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! I broke my tibial plateau last weekend which riding my motorcycle. I had surgery the next day and have been home for five days. I’ve been doing really well on the crutches as a newbie. That being said, with two girls 3 and under, my house is like an obstacle course. This evening I didn’t see a silk play scarf on the hardwood and my crutch slipped. This caused me to put weight on my bad leg. It hurt at the time, but after instantly getting my leg up and iced, it’s better. My toes tingle a little, but have consistently since the accident.

    Thoughts on the slip? I’m guessing/hoping it isn’t uncommon for some weight to end up on a NWB leg during the long recovery.

    I’ll likely call the office on Monday, but until then thought I’d ask here.

    Thanks!!

    Tara

    • I also took a spill my second day home from the hospital, my 1st day alone at home.I was in the recliner and the phone rang which was placed a little farther away than I had guessed, I kinda lunged and twisted as I grabbed for it, as I was falling I was trying to spin so the weight would be on my good leg, then I bashed into the wife’s knick-knack shelf and came crashing down. I had done the best I could to avoid the weight coming down on my right leg, but I still banged it good(and cracked my head open from the top knick-knack shelf coming down on me. My leg hurt like hell, but after composing myself for a few minutes I was able to get back up and everything seemed fine. I’ve been to the orthopedic for my 1st follow up and he said it would be fine.I’m guessing you’ll be ok also Tara. But you’re right, a call canb’t hurt. Good luck in recovery.

      Mike

    • Hi Tara, sorry to hear about your slip. I did the same thing the day I came home from the hospital. I fell right on the concrete step outside the front door. It hurt at the time but luckily the doctor had put a splint on the underside of the leg to help with just such instances. I would at least notify your doctor of the incident even if you don’t feel any pain right now. So, from my own experience I would say it I not uncommon for some weight to end up on the NWB injury. Take care and speedy recovery.

  2. Hi. I’m Mike. I broke my right tibia and had plateau surgery on June 24th. One day before Davids, and I’m also 58. Unfortunately I’m not retired yet, so this is a major setback $ wise, but I’m sure I’ll get through it.Even worse it was a non-work injury(sucks) Anyway it’ll be nice to bounce recovery updates with someone who had the same injury at the same time frame. Everything seems to be going ok, bored as hell tho. The one question I have has to do with the swelling, It’s driving me nuts, and not in the knee area where you’d expect, my swelling is from my toes up to the knee, mainly in the ankle area. Like I can’t elevate it enough. Should I be icing? I did a bit when i first got home but haven’t since. Any advice would be helpful, Speedy recovery to all.

    • Hi Michael,
      I suffered a tibial plateau fracture on memorial day weekend and had surgery on June 6. It is been a very long summer as you are experiencing as well. You need to ice as much as you can tolerate no more than 20 minutes at a time, and definitely elevate your leg and keep a rolled up towel under your ankle that will help with the swelling. try to be patient and do the exercises that they tell you to do as far as bending your leg and trying to stretch the muscles both above and below your knee, it is a long process. I feel your pain… LOL.

  3. Hi all, I suffered a TPF to my left knee while caving on July 15, 2017. I fell about 8-10 feet straight down and was trying to slow my decent by pressing hands and feet against the cave walls to protect my back. End result was landing on my left leg and suffering the TPF. I just had an appointment yesterday with my doctor after having the MRI. He is sending me to a surgeon to determine if I need surgery. I have a compression that is 3mm and his sources are conflicting regarding if a 3mm compression needs surgery or a 4mm compression. I’m 54 and have never even had a sprained ankle. I am using crutches for the first time in my life and have a knee brace that allows me to bend my leg as opposed to keeping it straight all the time. Most of the swelling has gone down and I am able to bend the knee fairly well. I’m seeing my chiropractor to keep the back in good condition (I had a discectomy back in 2007). I’m working full time and that helps as well as coming across this forum for ideas and suggestions on how to avoid getting frustrated and depressed. I have a lot of patience except when it comes to wanting to get back to normal activities, (hiking, biking, kayaking, diving, caving, etc). I’m pretty active and already its getting me down…really don’t want surgery but I really don’t want to have issues with arthritis by not having the surgery. I appreciate this forum and the suggestions to avoid going crazy 🙂 I have Netflix and I enjoy reading and I am blessed with a great husband, family and friends so it looks like I’ll have to reach out to them for all types of help (this is hard as I’ve always been pretty much self reliant and prefer to do things for myself and not impose on others). Thanks to this forum and everyone’s tips.

    • Good news…I don’t need surgery 🙂 I’m seeing my chiropractor who is doing some rehab and keeping the back in check and will see my doctor next week. I assume he will take an x-ray to see how things are progressing and then hopefully will send me to rehab, the sooner the better. The swelling has gone down significantly but the muscles right about the knee are very hard and tight which make it a little painful to try to bend the knee, very frustrating as my range of motion is good and could be better if this tightness wasn’t there. I’m getting around fairly well at home and at work using the crutches. Sleeping a little better, thankfully and was able to get a handicap placard. I do find myself tiring at the end of the work day, probably from having to use the crutches and all. All in all I’m feeling better and not so down as before, trying to stay positive and thankful that it isn’t worse.

  4. Hello Barbara mam..
    Iam Priyanka….I had TPF fracture..and now its 1 year from surgery..I have plate and screws….now I have moved to other state as I got government job…and here in the new state..i got a house which is 3rd floor….so kindly tell me if I can climb stairs…please do reply…

    • Hi!!! So glad to hear from you!! Yes, you should be able to climb stairs. I did as soon as I was weight-bearing, at 3 months. Check with your doctor, though, just to be sure and please keep us posted!

  5. Hi again– my specific questions (per the history above) that I am wondering if anyone can answer: 1) can hardware manifest such pain and stiffness so suddenly several
    Months post surgery? 2) alternatively can post surgery arthritis set in so quickly? 3) Has anyone had experience with arthroscopic surgery either for the hardware removal or arthritis and did it help? 4) has anyone had experience with other treatment options; e.g. Stem cell injections? Other non steroid injections? 5) has anyone had a total knee replacement post tpf surgery and how was outcome?
    The second opinion doc did not think the arthroscopic surgery described in first post would help if main problem was arthritis. Am
    Wondering if it’s time to go straight to knee replacement..

  6. Hi all, hoping for any insights into my situation, now 6 months post surgery. I suffered a complex tibial plateau fracture 12/23/16 in Vietnam, had emergency surgery in Hanoi, returned home the next week to Chicago and had a complete “re do” operation here on January 9, w/ new plate and 10 screws. Recovery and PT seemed on track until around April– was walking with a cane and getting better. In mid April I went on a short getaway to Florida and seemingly got immediately worse; admittedly was doing a lot of walking and the weather was hot and humid. Since then I have regressed big time— much more pain and stiffness, significantly reduced ROM. Constant Pain in knee ( both sides), behind knee, and down shin. I upped the PT to 5 times weekly and also did acupuncture. No lasting relief or progress. Surgeon was worried about post operative arthritis and did a CT scan which showed only mild arthritis. Got a second opinion and was prescribed a knee (“unloading”) brace which provides some temporarily relief, but that doesn’t even always work.. Also, affected leg seems “bow legged”, which I guess is referred to as a “valgus” malalignment. Surgeon now counsels arthroscopic procedure for removal of hardware, some scar tissue and to do cartilage assessment. Second opinion doc thinks issue is ” bone on bone” arthritis and gave me a steroid injection last week, which has barely helped. I am wondering if anyone else has had these post op issues– it is very disheartening. Can arthritis set in this quickly and be this severe so fast? Am confused as to cause of my regression and different views of two highly respected docs.

    • Thank you for sharing your experience. I’m glad to see I’m not alone. It’s been almost 2 years since I fell while hiking and received a stage 4 TPF. My progression has stopped and now I have a lot of trouble with pain and am unable to get full extention. I will return to the surgeon this week to look for further options. I have been told that a knee replacement and hardware removal may give me relief.

    • Get your hardware removed. I had similar issues. Got hardware out last month. Huge improvement–and my leg has straightened out. I was terrified to get the removal surgery–I wanted to jump up off the table and run away pre-op–but now I’m so glad I did. My Dr’s kept saying “Arthritis” to me, too, btw.

      • Had my harware removed 6 months ago and I find little if any improvement. Still cannot straighten my knee fully. Stiffness and discomfort still with me. Knee clicks a lot now. Calf muscles also now painful and they were not before metal removal. Everyone is different -harware removal works for some and not for others. So I think we should be careful about recommending fellow tpf victims to have their harware removed.

  7. Thankyou for all this information. I found it constructive and positive. This injury requires patience and i have been worried about regaining my range of motion. Reading your article has made me feel more positive. Many thanks.

  8. Question: Approx. 6 weeks after a TKR, I got off the elevator in my building and went to step on the TKR leg and was in excruciating pain from the knee to my ankle. Called OS but he said just stay off a couple of days. It felt a lot better in three days but everything still was a bit off. Three months later, I had a follow up with my OS and he had xrays done as my TKR leg looked a bit off kilter. He looked at xrays and said I had a collapsed tibial platform. I chose not to do more surgery as I was just feeling good with my TKR. Still have pain only when I twist my knee a certain way. Did I do the right thing? How long does it take a tibial platform fracture to heal if there is no surgery done. Thanks so much.

    • Connie, I can understand what he is saying. I haven’t had this experience/problem in particular but I think time will tell if you should’ve or still need to have surgical intervention to correct it. It will probably depend on how much it bothers you or if it gets worse. Fracture healing time varies so much depending on the person and their injury and lifestyle etc. I would say to monitor your pain and ask your OS if it continues. Take care and good luck!

  9. I am currently 7 months post surgery for my TPF and torn meniscus. My biggest piece of advice is to get a handicap parking permit from your doctor! My parking permit saved me so many times I can’t even count. Luckily(?) I broke my left leg and so was able to drive myself once I was off the pain killers. Sticking to a consistent PT schedule helped so much. I am at the point now where I have almost full ROM back with some remaining stiffness. I still can’t run or do any jumping but have started going to the gym again and doing light exercises. I think it unlikely I will be able to do any skiing (the cause of my break) this coming winter but am hopeful for the winter after! Speedy healing friends!

  10. Hi folks 15 days after coming off my bike I was diagnosed with Tibial plateau fracture I’ve been walking around even went on holiday with my crutches doing 8000steps a day on average . I’ve now been told to keep off it !!! Since diagnosis on the 1.7.17 I’m devastated how the he’ll can this be and what happens next I’ve OPD next week with orthopaedic team.until then hop !! Yeah right any advice

    • Lesley,
      I was surprised to read how much you have been able to walk on your fractured leg with crutches. Typically 8 weeks of no weight bearing is what most of us have experienced and some have more. I hopped with a walker (couldn’t get used to crutches) for 8-10 weeks and it wasn’t easy at all. Caused many additional problems like my spine/posture is way off now and has to be adjusted back. Blisters on my hands etc. So, all I can say is if you have to hop for 1 week until you see your ortho that really is not so bad and will probably benefit you in the long run. Take care and hope things go well for you!

      • How was your doc appt.? Recovery coming along? I saw my doc today (8+ weeks post surgery) and am released to transition to full weight bearing as tolerated over next several weeks. Starting to use walker. Elbow is healing pretty well, except radial break, but it is doing ok. Therapy is going well, range of motion on everything is coming along. Still mostly home bound in wheelchair now, but looking forward.

  11. Hello everyone out there in TPF land…..It has been 5 months since my accident. I used up all of my P.T visits over 2 months ago and I am falling behind now in progress. And now my knee cap/patella hurts all the time and it is hard to walk without crutches. I am going to try cupping and acupuncture as well. I am desperate for some relief. At this point, I don’t care how much in debt I become. If anyone has some good advice, please do tell……Also, I don’t take any pain meds but am considering taking some C.B.D. Has anyone tried that??

    • Hi Susan – I am at 5 months post TPF surgery also and have just found out last week that my fracture is not healing at all. So will be looking at starting all over again possibly with a bone graft or rod and total knee replacement. This type of fracture is very strange. The xrays looked like healing was happening but a CT scan from a second opinion doctor showed different. So please know that you are not alone but here’s some suggestions from my own experience.
      I have heard that dry needling has helped others with pain – unfortunately I tried a couple visits and it didn’t help me so that would be a personal decision for you to make.
      2. could your previous therapist suggest some home exercises since your visits are used up or maybe follow with one visit every week or two weeks with home exercises in between. I have been lucky so far to be allowed 60 visits per year and have not “wasted” them all yet in these first 5 months of nothing positive happening.
      3. I would rely on some aid yet for another couples months like crutches/walker/cane if you are still noticing that much pain. I find that using my cane/walker helps a lot on those days with extra pain. I have also gone back to taking an occasional hydrocodone pain pill on those days when I really need some relief but to not overuse it. Not sure what C.B.D. is?
      4. Can you schedule a follow up appointment with your surgeon for advice?
      hope some or any of this helps you. I feel your pain and totally understand your desperation!!!
      any other questions feel free to ask here. Take care and God Bless

  12. Released at 12 weeks for full weight-bearing after non surgery, perfect healing, upper tibia break. Reality check was the weaning off crutches because of ankle swelling because of walking and doing too much too soon. Although I did strengthening exercises for my entire leg, throughout… it still took one full month before my ankle stopped swelling. All I’m saying is, take your full weight-bearing recovery slow and have patience to regain your life before break activities. All good now with much more importance on warming up, stretching also taking breaks throughout the day. Have faith.

  13. Thank you Barbara and Starr for your most recent well wishes! I’ll keep in touch and Good Luck to you both as well.

    • Hi Everyone!
      Just getting started on this healing journey. I hurt my leg June 25th/2017.
      I was told 8 weeks of non weight bearing and am already losing my mind.
      I am 58 and thankfully retired. Just had a housefull of grandkids and wasn’t able to celebrate Canada Day as per usual.
      I’m grateful for a forum like this, I can only watch so………much TV.

      • Welcome David
        So very sorry to hear about your injury. I hope you will find this forum helpful for suggestions, opinions etc. from others like myself who are or were in the same situation as yourself.
        I am 5 months post surgery for a tibial plateau fracture and have just found out that my leg is not healing so we will have to start over again with a bone graft etc. You are correct in stating that the “down time” will mentally exhaust you. I, too, miss the time that I could have with my grandchildren! I found that it is best especially in the beginning to try to spend time with friends and family whether it be a visit, phone call, or if you’re able at all to get out.
        You might want to consider some reading, crossword books, or a favorite hobby (mine is sewing) some movies like joining Netflix etc. and whatever else will take your mind off the time. It really does make it pass quicker if you don’t dwell on it. Patience is the key in recovery as everyone will tell you so I wish you the best with your recovery and please feel free to let us all know how you are doing. Take care and God Bless!

        • Diane, sorry to hear of your healing problems. Do they know why that happens? It is a big fear of mine.

          David, sorry to hear of your injury. I am 1 month past my surgery on June 1. Are you able to get around with a walker and NWB? I am in a wheelchair due to also breaking my elbow on same side. Hoping that next doc appt will show enough elbow healing that it can bear some weight and get me into a walker at least some of the time.

          I am trying not to go nuts sitting around all summer too. No 4th of July celebration for me! Grandson here this week and he is a great distraction, playing games, etc. I also make sure to do about 300 straight leg lifts every day to use the leg and strengthen quads, hopefully. Add in the same number of knee bends to the extent I am allowed, about 60 degrees right now.

          • Jen,
            sorry to say they have not said why my fracture has not healed on it’s own. I haven’t had a chance to talk with my second opinion doctor much yet due to the holiday etc. I will post more when I know for everyone’s benefit should you experience the same thing. So sorry to hear about your injuries too! I haven’t had much of a summer either since mine happened back on Feb. 5th. May get to see my grandchildren at the fireworks tomorrow night but that all depends on my pain level and strength at that time. Anyway, take care and keep up the good work with the exercises. You will find that makes all the difference when you are finally weight bearing. That will probably be a plus for me this second time around as I have been having therapy/exercises for 2 months now.

          • Hi Jen,
            Broken elbow as well, that just sucks!
            The swelling in my toes finally started to subside today.
            Grateful for any and all improvement. Doctors appointment
            on July 12th. Thankful for amazing neighbors who prepare amazing suppers.
            Heal well!!!!!!

  14. My wife had TPF and surgery over one year ago and still has a plate and screws. All is good except she still has considerable pain in her two toes beside the big toe and the area from there into her foot. Has anyone else experienced that? Any suggestions to help relieve/improve the condition?

    Thanks

    • Oh my goodness yes! I had a Cat5 crush Tib fracture on 5 Dec last year. All plates and screws still in. I was doing great with progress until about a month ago. Leg is actually good but my foot is killing me! Toes 2 and 3 and the metatarsels are painful ALL THE TIME now. The physio seemed to think my altered gait caused pressure and then damage on this area. He strapped it supporting it towards the arch and that seemed to help but now the two outer toes have swelled and there is pain again. Any good supportive shoe causes more pressure and pain. I have started to limp again because I’m favouring my foot. It is incredibly frustrating! Xrays and MRI show nothing untoward. My chiro wonders if i have gout of all things from the slowed circulation in the leg with injury and recovery. Im starting to work through options for that as this pain is debilitating and messing with my head! If you find anything out for your wife, let me know!

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