Recovery time

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  • #2644 Reply
    Peter
    Guest

    Hi all

    Great to find this forum. I have a Tpf from a motorcycle accident about 2 weeks ago. Doc says I can’t put any weight on at all and need a brace. Not too much pain unless I try to stand and still can bend my knee but it’s pretty painful so I don’t do it much.

    How long generally before I will be able to put weight on and walk without help? I guess it varies but it’s hard to sit around all the time!

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    • #3926 Reply
      marion gibbins
      Guest

      so very sorry to hear your news ,my physio centre stressed time and time again that the danger period is just when you think you are better ,then nature throws a wobbly at you

    • #3918 Reply
      Sue H
      Guest

      Oh Peter, that is such bad luck! I am at about the same stage as you with your tpf so I shall take great care in view of your experience! Take care and good healing.
      Sue

    • #3901 Reply
      Peter
      Guest

      G’day all

      Touching base with some news. Was in the final physio stages this week from my TPF in early September and tripped over walking down a step rolled over on my ankle and have fractured my 5th tarsal bone in my right foot!. Same leg as my Tpf. I can’t believe I am back NWB for at least 4 weeks again!!!
      I am Pretty devastated as I know how difficult this is and I just started walking again about 3 – 4 weeks.
      I guess I should be grateful that I didn’t re injure the leg…. Bit hard to feel grateful at the moment.
      Hope u all well.

      Take care

    • #3250 Reply
      Peter
      Guest

      Hi all

      Just an update. It’s now 7 weeks since the injury and I am PWB. It’s been a very frustrating ride for sure but recovery is in sight. Have reasonable ROM and start physio tomorrow to start strengthen my leg again. I wanted to say thanks for the support it was invaluable especially during those first few weeks when it seems like it’s going to go on forever.
      The pain is minimal now with just some annoying swelling to contend with and I just have to adjust to walking normally again. I think its a very underrated injury and I pray all those that have to endure this can get the help and advise they need. This forum was where I learnt the most.

      I hope you guys are all mending well and getting back to an active life.

      Cheers
      Pete (AUS)

    • #2918 Reply
      marion gibbins
      Guest

      can be just remember eveyone is different best to check with you physio or doc ,I find that sometimes the physio is a better source of info as they are so very involved in aftercare

    • #2917 Reply
      Peter
      Guest

      G’day all

      Just have a question. I am now nearly 4 weeks NWB and my ROM is close to 90 deg. I find that I get a lot of swelling and pain after I exercise or just move around on the crutches. This gets quite painful and reduces my ROM a hell of a lot. I assume this is normal part of recovery?? Ice is my new best friend with a roller coaster of swelling & ice……

      I hope u all been doin well and improving.

    • #2777 Reply
      Peter
      Guest

      Hey thanks everyone. It’s a definitely a way to just stop and reflect for sure. Tried an outing to the beach yesterday but it was a bit of a disaster as I couldn’t get around on crutches that well and the drive was too long and uncomfortable. Not me driving of course.
      Have my kids home this week and next as its school holidays so they always create some sort of drama to keep me occupied with. Big help in getting me things aswell if I can get them off the games!! Keep positive and healing.

    • #2702 Reply
      Donna
      Guest

      Hey Peter
      I am a very active person (errr, was before this happened). Down time while being house bound became very depressing. I have found by simply getting outside, my spirits brighten. Doing something as simple as sitting in the garden with an iPad and a cup of coffee (decaf, so as not to impede healing) or joining a friend to go to the cafe and chat/people watch, can have a great uplifting effect. I have even ventured out with the assist of a good friend and a rented “gator” to watch a motocross event. There are ways to get out and stay connected to “normal” life, you just have to plan ahead, and make sure you move slowly and safely. I recommend keeping yourself as connected as you can, just don’t overdo it!
      Another thing that has helped is to stay as self sufficient at home as possible. I bought a small 2-tier server on wheels (like the desert carts at restaurants, but smaller) I have tied a small rope to it so that I can pull it while using crutches. I can now move just about everything I want around the house – from drinks/dinner to laundry.
      Hope this helps.
      Good luck!!!!

    • #2691 Reply
      marion gibbins
      Guest

      P.S pain is your friend ! It is telling you to STOP I do NOT like what you are doing (quote from py physio).

    • #2690 Reply
      marion gibbins
      Guest

      I have just one thing to add and that is everyone is different , each with a slightly different injury so please do not get too down if your progress doesn’t quite match evey posting here .Every small achievement is a big progress in this .

    • #2680 Reply
      NK Bhatia
      Guest

      Dear Peter,

      I am 46 year male, and my left leg Tibia and fibula fractured (lower 3/4) on 5 August 2014, got operated next day with a nail, a plate and 9 screw. I had transverse fracture, so doctor instruct me to put a weight of 10-12 kg just after 2-3 days after operation. I have been a sportsman, a good walker and doing some scientific work on insects, because I a scientist. Why this fracture was good for me?
      First, It told me that U are an important person and people love U. I was surprised that on the day of operation, so many people remained in the hospital til completion of my night operation. It gave me a pleasure and confident.
      Second, doctor told me that chewing tobacco is not good for bone healing, so since 6 August 2014, i did not consumed. If this fracture let me leave tobacco permanently, it would be rather cheaper business, that after expending 90 thousand Indian Rupee on my fracture, I could leave cancer causing possibilities.
      Third, i am a diabetic. Doctor told me that to recover 3-4 big incisions on the leg, i have to keep my blood glucose under 180. U know, through strict discipline on diet and exercise, my fasting sugar level has been 94-110 since last 5 week. Thanks to my fracture.
      Fourth, my daughter studying in MA attended me in the hospital for 10 days, I realized what I matter for my family. It give a great feeling. Again thanks to my fracture.
      Fifth, I was considering that how my my wife may attend the normal routine work, if I am not available to attend those. U know, what I seen: A marvelous sense of sincerity, high class work disposal, and several unforgettable love movements. Thanks to this fracture.
      Sixth, how my brothers bothered about me, it was also experienced. It gave me great feeling that transformed my low feeling to great one.
      Seventh, I now realize that we should live every movement in happiness, because who knows that in next one hour, U may be shifted to hospital for a TPF, so leave happily.
      Eighth, time is the answer for most of the unbecoming things in human life. You will also be properly guided by time, so do not worry about the duration for complete recovery. U have given all the time of your life to the society. Now give at least 10-12 weeks for your self. What is bad then.
      Ninth, ……in next post. Because now I have to take my recommended exercise..
      So good night.
      Regards

    • #2679 Reply
      Lesley
      Guest

      Hi Peter,
      Good to hear back from you. Have a good day. I’m off to a wedding today. Wish me luck on the crutches!! As I said, stick with this site. We might be on the other side of the world (England) but we seem to encourage one
      another pretty well. It has been my lifeline. Bye for now.
      Lesley

    • #2676 Reply
      Peter
      Guest

      Thanks Lesley
      It’s always the way, the technology will let u down just when u need it the most.
      Sorry to hear about your husband, thats a really difficult thing to deal with and I hope you have some support around you.
      I like the chairobics idea and will add some exercise to my not so busy schedule! Thanks again for your advise and encouragement it really makes a difference.

    • #2667 Reply
      Lesley
      Guest

      Hi Peter,
      Good morning to you. I’m ashamed to say that the tv has been my way of passing the time as during my NWB I broke my Kindle, my phone and my PC decided it had had enough so I felt a bit stranded. I have read my hard copy books and finished a couple of hefty tomes but for the most part I have watched tv and used my I pad an awful lot for all sorts of bizarre things. I am a high school teacher and my whole working life has been governed by time and noise and bells for end of lessons. Then the endless hours of essay marking and prep. I also lost my husband last year and since June 13 I have not stopped getting into bad eating habits, not sleeping and generally wearing myself out trying to fit it all in. In over 35 years I have never really had time for myself just to chill out and watch the tv. I also have 3 sons so my life has always been frenetic and very busy. The tpf meant I HAD to stop. After the first couple of weeks, I worked out my daily patterns of sleeping, eating and doing small things like making my lunch on one leg and trying to carry it into the lounge and not fall over on the walker. It’s amazing the strategies you think up! I also do my upper body workouts I like to call chairobics. I do a bit more each day so that takes up time but makes me feel good. It also helps to keep off the weight. I am 58 so there is a real danger of that! I am lucky I suppose in that I am happy doing very little and in some very strange way the tpf has made me stop and re evaluate my life. If I had carried on, I would have had a heart attack or a stroke I think. I’m sure there will be lots of others here who will be able to give you other more interesting things to do but we are all individual. It has to be down to what keeps your interest and what keeps your mind healthy. Focus on getting fit again but tell yourself it will take time and patience. I am now in the next phase of recovery but I still have another 6 weeks ahead of me to learn to walk again. Set yourself small goals and keep dipping into this site for some positive motivation. It’s what has kept me going.
      Very best wishes.
      Lesley

    • #2660 Reply
      Peter
      Guest

      This forum has been great so informative and it helps a lot. I hope your recovery goes well from here and you are back to full speed soon.
      Any tips on surviving the endless hours of NWB?
      Pete (AUS)

    • #2649 Reply
      Lesley
      Guest

      Hi Peter,
      My tpf needed surgery – bone grafts, a plate and 6 screws. I had a leg brace too. I am now 8 weeks out of surgery. I was non weight bearing for 6 weeks and started partial WB 2 weeks ago. Hard at first but it is getting better each day by doing lots of the prescribed exercises and just taking it slowly. I can leave off the brace starting today so recovery is happening but it is time that is important. It has to happen slowly so that you fully recover before putting weight on it. Before I found this site, I had no idea of the extent of my injury but most of my questions have been answered here – it is excellent and we are all in the same boat! Just take it slowly and follow all instructions. Good luck in your healing.
      Best wishes.
      Lesley (UK)

    • #2647 Reply
      Peter
      Guest

      Thanks for the info. It’s a minor displacement so no surgery required at this stage. Just waiting on one more scan to determine the full extent.
      However it’s not quite as minor an injury as I thought and it’s been a big help reading this forum as the doctors seem to not give much on what to expect going forward with recovery etc. it sounds like its a fairly long road to full recovery.
      I am pretty active and cycled and ran a lot and my job is quite physical in some parts so I hope I can back to this at some stage. but from what I’ve read here this could well be limited now???

      Sorry to sound like I am complaining but all this info on recovery time frames has come as quite a shock to me..

    • #2645 Reply
      Donna
      Guest

      Hi Peter

      Sorry to hear that you have joined “the tpf club”. Recovery time has a lot to do with the type of fracture – did it require Internal Fixation, how much depression or displacement, any bone grafting? Based on this, the weight bearing process can start anywhere from 4 weeks on up. Unassisted walking can take several more months once you start the process of weight bearing. The one thing to keep in mind is that this type of injury does require patience for recovery. There is going to be a lot of down time – and don’t push ahead of what your orthopod tells you to. Full recovery is very dependent on letting the bone heal so you have a strong weight bearing base.

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