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).
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.
I am 13 weeks post surgery for tibia plateau fracture and full weight bearing. Physio advised walking round house with no crutches, but using one outdoors which I am doing and all is okay. However, I have developed a small soft swelling at the bottom of my stiches, not red or sore by any means, which goes down with rest, but comes up when I walk. Just wondering if it is worth bothering my physio about. I have never broken anything in my life (50 plus!) so not sure what to expect – any advice please.
Hi Jenny,
Thank you for your question. I’ve copied the question to the new forum page on the site and also posted a detailed answer there.
In general – it doesn’t at all sound like something to worry about at this stage.
Shlomi, I will be more than happy to help this website anyway I can. I’m glad I found you after you responded on kneeguru. I have found that this is a very unusual injury for younger folks unless they participate in mountain biking, kite boarding or skiing primarily. And then a lot of people get hurt like I did by having their dog take their leg out. However the TPF occurs, it is a devastating injury. Look at Olympic skiier Lindsay Vonn. When she was injured last year, fracturing her TPF as well as tearing ACL and PCL, most journalists focused on the ligament injuries. But doctors quickly pointed out the tibial fracture was much more of a concern for her to return to world class skiing form. She is still wearing a brace now almost a year later. So the TPF is a serious injury to overcome.
I have been a physical therapist for 16 years, and I have never treated a TPF. So this has been a real eye opening experience for me. And any input I can add from my experience, I’ll be glad to help.
I had a reassessment yesterday, and my therapist thinks I’m doing well. I’m hoping to return to work in some capacity in 2 weeks but I still have a lot of work to do. My foot/ankle and calf are still very weak, but I have some new exercises to focus on. Because my job entails I be completely stable on my feet all day to prevent my patients from falling, I have to accelerate my progress as quickly as possible. I always tell my patients that how fast they improve is up to them, and now I have to practice what I preach. Once the surgeon says the bone has healed, it is then up to the patient to determine how fast they will improve. And because I daily document how my patients are progressing, I’m doing the same for myself. And hopefully my experience can help others as well. I’ll continue to update here.
Thanks,
Chris
Hey Chris,
I hope you are getting better by the day, and thanks for the insights and offer to help. If you take a look at the physiotherapy section you will see that it is somewhat lacking, as I don’t have any professional PT training, and only wrote from my experience and research. If you would like to send me some text or exercises that you think would provide better guidance to people suffering from this injury that would be great. Or, if you prefer I can give you access to directly edit the PT page, and add stuff as you like.
I’m available at [email protected]
Thanks for the feed back Chris. I’ll make sure to include some of this stuff in the PT section!
Going on 6 weeks from fracture and 4 weeks from final surgery. I’m still having a great deal of pain although more like very strong ache in the front of my knee. Oddly my heel also hurts from time to time. My range of motion is very good but i’m still NWB. My knee also just doesn’t look right to me. I understand there is a lot of hardware in there, but my lower leg looks and feels shifted to the outside. Anyone else have this? I’m not in physio yet but I have been doing movment exercises and hand manipulation as recomended by a few places. My knee cracks and groans alot too, which I don’t know if its just because its not bearing any weight or because its just not right.
@Chis the physio guy, yep . . moutainbiking . . miss it tho!
Fracture 8-23-13, surgery 8-27, FWB 10-9-13- 4 weeks into PT, and I am a physical therapist by the way. Started with crutches, aquatic therapy mostly to start, then one crutch-now on cane and sometimes no assistance. I am very frustrated with my recovery thus far. My ROM is good with 130 degrees flex, and -3 extension. Big complaint is I am still having foot/ankle pain. I know the knee strength is not there yet, but my foot is always the joint I feel is gonna give way. I can go up and down stairs, drive etc. But I don’t feel I am close to returning to work. I have to be able to not only be stable on my feet, but I have to be able to catch my patients from falling, so I have to be almost fully recovered before I can return to work.
With no disability, and no paycheck in almost 3 months, I am very concerned. My profession requires a full recovery, and I don’t return to surgeon for 2 more weeks, but at the rate I’m recovering, I don’t know if I will be ready even then.
My question is how long do many people feel it should take before they are really confident about their balance and strength again? I’ve heard 5 days for every day of non weight bearing. If that is accurate, I won’t be fully recovered for close to 10 months! I hope I will beat that time table. Anyone have any suggestions/reports on recovery time to feel confident again? Anyone have any idea how long I should expect the foot and ankle weakness to last?
Thanks,
Chris
Hi Chris,
Feeling confident on your is something very personal, however mostly you can feel comfortable walking around for short periods of time and be stable at about 6 -8 weeks after you stop using crutches (about 3.5 months after surgery). Unfortunately gaining the strength in your leg and being able to be out and about all day long, doing physical work etc. could really take up to a full year . It is not definite that you will regain all of your leg strength until a full year has passed (sometimes a little more), and depends on your personal situation and how much PT you are doing. I would consider talking to your doctor about how to adjust to this new situation that can be a reality for a while, and what your expected time line for recovery is. Perhaps consider changing something at work or easing in to it slowly to see what you can and can’t do.
Also – seeing as you are a physiotherapist, how would you like to help out writing the physiotherapy section of this site?
I’m sure a professional hand would be able to give a lot of helpful insights.
TPF on 08/26/2013- surgery 08/30/213 that included bone graft to fill in compression fracture- NWB until 11/07/2013 with return to work without restrictions on 11/16/2013- I am a registered Nurse and after working two 12 hour shifts in a row could hardly walk the second night from the edema in my leg when brace removed and the pain was mainly in my heel/ankle region. I now feel like I might have shin splints that I am treating with RICE- sure do hope the foot/ankle pain doesn’t last very long since I like you cannot afford to be off work any longer and will have to “work” thru the pain. I figured alot of the issue was needing to restretch the tendons in my ankle and foot. The knee itself feels great, havent had any pain in that area for the most part since the incision healed. Hopefully the other issues resolve themselves soon.
I had my accident on 1/22/2014, surgery on 01/31/2014 and did not put any weight on my leg for a full 12 weeks. At 12 weeks I was told to put half my weight on for a week and then full weight after that week. My knee is not what is hurting but my foot is giving me so much pain when I walk, I have to just keep going and take the pain. Why does my foot and ankle hurt?
Terri I am experiencing the same. I did not have surgery, however I was NWB for 6 weeks. My accident was on 4/14/14. This week my Dr. said I can start FWB and therapy. I am still on crutches and just started testing weigh on my leg. My foot and ankle have a tingling feeling and my therapy starts Friday. What did you learn from your experience.
I did not have surgery either broken ton/fin March 29th no in boot as of Friday. NWB still but in therapy hope to walk soon!!!!!!!!!!!
Hi Chris,
Broke my tibia 9 days ago (playing rugby), surgery straight away the morning after, fixed the two bone parts with a titanium rod and a screw at the knee and one at the ankle… I know it is very early, and am lucky as they haven’t given me a cast but only a moonboot and let me put weight on it as tolerated (FWBAT).
First time with a big injury like this, haven’t got a direct comparison – of course, anything is too slow… ROM in the knee is getting there fairly quick, but the ankle is taking its time. Feel like this will be the problematic part in rehab, too – can definitely feel the screw down there, especially at night when the leg is resting.
How are you doing now? And how long did it take you to get rid of the ankle pain / restriction in mobility? Are you fully recovered yet, and if not, how fare along are you? I know everyone’s different – but would love to have a rough outline from someone who went through a similar situation. How soon did you start with aquatic recovery, and how did you cope with your frustration?
take care,
I am 2 weeks out and honestly I am surprised that the knee is in very little pain. I know I will get some increased pain as PT picks up, but the pain level was honestly way down by the time I left the hospital. The patience part is the hardest for me. I am a very independent person (AKA hard headed).
certainily patience part is killing
Pain increases as PT increases. 6weeks already felling fedup in life. somebody advice
That’s awesome Stephanie. I have am almost five weeks in and I have had no pain and almost full range of motion. PT is to be embraced. No pain … no gain!
iam ten weeks and iam not there yet but hopefuly not much longer we just got 2 bear with it
Try not to be so afraid of the surgery. I am less than 2 weeks out from mine and they even had to cut into the leg further than they were hoping and my leg pain is surprisingly low. I am not saying it never hurts and not saying it didn’t smart for a few days post surgery, but I think in the long run I will be better for having it done. I know that once they start therapy and working the knee it is going to hurt, but it hurt like the dickens before the surgery to repair it. I had TPF times 2. There was a dent on the inner half and the inner edge of the dent was split, causing a fissure down into the tibia. It is an extremely long wait to be able to do any weight bearing, but that is to avoid causing the repair to collapse. If you have someone to help at home and the time off, I would go for it. Don’t be scared and you will come out the other side a champ.
I wold like to thank you for your help, I’m 31 years old, I had a car accident and my injury was on May 2009 in my right leg, i had tiny TPF so the DR put a cast for 3 months then therapy.
I was able to walk and run but i don’t feel my leg normal like before, i feel pain when i set for a long time during work, In September 2013 i checked it again with another Doctor and after he looked at my X-ray he said it shows i still have old TPF and prescribe DICLOFENC 75MG for 2 month.
After 2 months i did a follow-up visit and i told the DR i didn’t felt any improve then he advice a Arthroscopic Surgery to clean the surface
My leg it doesn’t hurt me when i walk or run but it’s not normal but actually i am afraid from the arthroscopic Surgery 🙁
I would like to thank all those who put this sight together. I’m 27 years old and am 2 weeks post op on my tpf I am a bigger guy at 240 lbs and did my while skate boarding. This sight is great and is helping get through this whole big fun adventure . Thank you so much !
My injury was about 2 weeks ago. I had an x-ray about 10 days ago. The physician assistant came, who treated me at the urgent care center, came in the room after and said “well you did a good job on your knee there.” She went on to explain that I had 2 medial plateau fractures. One was where the ligament comes to the lower front of the patella. She said that bone was broken. Next, she explained how there was a tear, rip or fracture where the tibia and femur come together. I got in to see the ortho. doctor this Tuesday and just had a CT Scan done Thurdsay (2 days ago). I went into the x-ray room with the mindset that is was a total waste of time, as those only show broken bones, and it felt and sounded like all off tissue damage so there was no way anything would show up on z-ray. How wrong was !?!? Anyone out there with 2 breaks as I have and if so how bad was the tearing of the tendons and ligaments? I am attending college and this is really giving me fits.
My daughter has just had an operation for a TPF injury. Researching the details of TPF I came across your website and I find it very interesting and helpful. I will be passing the details to my daughter so she can learn more about the injury and recovery. Thanks, Often it takes experience of an injury to help other people.
My injury was 6 weeks ago surgery 4 weeks ago. I still have some bruising around my ankle but that is all. The bruising by my knee was gone a while ago, but all I had was one on the back of my knee. Everybody is different. I think keeping it iced as much as possible helps keep the bruising minimal. And helps it to resolve.
Thanks! Sounds like this is normal then. Ice is my friend. Hope you get back on your feet soon. Take care.
Amanda my accident was the end of july. i broke both legs, ankles, my rt shoulder and arm. my tpf was in my right leg and this is probally the worst injury i have had to endure. I had compartment syndrome before i went into the or. it has only been since july 22 but i was out of a cast or brace for the first 3 weeks after surgery except for an xfix the 2nd week. After that was removed and all my hardware from knee to foot was all screwed, plated and rods installed my life was all pain and very little gain. i was always asking for ice but i couldn;t really keep the sweeling in check until i got help from an cold machine. this made a big difference. that and eating. my diet was lacking becuase of pain and the realization of how much down time i had infront of me. i luckily was fortunate enough to have substancial muscle mass at the time of the accident so i was able to start moving on my own with my left arm. i did transfers with my left arm and broken leg. i was cleared to bear weight as tolerated on my left leg with the assistance of a moon boot lol. this still was no breeze but i had a lot of support from family, friends, even strangers. this helped a lot. i defiantly was very depressed and in severe pain but was transfered to a great acute care facility. i pushed hard and harder but the gains were limited by the severity of my injuries and def had bad days. however, i tried to see the good and it def wasnt and still isnt easy. u stated that your quad is not firing becuase of down time. something that helped me a lot was doing ankle pumps and focusing on top quad contractions where you push for 0 flextion and also manually moving that patella right left forward back for counts of thirty. also passive leg extensions can help. and def keep icing. i gained a lot of flexion from always pushing and i also used a cool machine all day and slept with it on. just becareful u don;t get any freeze burns and listen to your doctors and pt/ ot. hang in there sounds like you are one the right track. 🙂
Thank you. I am now able to move my leg, it started twitching 2 weeks ago and 1 week ago I could lift it. It was so exciting! I was at the Dr today and my knee is not flexing as much as it should and I will be starting PT this week, also due to the lack of motion I am now growing extra bone where I shouldn’t hopefully this doesn’t continue to grow but it could mean another surgery 🙁 Right now I am hoping for the best! I was cleared to put 50 pounds of pressure on my leg and should be off crutches in 2-6 weeks.
Cleared to put 50 pounds is AWESOME. I am 2 weeks out from surgery and still zero weight bearing, probably for another 9 to 11 weeks. I am getting OT and PT from the home health group I am signed up with, so I am a bit surprised at the delay in starting with that.
I am a PT, and am going through TPF recovery now. I was worried that therapy didn’t start until 6 weeks out, but I can tell you therapy is mostly a waste of time until you are full weight bearing. Do your own ROM, but until you are full weight bearing, you have to wait for the bone to fully heal. And then the fun? begins. I had asked the surgeon about therapy right after the surgery, and this is what he told me. I did the ROM exercises, and non weight bearing strengthening, stationary bike riding etc. I also recommend patellar mobilizations and scar massage on your own. Those two exercises will pay dividends when you are full weight bearing. Hope this helps.
Chris
I have a question. How long does it usually take for all of the bruising to go away? It’s been 4 weeks since my injury and 3 weeks since surgery. Still have lots of bruising.
I’m sure it varies but just wondering what others have experienced.
Hi Ellen, It can take a few weeks for bruising (also known as contusions) to go away, sometime up to around 8 weeks. The best treatment for bruises is RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) which will help alleviate the bruising.
If the bruise looks like a big “lump” of water under the skin and does not lessen with time, it might actually be edema which can be solved by wearing a medical pressure sock for several weeks.
Neither of these symptoms is in any way dangerous or abnormal.
Thanks for the question! Ive added it to the Frequently asked questions so that other people suffering from this might find a suitable answer for their needs,
Shlomi
The bruising in my knee was mostly gone before I had surgery and the surgery itself did not add much, if anything to the bruising. It took me several weeks to get into care and have the surgery, so that may have made some difference.
My stomach is a different story. I had a blood thinning medication, while in the hospital, and 7 more days of it after I went home. Those made for HUGE bruises on my stomach (even with rotating and using different injection sites.
Good luck to you and I hope you are well.
Thank you. My injury was 5 weeks ago. Surgery was 2 days shy of being 2 weeks after the injury as I do not live in a populated area. It has been very difficult for me lately to deal with not being able to do things. The muscle in my thigh is still paralyzed and reading this is going to help get me through another day.
U have to learn how to let people help you. i know this is very hard, it still is for me, but its ok to ask for help. i also live in a small town 2000 people not public trans, so i had to go to an acute and now sub actute rehab facilities. can be wierd at 30 lol. but just keep pushing
Overall a very informative article. I did not have surgery following my injury. I am hoping this might mean I will heal more quickly. I am focusing on nutrition and exercise. Thank you Anne
Thanks, this is the most informative on my injury I have read!
Anyone heard of Algodystrophy? Apparently it is a sympathetic feeling(unconsious on behalf of the body ) and can lead to a vicious circle of avoiding painful exercises .If I have understood the surgeon correctly !