TPF with Compartment Syndrome

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  • #1519 Reply
    Lucy
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    Hi all–sorry we are all meeting like this…

    I am a 2 time marathon runner, many halfs and was just getting into triathlons. As a swimmer and a runner the bike is what always held me back. For Christmas I got a road bike, then 2/9/14 I had a fall…

    I knew immediately I had broken my leg…thought, ok, lets get to the hospital and get a boot and move on. Turns out I had a TPF. I had surgery that night to put in an external fixator to stabilize the break. The next day, as they were trying to discharge me, I was in horrible pain and couldn’t believe anyone was even considering sending me home. Turns out they (finally) diagnosed me with Compartment Syndrome. I was rushed in for an emergency fasciotomy. If you aren’t familiar with this, only google if you have a strong stomach, it is gnarly. Two more surgeries (for a total of 4) and 8 days in the hospital I was sent home with the external fixator for 10 days to wait for the swelling to go down. I then went back in for my 5th and final surgery, a grueling 10 hour surgery which included 2 huge plates and about 16 screws to put my tibia back together. The repair inside my leg looks like the Eiffel Tower there is so much hardware.

    I am now just over 4 months out of my last surgery. I was non weight baring for 12 weeks. My foot was completely dropped (-22*) and my knee was not moving. I have worked hard, PT 3x/week, plus at home excercises. I have a lot of nerve damage from the fasciotomy, and have no feeling or weird feeling from ankle to knee. I have horrendous scars both inside and outside the length of my leg (ankle to about 6″ above my knee), but I am finally walking unassisted.

    It is hard to believe I could ever forget about my injury. I think about it with every step, I work hard every day to get my knee to bend and to get it to go straight. My leg still swells and I have to keep it elevated…I still can’t walk long distances (remember, I ran a marathon, 26.2mi just 3 months before my injury), and I have to ice every night. Sleeping is sometimes uncomfortable…and I doubt I will ever run again.

    I wonder if anyone has experienced this…It seems like every time you start to feel better in one phase of the recovery, the next step knocks you down again…2 steps forward, one step back…I experienced that over and over…I am hoping I have cleared the last hurdle and just need to get stronger now.

    HOWEVER—I am very lucky not to have lost my leg, and I know this. Anytime I am discouraged I have to slow down and remember where I was last week, last month, 2 months ago. I am getting stronger every day.

    I guess I don’t have any real questions…It is just nice to write it down…interesting to read your stories as well…Hope everyone feels better quickly, it is unbelievable how quickly your life can change. I read somewhere that this injury is most common in active people, so we are all in the same boat–its hard to be sidelined!

    XOXO

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    • #6219 Reply
      Eileen
      Guest

      Hello All,

      I just want to offer some encouragement. Although I did not have compartment syndrome with my TPF, at therapy I met a young man who did. He has an incredible scar, but is playing sports again. Find a good PT and keep trying.

      Eileen

    • #6212 Reply
      Andy
      Guest

      Any updates on your swelling issues? I also had compartment syndrome and am about a month away from being able to weight bear. My biggest problem is the swelling that starts as soon as an hour after getting out of bed to go to work. Elevating during the day doesn’t help, either, because my torso is still above the foot and knee while at work. Many hours of being elevated in bed is all that makes it better.Once the swelling starts, my knee and ankle are so tight that I can’t effectively do any of my physical therapy. My OS does not want to use compression socks because of the skin grafts. Please tell me things get better.

    • #6211 Reply
      Andy
      Guest

      Any updates on your swelling issues? I also had compartment syndrome and am about a month away from being able to weight bear. My biggest problem is the swelling that starts as soon as an hour after getting out of bed to go to work. Elevating during the day doesn’t help, either, because my torso is still above the foot and knee while at work. Many hours of being elevated in bed is all that better.Once the swelling starts, my knee and ankle are so tight that I can’t effectively do any of my physical therapy. My OISdoes not want to use compression socks because of the skin grafts. Please tell me things get better.

    • #1818 Reply
      Eileen
      Guest

      Lucy,

      I have bad crunching in my knee, wish I had a solution. However, I beat the Plantar problem by rubbing tennis balls under my feet, especially the arches, before I get out of bed in the morning. Also, I wear supportive footwear with a good arch.

    • #1799 Reply
      Lucy
      Guest

      Jane,

      Sounds like we have gone through a lot of the same recovery. Sorry I am just seeing your post.

      the swelling seems to be getting a little better, but still at the end of a busy day I can feel it–and try and ice every night. I would have thought the swelling would be over by now…

      It is my knee that is giving me the most trouble, and now have developed plantar fasciatis(SP?) from limping around.

      the new concern is that the cartiledge in my knee is not good, it cracks and buckles and my knee totally gives out without warning…

      How are your fasciotomy scars? I have ankle to about 6″ above my knee on the outside and ankle to 4″ above my knee on the inside. I also have a lot of nerve damage and numbness on my shin, and around my ankle. I have no feeling on my shin at all, and the back of my ankles are tingly, like after you have a tooth filled. Have you experienced any of that?

      Always something…

      I hope you are recovering well!!!

    • #1536 Reply
      Jane
      Guest

      Hi Lucy!
      I too am 4 1/2 months post my TPF. My injury occurred 2/20. I was sking, caught an edge and straddled a tree. 🙁 Knew immediately that I had broken my tib/fib, but never knew how badly I had done it. I also had compartment syndrome, although mine presented much quicker. I was rushed from the ED to the OR for the fasciotomies and ex fix placement. Had 2 more surgeries in that stay, along with 2 blood transfusions. I was then discharged home after 10 days for 1 week, then returned for my 4th and final surgery and another 4 day stay. I have 3 plates and countless screws. I was set up with a CPM machine the day I got home and had that for 6 weeks, day by day increasing my ROM. I went the full 12 weeks non-weight bearing, then prgoressed pretty quickly from walking with both crutches, to 1, on to a cane and now nothing 🙂 I have been walking with no assistive devices for about 2 1/2 weeks, my limp is improving, and I am finding that I have more pain in my foot and ankle then I do in my knee. I have PT 2x a week and have only been doing that for the past 3 weeks. I do have significant pain behind my patella with some strength excersises. And swelling, holy pitting edema! Everyday!!! Ugh! Any ideas when that will go away?
      Day by Day, just keep telling myself, but life changing for sure.

      Keep up the good work!

    • #1525 Reply
      JayJay
      Guest

      Wow, Lucy! Thank you for sharing. I did not experience any compartment syndrome, but had fracture my tibia plateau as well. It is by the grace of God I have been able to handle injury well and my care has been so awesome.

      Thank you for sharing and I wish you cintinued healing.

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