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. Hi Barbara,
    I truly believe that the pain I’m having is from overuse, the metal or both. I clearly feel the plate and at times one of the screws. My leg is almost always swollen. That said, I’m type A+, haha and am not one to sit still. I walk my dogs for 10-15 minutes twice a day, weight lift an hour, two days a week and do Bikram yoga on the remaining five days. I also have a lot of stairs in my house. By the end of each day, I’m fully limping. I’ll see what my doctor advises. I definitely want the metal taken out but just wonder if my leg is still too traumatized to handle another surgery. I appreciate your feedback but also wanted to thank you on behalf of others you’ve responded to. Very kind of you to go to such lengths to help others. I’ll continue to do the same.

    • Hi Jen – WOW!! You are doing amazing things from the time that you were first operated. It’s 5 months, correct? I would say that to be fully limping in the evening, after what you have done in a day, is normal. I am six months post-op and am able to walk our dog 3x a day. I have two flights of stairs in my home that I go up and down many times. I am also going to the store everyday and shopping and am able to lift packages very well. A few times a week, I do strengthening exercises with weights. I also feel the plate at times and possibly one of the screws (the one under my knee) but I am not 100% certain that that pain is from the screw. My doctor gave me an anti-inflammatory to take, which works wonders. Are you taking anything for the swelling? Thank you for the compliment about helping others; I feel blessed to have found this website. So many questions that I had/have are answered here. Keep me posted on your recovery.

  2. From what I understand, it is up to you and your surgeon whether or not you want to have it removed. I have heard from my physical therapists and from researching on the Internet that there are more pros than cons to having the hardware removed. It is something that you should discuss with your surgeon. The removal surgery is much simpler than the first surgery. It is same-day surgery and you can walk on the leg that day. Your leg will be sore from the stitches and I am sure that there is a recovery period but nothing at all like the first surgery. Personally, I would rather not have metal and screws in my leg that are no longer needed so I am opting to have them removed. I, too, had a regional block (spinal) the first time around. I don’t know what form of anesthetic they will be using this time. I will let you know how my surgery goes. Good luck to you!

  3. I sure hope it goes by fast. Why do they take out the metal plate? Do they do that to everyone? I hope not, I was so scared to be put to sleep for my surgery I had a spinal needle but I was so drugged up didn’t notice anything! Lol…

  4. Hi Jen, I will definitely keep you posted with respect to everything. Yes, infection can occur but it can occur with any type of surgery. That is a risk that we all take when deciding upon whether or not to have surgery. I think that my decision to have the hardware removed is based upon a few things – surgeon’s recommendation, physical therapists’ information and recommendation, what I have read about removal of the hardware on the Internet, and my comfort. Everything that I have read and everything that the surgeon, physician’s assistant and physical therapists have told me is that I will be more comfortable with the hardware removed so I am going to do it.
    I am sorry that you are experiencing pain in your leg. Do you think that it is due to lack of strength? The strength takes awhile to come back and it is something that we all have to work on daily for the rest of our lives. Good luck with the doctor visit and please keep me posted with your progress.

  5. I just had a surgery last week for a tibial plateau fracture. I have arthritis since the age of 9 and I am 39 so I am finding this really difficult to go through. I came upon this website while I was in the hospital and it is so usefull. Thanks a lot for creating this. Its really reassuring and reading the forum with people that are going through the same thing really helps! ❤️ I just hope now 8 weeks go by fast! ????

    • Hi Sylvie, the 8 weeks will fly by. Just follow your doctor’s instructions and do your physical therapy exercises, eat well, and rest. Catch up on tv shows, movies, reading, etc. I took cat-naps twice a day. I was exhausted! I am 6 months post-op and am walking just about normally now. Have some swelling but that is being controlled by an anti-inflammatory. Will have the metal plate and screws removed within the next few weeks. Looking forward to finally going back to work. Good luck and, yes, this is a wonderful website. Thank you Shlomi!

  6. Wow…nice one I love these and it jst relief me from thinking cos am still in pains on my shin fracture and this is d third month and plsss what are the causes of d pains after d casting might av been removed???

  7. Thank you for responding. I had my staples removed NWB on my leg yet but physical therapy at the office. I still have my brace but I can’t drive I will be at week 7 and I want to be all healed and fixed but I know it will take a long time.
    I’m going stir crazy and trying to be positive. Keep healing and stay positive.

  8. Here in Canada, 4 months to a year is what you are told.
    I am concerned for those experiencing pain after 2 weeks post surgery- I have not experienced that in spite of screws and bone grafts. Do tell your surgeon, GP & PT !
    Great to hear about water therapy. I’d love that as I have a broken collarbone making our second floor bedrooms and showers inaccessible. I could get a shower there as well????
    Thanks,all! One day at a time.

    • Hi Debbie – Yes, one day at a time. This is a long, slow recovery but I am at 6 months post-op and I never thought that I would get to where I am now. My ROM is approx. 120-130 and my strength in the injured leg is getting better. I walk 3x per day for approximately 15-20 minutes each time. I also do exercises with weights when I can. I just finished physical therapy which was 3x per week. My doctor had told me at my last visit that I will get a prescription for 6 months and that time is up. I go back to the doctor tomorrow at which time we will discuss the removal of the hardware. I still have swelling above the knee which causes me some pain and slows me down but anti-inflammatories help with that. I am still icing the knee, also. So sorry about your broken collarbone as well as your TPF injury. You sound like you are in good spirits; keep up the good work!

      • Barbara,
        Will you please post a brief statement as to what your doc said about hardware removal. All of of it or just a particular piece that’s troubling you? Do you think the hardware is why you’re still experiencing pain? Do you know how long (if at all) you’d be in the hospital and how long recovery is (do you non weight bear again)? I’d appreciate it as I’m still in a fair amount of pain and am having hardware issues myself. Don’t see my doc though for a couple more weeks. Thanks, Jen

        • Hi Jen,
          I hope you are feeling well today! My pain is mostly from the swelling above my knee which is not being caused by the hardware. The feelings that I get from the hardware are an occasional throbbing in the area and a burning sensation but these feelings quickly go away. I do get pain, however, from the hardware when I try to kneel on that knee. That is definitely from the plate and screws. My surgeon removes all of the hardware from 98-99% of his patients. I am guessing that the other 1-2% that he doesn’t remove the hardware from are those that don’t feel the hardware at all and don’t want to go through another surgery. It is his feeling that I will live a more comfortable life without it. Also, anytime I get dental work done, I will have to take antibiotics because the bacteria from your mouth can travel to the hardware and cause an infection. I know that that is true because my mother had hip and knee replacements and those are permanent and each time she needed to have any dental work done, she had to take antibiotics. That is another inconvenience to consider. I met a woman who had a TPF 2 years ago and still has her hardware. She says that it doesn’t bother her and her surgeon said that if it doesn’t bother her, then leave it in. The physical therapists that I have worked with have told me that most of their TPF patients have had their hardware removed. Even my dentist told me that if you don’t need it anymore, have it removed.
          With respect to the surgery itself, it is out-patient surgery. I would go into the hospital in the morning and come out a few hours later. He said that I will be fully weight-bearing that same day but just sore from the incision and stitches. The stitches remain in for approx. 2 weeks and then they are removed. He said that I can return to work as soon as I feel comfortable and as long as the soreness from the incision doesn’t interfere with my daily activities. He also said that it takes 6 weeks for the holes to fill back up from where the screws were.
          I am also no longer going to outside physical therapy. I can do the exercises on my own now. My surgeon said that I should just continue walking and doing some weight-bearing exercises that were in my list of exercises. I am also still taking an anti-inflammatory for the swelling in my knee. He told me that some people have swelling for a longer period of time than others do. That has nothing to do with the hardware though. I had a torn meniscus surgery on my other knee 30 years ago and that knee also swelled up a lot and was swollen for a long time. Let me know what your doctor says.

          • Barbara, thank you so much for responding. I too have stopped PT, mainly because I didn’t feel like we were making any more progress than I could make on my own. Sorry to hear you have swelling above the knee. I hope the surgery to remove your hardware goes well. I hear that infection is common after surgery though how common, I’m unsure. I have felt little to no pain in my knee from the beginning but my entire leg hurts above and below the knee. I also have a screw coming out of the other end of my bone which my doc seems concerned about. I had no idea about antibiotics for dental work nor did I know that the holes fill in so quickly after hardware removal. Interesting! Keep us posted if you wouldn’t mind. I’d love to know how it goes for you! Thanks, Jen

  9. Hi barbara mam…how r u …am walking wth walker now…wil i be able to climb the stairs later…to get out of house i have a small slope…mam…its very difficult to put pressure on dat leg and get down…also to go up 3 members have to hold my walker nd i jump thru the slope..will i be able to walk freely thru slope nd stairs later …any advice barbara mam….

    • Hi D. Priyanka,
      I am well, thank you. I am regaining more strength in my leg and go back to the doctor tomorrow to discuss the removal of the hardware. I still have swelling above the knee which I take anti-inflammatories for when it hurts a lot. I find that the swelling slows me down. I will discuss this with the doctor tomorrow. I just finished 6 months of physical therapy outside of the house but will continue doing the exercises that I was given, as often as I can. I am considering joining a pool so that I can do the water exercises. The water therapy was wonderful! In answer to your question about climbing the stairs, yes, you will be able to climb the stairs once you are allowed to put full weight on the leg. At first, it is scary because the leg is weak, even though you are doing exercises, but stair climbing will come back to you. When I was using my walker, I was only allowed to put 20% weight on the injured leg which is practically nothing. I was hopping on the good leg all the time and pushing the walker forward. Once you can put full weight on your injured leg, you won’t need the walker anymore. You will most likely just need a cane or walking stick for awhile. How many months post-op are you now?

    • Hi Tahir,
      Every injury is different but my doctor told me that the actual bone, post surgery, would heal in about 12 weeks. Obviously the recovery time is much longer and depends on the extent of your injury. At 5 months post op, I can walk though I start limping as my leg gets more tired and swollen throughout the day. I have not regained full range of motion yet but and am still in pain, though manageable. I would predict that it will take a full year for me to completely recover or to at least come close. Hope this information helps you a little. Best of luck to you!

      • agree with gen about 12 wks but everyone is different ! That is for the bones to heal ,then you have to get your life back which can take MUCH longer .

        • I agree with both Jen and Marion. 3 months (12 weeks) for the bone to heal but then you have to re-learn to walk again. The leg becomes weak from not walking for 3 months and although you are doing exercises, it is not quite the same as regular walking with respect to regaining the strength. It helps a lot but the strength isn’t as it was before. I still have swelling and pain from that so I am imagining that this is going to be many more months before I am somewhat back to normal.

    • I am so glad I have found this site. I broke my right tibia plateau in March, am WB for the past 3 weeks, having hydrotherapy twice a week which really helps with the swelling.
      I am finding recovery very slow, I had surgery, plate, pins and screws fitted.
      My range of movement is slow.
      Just knowing I’m going to recover is why I searched on line.

  10. Hi Queda,
    If your ROM is in the high 60’s at a month and a week post surgery, that’s not bad at all. I was at 45 degrees for at least two months and never thought I’d hit 90, much less higher. I’m 5 months post op and have 128. The recovery for tpf’s is snail slow. My progress has been more by the month than by the week. I am getting better though. It seems like just when I’m convinced I’ve hit a plateau or worse, feel like I’m going backwards, something shifts and all of the sudden I can see the progress. Hang in there and avoid the MUA if you can. Just my two cents!

  11. Hi there…
    The MUA sounds worse than what it actually is. Pretty much you go in under General anesthetic and surgeon manipulates leg/knee. Under anaesthetic they acheived a bend of 140deg, prior to I was only getting 45degs. I am now at about 130ish depends on my stretching for the day.
    I spent 2 nights in hospital then in about 3-4 days the pain/swelling subsided. Lots of stretching, massaging scars to increase stimulation. Today I just started back at the gym. ???? Patience ????????

  12. Thank you for your quick the response. My greatest ROM achieved has been 69, but I seem to be stuck there. Good to know if I have to go through the MUA that it isn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
    Continued blessings on your healing although it seems like you have made full recovery.

  13. I had my accident November 28th 2016. I managed to fracture my left Tibial Plateau in about 20pieces. I had an Ex Fix which was so painful. I had my my operation on Dec 12 had 3 plates fitted. Had to wait for swelling to go down. Its been a long road of Pysio. I left Rehab hospital after Christmas. Had in house Physio which was a great help. Unfortunately my ROM wasn’t good enough. So surgeon performed an MUA (Manipulation under anesthetic) in February. I used Silicone gel for my scars and now using Cica Silicone gel straps.These helped flatten and ease my scars. Three weeks ago my surgeon gave me the all clear and very happy with my range 130degs 0degs straight. My saviour was my Pilates background. It kept me sane in hospital when I bed bound. I have continued with my Pilates and today I joined a gym for strength and endurance training. This injury has really taught me patience. And extremely grateful for support from family and friends and my beautiful 2year old girl who kept me smiling and moving.

    • Cynthia,
      I’m glad to hear the wonderful news about your recovery and seemingly rather quick recovery but I have a couple of questions for you. I am 1 month and 6 days from surgery, and my surgeon indicated that he wasn’t please with my ROM either, can you tell me about the manipulation and what does that consist of.

      Also, thank you for mentioning the Cica Silicone gel and straps so that I can research them to see if it will reduce my scars as well.

      • Hi there…
        The MUA sounds worse than what it actually is. Pretty much you go in under General anesthetic and surgeon manipulates leg/knee. Under anaesthetic they acheived a bend of 140deg, prior to I was only getting 45degs. I am now at about 130ish depends on my stretching for the day.
        I spent 2 nights in hospital then in about 3-4 days the pain/swelling subsided. Lots of stretching, massaging scars to increase stimulation. Today I just started back at the gym. ???? Patience ???????? Melbourne Australia

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