Tips and Tricks

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

Surviving at home:

  • A shower stool will help you shower (link). A garden stool is not recommended, because the plastic leg could bend or slip causing you to fall. The stool should have rubber at the end of the legs
  • Always wipe the bottom of your crutches before leaving the shower room.
  • If your hands hurt from using the crutches consider getting a crutch with shock absorbers, or ergonomic crutches (link)
  • Replace the rubber at the bottom of your crutches if it cracks. this could be a safety issue.
  • A gripper (link) will be very useful in allowing you reach, grasp and grab all those out-of-reach items. If you are on a wheelchair you will be very happy you got one.
  • Use a big bag or drycast (link) to keep your cast and brace from getting wet while showering.
  • Use a small bowl of water and a towel to wash your foott while you cannot wash them in the shower.
  • Hinged braces will fit over tight jeans, but wide sweatpants are much more comfortable and will fit right over the
    brace. Make sure to get a pair that is wide enough to go over your brace (link).
  • An electric massager can help relieve muscle tightness and spasms. Use it gently (link).
  • keep a set of dishes and healthy snacks on the counter for easy access.
  • Use your wheel-chair and a tray for taking food and dishes from place to place. A cushioned tray is perfect for holding with one hand as it rests on you thighs, leaving your other arm free to maneuver the chair (link).
  • storage bowls with lids (link) will also work to help transfer food, especially if its liquid.
  • Always keep at least one bottle/box of painkillers in your pocket.
  • In most areas It is possible to get groceries delivered home, but it’s best if you have someone else do the groceries.
  • A backpack (link) is very useful for moving things around while on crutches or going shopping. Just make sure nobody in the shop thinks you’re trying to steal!
  • Holding plastic bags while on crutches is not very comfortable
  • prepare a library of entertainment. You have a lot of free time on your hands. This is a chance to watch that show you always wanted to watch, all 300 episodes of it. consider registering to a service like Netflix or Amazon prime or similar.
  • keep a positive attitude

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Hastening the recovery

  • Don’t overdo it. Your body needs rest
  • Smoking will prolong the recovery and might cause complications. Try to avoid it.
  • Alcohol, Caffeine and salt should be avoided
  • Eat well, supplement if you feel you need it. Make sure you eat enough protein(link).
  • consider taking a multivatamin. Studies have shown this helps the healing rate and reduces the rate of nonunion (link)
  • Do your exercises
  • Do you exercises
  • This is not a mistake.. Do you exercises

Legal

  • Consult a lawyer to understandweather you should be filing an insurance claim.
  • Keep all receipts for all medical expenses, and other expenses caused by the injury.
  • Keep a detailed log of how the injury affected your life

General

  • If relevant, ask for a “disabled parking” authorization from your OS. This can be very helpful.
  • If someone offers help, they mean it. You should take their offer.
  • A “clicking” or “cracking” feeling in your knee or ankle is normal and are caused by joint instability
  • Find a doctor to give you a second opinion
  • Talcum Powder is very useful in preventing itching while using a cast or a banbdage
  • don’t use long objects to scratch an itchy spot inside the cast or under your bandage. This carries a risk of damaging the skin or surgical wound and could cause an infection.
  • When replacing your bandage, make sure to wrap it from the foot all the way up to the knee. This will prevent theย  edema.
  • If you have edema, A medical pressure sock will help. wear it for a few weeks, but not during sleep.
  • Drink a lot of water. this has a lot of medical benefits when recovering from a fracture.
  • painkiller can cause constipation. Consider using natural laxatives (link).
  • Some studies have shown that ultrasound may help bone healing. This is not yet medically established.
  • It’s very easy to announce that things are getting better prematurely. sometimes things go up and down and get better before the become worse. Be hesitant to announce to friends and coworkers that everything is OK now.

 

Hope is was all helpful. If you have any more tips or tricks, post them below or email me at [email protected]

 

Shlomi

181 thoughts on “Tips and Tricks

  1. My doctor said he could remove the hardware in 6 months if it bothered me. Has anyone removed there’s? Is the recovery the same? Any Advise

  2. It’s not even two weeks post TPF and I’m getting really frustrated. I also have pain in the popliteal area (behind knee) it’s extremely painful and tender to touch. Could an ACL tear have been missed on my MRI due to blood and swelling in my knee?

  3. I fell on snow at our condo b/c steps wetent shoveled and had pain so bad I wanted to vomit. Now a TPF along w torn tendons ! My husband is a saint! But he’s not here all the time
    Thanks for this site for ppl as upset as I am.

  4. I had a TPF on May 2 and became weight bearing as tolerated on July 25th. PT is going great but I am having problems with my ankles or feet hurting. My leg feels great and no pain there at all. Do any of you know what I can do for my ankle and feet? I return to work in 2 days. My surgeon said my leg is completely healed and I have no restrictions Praise God!

    • Hi, Tim.

      For the ankles work on stretching the achilles tendon and general ROM for the foot itself. My PT team said that some of the more problematic issues with rehabbing from a TPF is how weak the ankle becomes.

      • I youtube’d that and apparently that is the stretch I have been slacking on… I did not know a calf muscle stretch would help with the ankle.

        • Tim,

          Stand on an incline with your heals on at the base. Alternate leaning forward with straight knees and bent knees. Also, stretch you foot/toe tendons. Glad you are blessed with good healing.

          Eileen

  5. Yikes! Reinjury sounds terrifying!!!! I so fear that.

    Looks like you have tremendous will-power and an amazing amount of energy Christina to get back in the swing of things. Your being younger probably helps too. I’m 55 and feel that that definitely impacts how fast I can move and how much energy I have.

    I appreciate your advice to getting back to normalcy which is what I crave too
    and also your invitation to rant/vent/express feelings.
    Thank you,
    Jasmin

  6. Aw jeez, rough going there. Wishing you luck in everything getting sorted quickly and you get some equilibrium back in your life.

    I can only speak of my own experience, which probably isn’t the norm. I’m also 28 and incredibly stubborn – something that can work to my detriment. But like you, I was itching to get back to work right away (I’m a freelance writer), and wouldn’t hearing of spending weeks cooped up on the couch, watching bad daytime TV. Of course, my body let me know hopping right back into the swing of things right away wasn’t happening (e.g. I was exhausted crutching for half a block), but I kept pushing through it. I was so determined to just “get back to normal”. I think part of that drive was if I let myself wallow, I’d get too used to not doing much and too aware of how severe the injury really was.

    So, only five days after I injured myself, I was at a bar reviewing a concert and interviewing the singer. I didn’t last long (only 5 songs), but hell – I had gone out.

    Fast forward just three and a half weeks, and while I’m still not at 100%, I’m happy with where I am. I haven’t resumed my full work schedule, but then again, I was putting in 60 hour weeks. I do about 40-ish hours of work a week, so I’m pretty happy about that. Ironically, one of the toughest things is just sitting down for me, as no position seems to be really comfortable. But I think because I kept pushing myself – and pushing myself when I was pretty doped up on painkillers and couldn’t feel the burn in my arms – I broke through a few walls. What also helped was (this is my horrible habit: I smoke) was every time I went out for a smoke, I’d constantly be stretching my bad leg hamstrings, reaching my hand as far past my toes as I could. I also constantly rotate my ankle when I’m on the couch, squeeze my calf muscle, and lift my leg to work my quads.

    There’s no one answer to your predicament, but what I found worked was getting on top of things right away and trying to maintain normalcy as much as possible.

    Good luck with your recovery, and feel free to vent/rant/say anything anytime.

    Christina

    • Hi Christina, Did you have surgery on your leg? I won’t need it I hope. I am 2 1/2 weeks into this in a leg brace and I know what you mean about hurting just laying around. I have to get up and move ever little while. I am doing as much as I can. I do not have a lot of help and I can’t stand to see my house filthy. So I do a little and then rest. I go back in one week for another xray. I am so ready to get back to normal.

      • Hi Julie

        Nope, no surgery on it, which was a cause of great anxiety to me. I kept thinking it should be done, but the first OS I saw said there was no reason to. I kept trying to get a second opinion, and when I finally saw the doctor, he said he would have operated. I have another second opinion appointment tomorrow with a third OS, so we’ll see what she says. But at this point (my TPF was July 3rd), it’s a bit of a moot point anyway.

        In terms of your healing: my knee isn’t in the best shape it could have been, and I’m pretty upset by it. Would surgery have made it better? Probably, but it would have brought on more risk, too.

        But good on you for getting up and doing stuff! That’s awesome ๐Ÿ™‚ I’ve heard of so many people content to sit back and rest and take it easy, and I’ve always been a believer that the less you stray from routine, the easier it is to get back into it when you feel “normal” again. Keep fighting the good fight!

  7. I am so GRATEFUL for this site and thankful to all who have contributed! Fractured my tibia on a mountain hike in Austria on 7/25/14 and after a wild mountain rescue was operated on six hours later. Have a rod in my shin. Am in a hospital in Austria now and trying to figure out what to do. When and how to get back to the US with my husband and what to do about work. I’m a teacher ( but not in a traditional classroom) and don’t know what to do about going back to work on Aug 25th. For most of the day, from about 9 am to 6 pm I sit at a table with students and parents in conferences and do paperwork. Wondering if I’ll be able to do that? I really don’t want to miss the beginning of the school year in a month. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll be well enough. But reading others reports, I’m concerned that I’m not being realistic. Reading this site has certainly been a wake up call. Communicating here in Austria has been a challenge, especially because it’s the weekend and all the regular staff are not here, so I’m particularly thankful to read the site and read the tips from people as to how to best manage day to day living.

    • Jasmin,

      I too teach and understand about not missing the beginning of the year. I was very worried, but my friends encouraged me to do what I needed to do to take care of myself and have faith that things would work out. I am having faith, and things are working out. I hope you will find that you are able to relax and mend. (Also, check out the forum. I think more people will see your posts there)

      • Thank you for your response, words of encouragement, and direction towards the forum
        Eileen. I’m curious, did you or are you going back to teaching? I’m still wondering if I should start the year part-time or not.

        • Jasmin,

          I did not see your question until today. I start the new academic year on Monday. I am walking without crutches. How are you doing?

          Eileen

  8. totally devastated and frustrated to be in bed after tpf. I am a working mom and very active person.On my feet from 6 to 11 normally but now totally dependent. Already 5wks over.Any one come over to advice and help.

    • Hi.

      I am in same boat; was an active person and then BOOM…knee dislocation with type 6 tpf. I had 2 surgeries and looking at a 13 week NWB status, stuck in a wheelchair.

      I watched a lot of Netflix and read books I was never able to get to earlier. When you can do your home PT exercises. Also, it’s OK to be in bad moods, just as long as you are responsible with your behaviors. We here on this site have been through a trauma, and we cannot be expected to simply be “on” a good mood all the time.

      Good luck and hang in!

  9. Hi Christina.

    I know! My foot slipped of my brake and I hit a curb on my motorcycle. I did THIS much damage to my leg going no more than 5 MPH. I also had a knee dislocation and several tibia and fibia breaks. This is why I need to be full NWB for 12 weeks at least.

    You are welcomed for the baby food trick. For a couple of weeks after my hospital discharge that was the only stuff I really could eat.

  10. A motorcycle accident – that hits close to home for me. I was on my motor scooter and couldn’t manage to swerve around a piece of construction styrofoam in time. I fishtailed and slid out, and I still have a hard time believing that caused such a serious injury.

    And thanks for the tip about baby food! The painkillers have absolutely killed my appetite to the point where I’ll maybe have one sandwich a day. This coming from a person who had the appetite of a teenage boy well after puberty.

  11. Hi! I suffered my type 6 tpf in a motorcycle crash on 5/13/2014. It has been about 8 weeks since my surgery and I am still NWB

    TIP: if pain meds, or any meds or pain for that matter, get in the way of taking in food, try baby food.

    Yes, may be silly, but they are gentle enough on the stomach to help you get some fast and easy calories in.

  12. Holy hell, $1,400?! That pisses me off about medical companies, how they jack up the cost of everything so they can make a profit, and leave people who really need help out in the cold.

    I just called my scooter insurance company today after a lot of hemming and hawing, not sure if I actually wanted to put in a claim and see my rates skyrocket next year, but I’m so glad I did. They’re giving me $3,500 for accident benefits until I release my medical information, and then it’s all fancy casts and luxury splints after that. Or maybe I’m just counting chickens before they hatch; I’ve heard plenty of horror stories about insurance companies.

    Actually smiled a bit at the image of shampoo samples in envelopes. I’m still struggling with the effects of the Percocet, that I’d love to just put shampoo samples in envelopes all day. Instead, I’ve been mournfully having to say no to a lot of the events I used to cover, and instead stay at home and watch bad TV. I miss going out on the town. What’s really frustrating is all the events I would cover were no more than 1.5km from my home, but it may as well be 50km now, and on my hands and knees. Going slow and not doing anything stupid is what the rational part of my brain tells me, and then I’ll have a sudden flash of what it was like to just step forward normally with my left leg…and it’s so hard to keep the weight off.

    Oh wow, Lisa, best wishes on your recovery! Although, it does sound a bit exciting to be rescued from a mountain. If I could change the circumstances, I’d put a helicopter and Saint Bernard rescue dogs in my situation instead of just an ambulance, but I’d keep the paramedics. They were incredibly nice and generous.

  13. I was injured in a fall off of a mountain. I had to be rescued by the SAR rangers in Sequoia National Park. This happened on Sunday morning and I saw my doctor yesterday.

    I have a mild TPF and also a tibia spine avulsion. I don’t know yet what the course of treatment will be. I am extremely fit and active, a mountain climber. I am so glad I found this site. Best recovery wishes for all.

  14. Thanks for the answers! I went to my first appointment at the fracture clinic yesterday, and didn’t receive good news: the knee immobilizer I had, I was told that was too short and had to get a longer one (what the hell were they first doing when they put the knee immobilizer on, and did I set myself back at all with the lack of stability??). They were tossing around the idea of surgery but ultimately, we’re going to wait a week and see how that goes.

    But just being there sucked. I went from having a knee immobilizer to full leg cast, and learning that the past week pretty much counted for nothing. It’s the cast on for six weeks NWB, and then three months (!!) of crutches NWB. This takes me to mid-November ๐Ÿ™

    On the bright side, I’ve mastered stairs with my crutches, both going up and down. The guy who put the cast on advised me to bum-shuffle up and down stairs, but I feel like that’d be a step backward. I thought about getting a walker, but I actually don’t mind the crutches too much. Between them and the wheelchair, I’m pretty satisfied with how I get around.

    • I know what you mean, when I went to the doctor the day after injury, they put me in this little foamy brace, one that slips on over your foot and pulls up over your knee. But, at least they had the sense to tell me not to put weight on it. When I went to the ortho the next week, he just laughed at that brace, then dug out the big guns- brace from my ankle to 1/2 way up my thigh.

      Kudos for mastering stairs with crutches!!! I never could and quit trying cuz I know I’d be taking a header to the bottom and end up with a concussion or another broken leg.

      I went back to work on Monday, I’d been off for 2 months and I knew I had to go back, it was getting too easy to not work. I think working is helping, it forces me to use my cane (not to the extreme) and the socializing is nice. I found, the last week, my leg seems to be getting stronger and I’m not so dependent on the walker. Knock on wood!

      Keep us apprised of your situation and don’t be afraid to vent, or cry or scream!

        • hah That’s what happened with me, too. They took one look at the short knee immobilizer and promptly stuck a full-leg cast on me. But at least I got to choose the colours, and next time, I’m going to go with black stripes on the inside and outside for a slimming effect. Just because I’m gimped up for the next little while doesn’t mean I still can’t look stylish! Can I ask if you’re American and if the cast/leg brace is covered by insurance? I had to pay $85 for my full-leg cast, and hearing that made me swallow a bit hard. Up until then, I’ve only had to pay for the painkillers; it was a nice surprise to learn Percocet are incredibly cheap.

          What kind of work do you do? I’m a writer who works from home, and I’ve been counting every lucky star that I’ve been able to keep up with work, and already had almost a year to get used to being by myself all day. I’ve had to slow down some of my socializing but not entirely, and it feels great to get outside (even if everyone and their brother stares at me).

          • I have insurance with a $2500 deductible, I think I’ve met that since my injury. The brace was covered by insurance, since I have met deductible. It was put on me by the guy who sells orthopedic devices here in town, when I got the statement from insurance company, what a shock! Between the guy putting it on me and the price of the brace, was over $1400. I looked on-line and you can buy the exact Bledsoe brace for about $150.
            I work at a fulfillment company, they process rebates, mail out different products and also have a call center. I work in the production building, most of the time it’s stand up work, but, the last 2 weeks I’ve been working, it’s been sit-down work – putting samples of shampoo and conditioner into padded envelopes. It was nice to get back, it was too easy sitting at home, and, I think the working is helping my leg. I’ve basically abandoned the walker, I only use it when I first get out of bed, then, it’s the cane for the rest of the day-even at work. I’ve been taking a lot of steps without the use of any device, but, I’m taking my time and being very careful. Still doing leg lifts and bends. But, I have to admit, not as many as when I was partial weight bearing. I don’t wear the brace except when I go to work, and it’s the first thing to come off when I get in the door.
            Much good luck on your continuing recovery. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’m on the road to total recovery and I know you’ll be saying the same thing in 3 – 4 months. Sounds like a long time, but, I was shocked how quickly the time passes. Just take your time, go slow and don’t do anything stupid- that has been my mantra for the last 3+ months.

  15. Oh, another thing, if you can-get a walker. It’s a lot easier on your shoulders and you don’t always have to retrieve your crutches when they fall over, it’s easier to balance on 4 legs versus 2.

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