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. My TPF was 2 years ago. Just recently, I’ve been awakened by SEVERE pain –10/10 on pain scale in my affected knee! Only at night but it’s so severe I think abt going to ER. But who wants to go through all that— waiting hours and hours etc.
    I called my Dr. and of course they want to see me but nothing hurts on physical exam, it’s just horrendous pain for abt 45 min to an hour. What’s happening???

  2. Hi Danielle: Sorry to hear about your troubles. Have you had some more X-rays, or an MRI, taken to determine the cause of your current discomfort? It sure sounds like your knee joint is not working properly.

    I’m no doctor but from what I’ve learned about this injury (my wife had it in February 2016), there could be a number of reasons for your pain. Here are a couple.
    1.You could have some arthritis which has developed from the original injury which is only now showing up with weight bearing.
    2. Another possibility is that the bone was, in fact, displaced and has now healed up in a displaced position, thus leaving you with an uneven surface on your tibia plateau. Your original doctor could have simply missed this. The first doctor who assessed my wife’s injury basically said it was a minor stretch and to go home, take some physio, and rest it for a few days. It was only on our physiotherapist’s recommendation and our insistence, that the doctor agreed to x-ray the joint and discover the TPF.

    Someone with significant experience treating this injury, should be able to determine the cause and give you some sensible options to consider.

  3. Hi Danielle,
    Sorry that you are going through such a tough time! I am 60 years old (59 when I was hit by a car and sustained a tpf, torn ACL and MCL) and not an athlete or anything like that. I was given x-rays in the emergency room which showed that I didn’t have any broken bones but then I had a CAT Scan and also an MRI, both of which showed the break. 5 days later I was operated on. Had a plate and 7 screws implanted. I had minimal pain and got by taking Acetaminophen. Went home from the hospital 3 days later with a leg brace from my thigh to ankle, a walker, a CPM machine which I had to use everyday for 2 hours, twice per day for a month, and exercises to do in bed 3x per day, and was told absolutely no weight bearing for 3 months. Two weeks after my surgery, the stitches were removed and I began physical therapy outside of my home, 3x per week, and still doing my at-home exercises 3x per day. After approximately 7weeks, I was allowed to put some weight (about 20-30percent) on the leg using a walker. (The physical therapist showed me what 20-30 percent was.) At the twelve week mark, I was able to fully weight-bear, although it was rough at the beginning. Even with all of the exercising I did, the leg was weak and it took another few weeks before I was able to walk without use of a cane. At night, my foot would ache and there would be swelling around the ankle but that went away eventually. I was much better at the 6 month mark which was June of 2016. At that point, my surgeon and I discussed the hardware removal which he usually performs on 98-99 percent of his patients. I chose to have the hardware removed as it was bothering me. I had the removal done in August as outpatient surgery, walked on the leg immediately, had pain the day after but that went away with Acetaminophen, and went back to work 4 weeks later. It is now 13 months since my tpf and I am doing very well. In fact, the injured leg feels better than my other leg, which has a lot of arthritis in the knee. It is a bit weaker, still, but I still do some quad exercises when I can but other than that, I feel blessed to be alive.
    This is my story and there are many others out there with similar stories but the one thing that I know is that this recovery takes time for us all. Whether or not you should have had surgery in the first place can only be answered by a doctor. I would get more opinions and then go with who you have the most confidence in and their ratings with respect to orthopedic trauma. Another thing-keep reading this website because there is only so much info that the doctor gives. If i didn’t stumble upon this website, I am convinced that my recovery would have been much more difficult mentally. Good luck and keep us posted!!

    • Hi, Barbara,

      Thanks for relating your story from the time your fracture occurred until present. I am a bit older than you – 68 and my TPF was the result from a careless fall from a ladder. I had surgery on June 30, 2016 in which two plates and eight screws were inserted. My doctor, who at first I thought must be a top-notch doctor, since he is an associate professor of orthopedics, is losing my trust. He basically discharged me on 12-5-16, stating he was “pleased with the x-ray” and I could “resume normal activities”. Well……even at my age I am very active and still hobble around with a weak leg, pain in my ankle at night, severe stabbing pains and general discomfort in bed. I had 3 or 4 screws inserted just below my knee and when I walk it feels like my knee is swollen and stiff, although it is not stiff! When I mentioned the possibility of hardware removal, this doctor spewed out several disadvantages, including that it was too difficult to remove the hardware and that the screws through the tibia give it support. He claims my pain by the knee “might” be the beginning of arthritis since he saw a “gap” at the left side of the knee, which I feel this gap was caused from a long ago femur bone fracture. Funny, the gap is on the left side – my TBF was on the right side! I’m so depressed – cry a good part of the day. My family says “nothing will be the same anymore”. I want to approach my doctor again about my problems but feel he will remain indifferent. Would it be wise to get a second opinion? Do these doctors usually “stick together”? I usually feel their attitude is that I’m too old and I should live with my problems. I’m glad things are working out for you. Hopefully the rest of us unfortunates will experience some good luck.

  4. Hi. I fractured my tibia 30th July 2016. They did not operate and instead left me in plaster for 12 weeks NWB. They were going to operate but 30 minutes before I was due to have the op they decided against it. I came out of plaster first week in October and they told me to FWB straight away – without physio! I tried for two weeks and this was not possible as the pain was unbearable so I went to a&e and asked to be referred to a physio. This happened and I have been attending physio for 9 weeks. My ROM is brilliant and so is my strength, but when I try to walk the pain is just unbearable. No one can tell my why this is & I have spoken to 3 different specialists. They are not talking about rebreaking my tibia and inserting plate and screws. Can anyone give me any advice on this?? I am pretty worried and feel like I will be back at square one as it has been nearly 6 months since my fracture. How painful is it after the op? Were you in plaster or boot? How long until you can put weight on it? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. (I am nearly 21 years old and also have rheumatoid arthritis)

  5. Hi. I had a serious fracture and bone dislocation of the tibeal plateau after a ski accident last February. Surgery required bone grafts, a plate and six screws. I wore a solid brace for two weeks post-op, and then had only crutches, no brace and absolutely NO weight-bearing for three months. I began physio after two weeks, and had my full range of motion after two months. I hope that you have a very good physiotherapist. That’s the key. Also, it’s your job to keep up with assigned exercises very diligently every day, stay on your crutches and don’t weight bear. You will get there.

    • It seems like we had the very same experience last February while skiing. I also had a serious tpf with surgey and one plate and six screws. No brace and no weight for three months. How has your progress gone. I have skied again once and although it was with pain, it went better than expected. Do you still experience stiffness after heavy training.

      All the best
      Haakon

  6. Hi Jen! Thank you for the compliment and I am so happy to hear how well you have done!! Keep up with your wonderful progress. There is a light at the end of the tunnel everyone!

  7. Date :: 05-01-2017.
    I had Tibial Plateau Fracture 6 weeks ago.
    Initially, In emergency center, they said, the x-ray hadn’t shown anything, and it’s just a wrench.
    The very next day, I consulted other Ortho Consultant and was straight away sent for CTScan.
    The CT Scan showed Type-1 3mm Tibial Plateau Fracture.
    I had to go through OT with two 6.5 mm Screws.
    After 5 weeks, I’m told to remove rigid knee brace by OS, but at that time, I couldn’t band my knee or lift my leg.
    Now,
    I’ve started PT, and After 4 days of PT, I’m able to band my knee to 90 degree.
    My OS hasn’t allowed me for weight bearing yet.
    Everyone including OS, PT, other Doc, Internet suggestions make me more n more confuse about the recovery time, they all say it depends upon you.
    How the H**l would I know, when would I recover ?
    some say 2 months, some 6 months some say 1 year.
    I’m dying day by days. None have any words of reassurance for me and my recovery.

    • Hytool,
      From what I’ve been told, sometimes fractures don’t show up immediately on X-rays. Not sure why. So, if I understand you correctly, you had surgery and now have 2 screws? I’m assuming you have a plate as well? If you’re 6 weeks out and can bend your knee to 90 degrees, that’s awesome. I couldn’t do that. On the other hand, I was able to partially weight bear at 6 1/2 weeks but I’ve heard others take longer. I know it’s extremely frustrating not to have a concrete timeline but everyone truly is different. I had such a difficult time regaining range of motion but have been able to exercise at a more intense level than most I’ve read about. That said, even a year later, stairs have remained very difficult. Now that I’ve had all of my metal removed, I’m hoping that improves. This is a game of inches in terms of progress. All I can say is that you WILL get better but that you have to be patient. It sucks, yes, but what choice do any of us have but to wrap our heads around it and accept it until it changes. Keep us posted as to your progress and read through as many of these posts as possible!

      • Hytool and Jen, I do believe every break is different yet the same. It is hard for some breaks to show up just by an x-ray. Mine was seen by CT scan. I broke mine on a Thursday evening but, thinking I had only hurt my knee, I didn’t go to the ER until Friday morning. I was put in a knee immobilizer until I saw a bone specialist the following Monday. I did exactly what I was told to do. NO WEIGHT AT ALL FOR 7 WEEKS! I used crutches and had my leg elevated as much/often as I could. My 8th week I used one crutch and added light weight. The break didn’t hurt but I experienced pain on the other side of the knee that hurt just by applying preasure to the area. I was diagnosed with Plica that is common with knee trauma. After 6 weeks of PT all is well except for there are times when I apply weight to my knee while doing house work – like bending and reaching to clean the bathroom – I feel the preasure and have to adjust my weight. I still cannot squat which means I still can’t get down into a bath tub but have to do showers. I googled my symptoms and read it can take up to a year for this type of break to completely heal. By the way I am 60 years old, good health, and work full time.

  8. I also fractured my tibial plateau with some bruising but no depression or compression while skiing. Well while falling. I skied down the hill , loaded my car and drove my kids home. Then when I tried to get out of the car–foot not straight up but to the side–I fell. I was talked into going to Orthoped and got X Rays. Nothing showed up. She checked ligaments and determined they were all intact. I am 66 and already had no menisci to speak of on either leg. So, then I got an MRI which showed what “looks like a fracture”. Yes it hurts, but not very much at all and it hurts mostly when I have it un aligned foot, knee, hip. Otherwise weight bearing does NOT hurt. What hurts is when I fall from the crutches. I did three hours in the gym everyday since. Upper body, core, hand driven bike etc. Then had PT. It was febile and feels like a waste of time and money. The lady who owns the gym seems to be very on top of it and works with the PT people. She worked out a real program for me . I did all non weight bearing stuff plus hand driven bike and stationary bike. Nothing hurt. Some of it felt good. I have full range of motion according to the PT folks as well as full strength in knee and hamstring except for lateral pressure which hurts. So I am wondering why walking is bad if I do it straight up and it doesn’t hurt? Other things hurt way worse, like lying on my side in the bed, and if I try to stand with the leg out. So can anyone tell me why standing and walking on it is bad if it is non displaced and doesn’t hurt at all when I do it. I think the crutches are a menace. I also am wondering if 6 weeks to back on the skis is unreasonable? Oh yeah I am old. 66.

  9. Hi Jen,
    Yay!! So glad to hear that you had the hardware removed and that you are in the home stretch. Yes, I, too, was in a lot of pain the day after the surgery but then it started to quickly disappear. Ice the area and take Ibuprofen if you can, alternating with Acetaminophen. I found this to be better for me than prescription pain medication because there are no adverse side effects. I was able to walk right away, unassisted, so I am not sure why you can’t walk unless it is just too painful today. I am sure that you will be walking soon though! It is 5 months since my hardware removal and my leg feels really good! A bit weak but so much better than before the hardware was removed. I am now 13 months post-tpf injury and initial surgery and my life is good! Continue to keep us posted on your recovery from your hardware removal surgery!

    • Barbara,
      Ok, officially Yay now! Can finally walk a bit. The pain that was coming from the bolt hanging out of the bone is completely gone for which I am SO grateful! No pain meds needed and even off Advil! So happy to hear you’ve done so well! Onward and upward, as they say! Thanks again for being so helpful to myself and others.

  10. Yes, it is normal to have ankle and foot pain when you first walk after not having walked for three months. I would be in a lot of pain by the of the day and my husband would have to rub my feet every evening. This gets better with time. The swelling goes away, also. Keep up with your ankle exercises and take it slow. This is a long recovery. I am 13 months post TPF and I am doing very well and my leg feels good! Still a bit weaker but getting stronger everyday.

  11. Hi Kieran,
    Sorry about your injury! I am 13 months past my tpf injury and surgery. Just want to say that I didn’t have a lot of ankle pain after my surgery; only after I first began to walk which was 3 months later. What I did have, however, was a numbness and tingling in my foot which went away when I first began to walk. My advice is to keep up with the exercises especially the ankle exercises. I performed my exercises 3x per day at home and once I went to outside therapy, 2 weeks after my surgery, I was performing p/t 3x per week, additionally. Keep up with the exercises and keep us posted. Good luck!

  12. Hi kiran here sustained an automobile accident on 27th Dec 2016. It was diagnosed as metaphysical proximal tibia fracture with communition. ORIF was done with liss plate and screws on 28th Dec. Discharged on 30th surgical site pain has come down to around 10percent of original pain. Worrying factor is pa ankle swelling and pain above the ankle joint. It is awful once I am up to visit the loo and stays so for 20-25min. How long will the pain above the tibia persist and y should it happen. Any measures to alleviate. Physio is on with static quadri, hamstrings and ankle movements. Please advice.

  13. Hi Victor: Here’s my advice to you. I’d find another surgeon with experience and a positive reputation with this type of injury. Get him/her to check you out. Another x-ray will likely be needed to see how the knee has healed. Depending on what you find out, you may need to have another surgery.
    From what I’ve learned about this injury and the surgery required, it is a very precise operation. If the broken part is not reattached perfectly, the knee joint will not move properly and long term discomfort and perhaps early onset arthritis could occur.
    On the other hand, you might just need to build up your leg muscles around your knee to take some wear/weight off of the knee.
    Bottom line: get a second opinion from a good, well-qualified surgeon.

    – Jake

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