Remove metal or not?

[zara]

I am 24 years old and i fractured my left tibial plateau last October. In total i had 3 surgeries on my leg, as i developed compartment syndrome.
I have a metal plate and 6 screws in my tibia. I have returned to the gym 4.5 months ago to rebuild my muscle strength and mass since my surgery. It has been 10 months now since i was released from hospital and i am having a lot of problems with my range of motion and stiffness, which is affecting the type and amount of strength training i am able to do with my leg. My physio sessions have finished a few months ago, although they did little to help anyway.

Last time i spoke with the surgeons and my GP, they suggested that perhaps removing the metal may help resolve this issue slightly. I have done online reading about the pros and cons of removing metal, but have found nothing about this type of injury or the type of symptoms i am experiencing.

If anyone could provide me with information of their experience with removing the plate from their leg and any benefits or problems they have experienced as a result, it would be greatly appreciated 🙂
(if its easier to contact me directly i can provide my email address upon request)

Topic

[Eileen]

Zara,

If you scroll down the forum, you will find a discussion on hardware removal. I also found a post from someone who liked the metal being out because her leg stays warmer. I am hoping to have my hardware removed next year, but I must say I fear the surgery.

Eileen

[Author]

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