I aim to be running again by next spring 20 months after my accident .

  12. Hi, A bad dismount from my horse resulted in a tpf for me. That was on Oct 6. Surgery followed a week later. It entailed a plate and five screws. Along with the tpf I had a vertical fracture of the tibia. So I am now about six weeks out from the original incident. NWB at all. However, except for a velcro wrap that immobilized my leg, I have had nothing on my leg. I am confined to a chair with a walker for transfers and a wheelchair. I have been doing rehab since two weeks out from surgery. See the doctor later this week and have my fingers crossed I can begin WB. I just want to get up and get back to my life.

    My husband has been an absolute saint through all this. I know I am one of the lucky ones. Even with him, this has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. My doctor said I would be able to go back to riding. It may take a bit however patience is not my strongest virtue.

    Thank you for this site. It has been helpful.

    • DJ,
      We are twins! I emergency dismounted from a rearing horse badly on 10/10, with a plate, graft and 5 screws on 10/20!

      I am also completely impatient and just want to get back on my horse (but need to learn to walk first)! You should joint the Facebook group. Tibial Plateu fracture recovery.

      • I also had a depressed TPF requiring a plate and five screws after an emergency dismount from a young horse, back in Dec. 2010. I’ve been back in the saddle since, and also am training for a Century ride for my fiftieth b-day. Listen to your knee and work hard to rebuild the supporting muscles. I hiked all over Scotland for a year, and made it up some pretty steep mountainsides. Can be done, not always easy. Running is still out for me, and sometimes, if I overdo it, I will pay.

    • I was thrown from my horse November 1st. I broke my tibia plateau in three places (rt. Leg) and have a huge hemotoma on my left upper leg and hip. It is very painful. I am on nwb. I am using crutches and a wheelchair. Four weeks ago I was hospilized for 5 days with a blood clot. I will be on blood thinners for 6 months. I was not able to take but a couple days off of work. I crawl up and down 22 steps on my butt to get to the office. I try to clean and do things I probably shouldn’t do, but I have no real help. I learned how to drive our small pick up truck using crutches. I had no choice but to give my horse away to a new home, after loving him for 6 and a half years. He will be leaving xmas eve. My marriage is falling apart. Hopefully you all have a better outcome than I am having. At least this site is truthful and I now know it will be at least a year of hell if I even heal at all.

  13. Hi, I had a plate with pins and a broken pelvis (Dec 14) and sleeping was a problem for months. I tried wedges and a selection of pillows at my back, plus cushions around my legs and a cradle to keep off the weight of the duvet. I thought I’d never sleep normally again, My leg still wakens me up during the night, but I’m down to one cushion now to ease my leg when I lie on my side. There’s no easy solution. Just take it one day/night at a time and be confident things will get better gradually and as the discomfort reduces, the quality of sleep improves.

  14. I FELL ON STAIRS IN MAY WENT FOR SURGERY HAD LLIZOLOV FRAME BECAUSE OF TIBIAL PLATEAU FRUCTURE ON LEFT LEG FOR 3MTHS. LLIZOLOV WAS TAKEN OFF AFTER 3 MTHS AND I WAD DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL. WITH GUTTER FRAMES. I WAS UNDER THE RESPONSE TEAM FOR 5 WEEKS AND WAS HANDED OVER TO A COMMUNITY HODPITAL WHERE I AM WAITING TO BE SEEN BY PHYSIOS AFTER 7 OR 8 WEEKS. IN THE MEANTIME CAN I HABE SOME GUIDANCE REGARDING EXERCISES. I AM DOING EXERCISES GIVEN BY RESPONSE TEAM..IM.DOING VERY WELL. PLIZ I NEED HELP AND GUIDANCE REGARDING WHAT EXERCISES I CAN DO AT 20 WEEKS.MANY THANKS.

  15. For heaven’s sake, I’m at 12 months in early November and I still don’t have a straight knee and am still in pain (TPF type VI with addl breaks). I don’t know why some MDs want to push things and under medicate WHEN it’s called for.
    Re: straight knee, it takes time. Can you get a second PT opinion?? I’m almost straight now but enough for a limp.
    With the pain, can you go to a pain mgmt specialist? I started going in my 10th month and my condition is very different but they have decreased the pain substantially using various medical blocks. There are also pain mgmt places that are holistic and can help with acupuncture/acupressure, meditation, massage in addition to traditional medicine.

    Most important for your sanity – it’s hasn’t even been 3 months. I don’t know all of your specifics but it seems pretty early. Your mindset and emotional health are just as important – try to keep any non-supportive/encouraging people at bay. I felt like I was on a conveyer belt with my surgeon. They NEVER got the pain meds correct – go to your primary care MD (if in the States). They know you much better and what your pain tolerance is. I went as soon as I was discharged from hospital as it was clear that nobody had a clue.

    Good luck, keep up the good work, surround yourself with supportive medical personnel and you’ll get there when your body is ready!

    • Since a lot of the correspondence seems to be from the USA I thought I would add my comments from England. I am 62 years old and was pretty fit before the accident.

      I had a “bumper break” or in American,”fender fracture”, in June when hit by a car on a pedestrian crossing resulting in a TBF and needing extensive surgery to rebuild my knee.

      The surgery and follow-up care by the hospital’s orthopaedic department was excellent for a while and progress made to WB. This came to an abrupt end when I was informed that there was nothing more to be done as this department is a Fracture Clinic and we have dealt with your fracture.

      I was given three appointments of NHS physiotherapy and when I could walk unaided for approx. 20 yards (indoors on a flat surface) was discharged completely into the care of my local General Practitioner who’s role up until then had been merely to supply painkillers in line with the hospital’s instructions.

      They promptly changed the combination of tablets which did not work and put me in agony for 5 days until I managed to convince them to reverse their decision.

      Feeling somewhat peeved, I spoke to my solicitor who is handling the compensation claim.
      He contacted the driver’s insurance company who reacted very quickly offering intense physiotherapy with a specialist private physio and I am pleased to say that I am making fantastic progress with their combination of a tough exercise regime and heat treatment.

      I can therefore relate to the roller coaster experiences which so often are the common thread running through many of the comments on this site.

      My advice for what it is worth is also a common thread – stick at it, don’t give up, push those who are treating you (one way or another they are being paid to help you).

      Good Luck everyone and a Happy Festive Season! (A bit early but what the heck).

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