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.
He’s on oxy every 3-4, Norco every 4-6. I realize everyones pain tolerance is varied but did anyone feel that they were less painful week 2/3?
Sorry to say but NO because I started physio on day 7 of my trauma and an over enthusiastic physio tried to put the machine on a 100° rom .She realised too late is was way to much for me but by then the damage had been done .
For me, the first week after surgery was the most painful but it did continue after that. I had some other issues though because of compartment syndrome. I was on those same medications for about four weeks, although I was able to start taking them only as needed after the second week.
Hi everyone. My 18 year old son had TPF surgery Wednesday and we were able to bring him home today.
He sustained injury by “bailing off the skateboard straight legged”.
He is a tremendous amount of pain and I am looking for some kind of info of what to expect week 2-3 post op pain and mobility wise. He received a plate, screws and cadaver bone.
It is a long process but the pain will gradually ease. Make sure he takes his pain meds as scheduled. I tried to take my meds only when the pain was getting really bad. That was a bad idea because spikes in pain levels are harder to control than maintaining a steady level. One thing to watch for with the pain meds is constipation. Dealing with the injury pain is bad enough without having to deal with the other issues, which for me were just as painful.
Read through all of the forums on this website for a wealth of good information.
I was taking 8 x500mg of paracetamol ,2 oxycontin ,tamadol once a day AND oxynorm on demand ,oxy = morphine tablets .This was gradually reduced to 4 x 500 mg at 10 months occassionally if I have done alot of driving or walking I take a morphine tablet .
Hi everyone. Five months ago I was hit by a car. I was trying to cross the street and catch a bus which wasn’t a good idea. I have a tibia plateau fracture in my left leg. I had surgery and now have six screws and one plate. I am three and a half weeks full weight bearing. I noticed that my knee isn’t totally bending and its frustrating. I was wondering what are some good pain relief techniques? The dr won’t prescribe any more pain meds. Any help would be greatly appreciated 🙂
Well I found relaxation techniques helped against the pain ,plus ice and elevation .I also found exercise and walking in a pool helped .I,have had a TENS machine for 4 months now ,it emmits week electrical pulses ,this works for me .Mine is on prescription but I know they can be bought on the Internet, I use this with first cold then hot packs .My physio uses them alot.Sorry to hear you have joined our club!
Hi jean
I have same feeling in foot and leg still swells. Bone stil hurts. I fell Feb 16 and was walking on it until correctly diagnosed 6 weeks later. I am at end of 2 weeks NWB and go back end of April for X-ray. They haven’t given me a time frame yet.. Good to hear that you are making progress at 8 weeks.
I have a few questions. Do they have you doing any exercises? Do they have you elevate and ice it? Do you take brace on/ off all day (I do when rest and elevate it). Does you bone look larger? Mine is about size of jawbreaker gum ball at injury site and has looked like that for a month. When I mentioned it to doctor , he didn’t comment. I have call in to see what it is and if it’s normal. It is helpful to ask other patients questions . Thanks and hope that you get good news.
Peggy
Just one point at the physio hospital where I was ice was ice available on every corridor .The rule was 20 mins ice then a 2 hr break .Plus elevation of leg when possible.
With this type of injury has anyone heard if it’s common to be NWB for 3 months and have your brace/ leg placed at a 30% angle for that time? Thanks
Think it depends on the severity of your fracture/amount of metal in place.
I wouldn’t think having your knee kept at 30 deg is a standard part of recovery unless there’s another kind of injury going on that required your knee to be fixed in place. Usually they seem keen to at least get your leg mobilsed, even if you can’t weight bear so you don’t loose ‘range of motion’.
I have been nearly 3 months NWB (began PWB at week 12) but that could be because I had to wait a month before seeing a surgeon in the UK as I injured myself and had my operation in France. Took a while for the NHS to get me into the system so everything seems to be about 4 weeks behind a ‘normal’ recovery schedule.
i fell skiing on jan 15 and my skis didn’t come off as I tumbled. Tpf with plate and 9 screws and miniscus tear. Surgery was not until jan 20th. Now week 11 and full wt bearing. It’s really hard! I go back to crutches or wheel chair depending i where I’m going ie. Kids had vac and we went to museum for 3 hours…I used the wheelchair. I have bad calluses on my palms from the crutches I was using. Transition to full wt bearing from partial is not easy. I had 2 was of 20# pwb. 2 wks of 40 # pwb and then the dr said full wt bearing and get rid of crutches. I can go up stairs like a real person but I can’t go down stairs every other step. I love having my hands free and I’m able to take milk out of the fridge myself now that I don’t need the crutches. I tried swimming the other day and my heel/ ankle hurt w flutter kick. My injury wasn’t even near there. I was told not to do the whip kick yet. After swimming I felt I had more movement/ less pain overall. I will try to continue. I still use a bone stimulator every night. I am at physical therapy for 2 hours a day 2x a week. I can’t believe an injury that took seconds to happen has taken so long to recuperate. I hope to b hiking by the summer. I don’t know if I will do downhill skiing again. Mb I will try cross country. I’m only 47 but I know I have osteoporosis from a bone density and the dr thinks that mb it wouldn’t have been such a bad break in someone without osteoporosis. Went to an osteoporosis specialist who said it was an accident that anyone would’ve broken a bone and really didn’t have to do with osteoporosis. I’ve always been thin and active with weight bearing exercise!
Oh…and I had bone grafting too…
Hey Aviva,
My operation following my TPF (caused by ski’s not coming off) was also on Jan 20th!
Thought I’d let you know you’re doing better than me 🙂 and I didn’t tear my miniscus, and have one less screw than you. 😉 I don’t know why but I’m assuming you don’t live in the UK?
My timeline seems to be taking longer because of having to wait for available hospital appointments here in the UK. Free health care is great but comes with some awful waiting times… 🙁
It’s nice to hear how the journey goes from here and what to expect next. I can’t wait to get my hands back for carrying things!!
I was given the go ahead from the surgeon to move up to 50% partial weight bearing last week. I’m seeing my physio tomorrow morning to learn how to do this on my crutches. Am a little nervous to go from no weight bearing to half in one go… My next x-ray isn’t for another 6 weeks so won’t be told I can fully weight bear until then. Seems to be going on forever! 🙁
I wrapped my crutches in loads of padding and socks so have escaped getting any calluses, I haven’t had any other equipment to help me get about, no wheelchair/frame. I think because my injury occurred whilst I was on holiday the doctors in the UK don’t see my injury as ‘their problem’ so I’ve not had much after care since being home really. I see my own private physical therapist after the first appointment I could get with the NHS wasn’t going to be for 5 weeks after my accident!
Luckily I’ve lots of experience with physical therapy due to having a disabled sister so I have been obsessively doing exercises and have regained full range of motion although it’s a bit stiff feeling/heavy to move my leg around.
How are the nerves in your leg doing? Have you got any numb areas near your scar? I have a big patch to the left I can’t feel anything. And I’ve got no feeling in my little toe, and the base of my foot feels like it’s coated in wax or something weird, which when I put it on the ground means I don’t really know if it’s pointing in the right direction or turning in or out too far unless I look at it!
Anyway, sorry rambling, was excited to see someone with such a similar surgery and exact same date.
Good luck with your continued recovery 🙂
Olana
Aviva, I am 53 years old and was recently told the same osteoporosis scenario. I had been doing some research on how to strengthen my bones prior to my fall, because I refused to take the bisphosphonates docs want to give women for osteoporosis. They have horrible side effects & cause bone fracture; go figure?! I want to give my body all the fight I can to help it heal itself. I’m not a doctor; so this is just from research I did on my own. All the best to you; and just in case you are interested here’s my daily supplement routine:
“Vitamin D3” 10,000 I.U. since injury(usually 5000 I.U. under normal circumstances)
“a Multi-Mineral” to get all the trace minerals: sulphur, phosphorous, boron, copper, manganese, etc. needed for bone building
“Omega-3 Fish Oil” 3 grams daily- great anti-inflammatory, helps lessen muscle loss, awesome for joint & nerve health, helps with pain and good anti-depressant. Look for brand with high DHA content.
“Vitamin K2 (MK-7 version)”: 200 mcg daily-directs Calcium to the bones and away from the arteries and kidneys
“Vitamin C”: 3000 mgs daily-wonderful anti-oxidant & anti-inflammatory
“Triple Magnesium Complex”: 1000 mgs daily-magnesium builds bone and calcium can’t do it’s job right with out it
“Calcium”: 1000 mgs daily- ‘Bone Meal’ is very absorbable & ‘Red Mineral Algae’ from the sea is excellent source of calcium
“Type 1 Collagen”: form of collagen for building bone
“R-Fraction Alpha Lipoic Acid”: 300 mgs daily; powerful anti-oxidant &nerve support
“Glucosomine, Chondroitin, MSM”: to support and strengthen joints
“B-Complex Vitamin”
“B12 & Folic Acid”
Eating lots of protein
I fell skiing in Aspen and my leg twisted behind me while my skis stayed on. Couldn’t bear weight on the second day of injury. Bruising under knee and calf. Had xrays done and was told it was a sprain with no broken bones. After a week I went for deep tissue massage to promote healing. Bruising intensified. After second massage, still had aching feeling in my knee and walked with a limp. I decided a MRI was needed to see if I had damaged my ACL or miniscus. Was walking up stairs by now one leg at a time, and wanted to make sure I was not making anything worse. MRI three weeks after accident showed closed fracture of the lateral portion of the left tibeal plateau. No weight bearing for a month and use crutches. On day 8 of crutches and going crazy. Leg aches at night, still use ice on both legs now since good leg is now sore from weight bearing. BCBS denied my MRI because said it was not medically necessary. Good thing my ortho dr. went to bat for me and got it approved. Hope to heal without complications of arthritis, ect.
Injured my leg in the exact same way Cindy! Ski’s just didn’t come out of the bindings and took my legs round with them. I managed to shatter the top of my tibia as well as fracture the left hand side. Ended up with a metal plate and 8 screws to pin it back together and am on week 11 of crutches (with permission to partial weight bare given only last week)
Six more weeks until I can move on to one crutch.
The crutches get easier with time and just think of how toned the muscles in your arms will be getting 🙂
Have they said if you’re allowed to ski again anytime soon? I have to wait to years 🙁
Good luck with your recovery, keep on using the ice packs and move on to heat when the swelling goes down 🙂
I fracture both my tibia and fibia last May within 7 days I was in physio ,lying flat on my back with one leg after the other in the air ,doing controlled exercises .Also in a machine called a Kinetec that gently pushed my leg into a flexed position .I wasn’t in plaster ,just as well as my leg ballooned but had a foam and metal wrap as I had scars to my leg that needed medical care .It is a horrible accident to have suffered and I do hope you make a full recovery ,it took 10 months for me to feel as if I had reclaimed my life fully ,but I don’t limp and apart from running and gardening my life is back to normal
It is good to find this forum. Sorry you all have this injury. I fractured my tibial plateau on Feb 19th when dismounting a skiing chair-lift in the Alps. My lower leg from the knee down was wrenched 45 degrees to the right-hand-side; the ghastly sound of the bone scrunching as it was compressed by the femur plus the ligaments & tendons ripping was very traumatic (I keep having flash-backs). But there was no pain immediately – just the shock of seeing my leg out to the side at a bizarre angle. Pain soon kicked in later though as I was stretchered in a basket down the mountain, dragged by a skier! Then a 24 hour drive home in full leg plaster cast (toes to top of hip).
I had the cast removed after 6 weeks thank goodness – such a joy to have a shower for the first time since before the accident (simple pleasures!). I was advised no weight-bearing for 12 weeks from the start. I am disturbed by the effect all over my body – holding the heavy full-leg cast has now stressed by pelvis and hip on the other side – plus back ache from sleeping on the sofa for umpteen weeks because I cannot get upstairs! But the stiffness of my injured leg is really concerning me – it is hard to believe it will ever straighten or bend properly ever again. I am surprised that absolutely no physio has been offered by the hospital as yet – surely it is best to get the body moving in some way, despite not being able to weight-bear – so I have devised my own mini physio programme. I am also going to try some sessions in a hydrotherapy pool soon to get some gentle exercise. I would like to take joint & bone care supplements but was advised by my Doctor they are not to be taken with the blood-thinning medication I am on (clexane injections into my stomach every evening for 3 months) – so I hope my diet is providing everything nutritious I need.
I agree with what I read somewhere on this website – this injury has made me stop my crazy busy life and slow down to appreciate friends, family and good health. I am also taking the opportunity to write my travel blog of years ago in to a book as well as taking up Buddhist meditation – the latter is really helping me accept the immobility and pain.
Hi All,
I am now 3 weeks into FWB. Had 4 weeks PWB prior to that. Injury occurred 5th Dec 2015.
I am able to walk (limping) around the house without crutches. I can get around on one crutch most of the time. Pretty pleased with progress.
Still have swelling below the knee and have developed this rather bizarre rash that seems to be growing just on where the fluid is. Has anyone experienced this?
Still experience pain from time to time, stiffness and ROM seems to have slowed down. Stuck around 123 degrees.
Nice to hear others stories. This is so full on!!
Hello,
Im 8 weeks post op and I had a rash that turned out to be an infection so monitor this and get your doctor to take a look.
The increase of blood flow to your leg from FWB can casue it to spread so always best to get it checked out.
I am six weeks into w/b and my foot still swells.
I have two plates and eight screws. This leg does not want to bear full weight. I am using a walker and trying to use a can but have feeble attempts. No stairs yet. You are correct, most of my fear is physiological too.
My break occurred Nov 5th
Never heard of this injury until I had it. Once I fell I knew it was bad. ER doctors were great. Did a CT scan to get complete picture. They said I had great chance to heal ok without surgery. Came home with a Bledsoe brace and crutches. It has been 8 weeks and I go for an xray this week to confirm I can do partial weight bearing. I hope so. But at the same time I am anxious and a little frightened of weight bearing. I think the psychological part of this is as hard as the physical. I do have a question. I can straighten my leg but bending is still limited. I also still get swelling in my foot especially if I have been up for a long period. Doctor said that will all improve once I start putting weight on leg and foot to keep circulation better. Anyone experience the same thing? And pain is almost completely gone. But I can “feel” the injury is still there. Does that make sense? Good to find a forum of others going through the same thing.
Oh yes all is normal .Don’t forget to rest your leg ,with it higher than your heart with an ice pack 20 mins with a gap of 2 hrs between .Even after a year it helps me .I find exercise helps and using the pool .
So week 10 and two days since my operation/accident.
Saw my doctor today! Xray is looking good, I’m allowed to being partial weight bearing!
50% but have to wait to see my physio to learn how to do this.. Easter holiday means my appointment isn’t until the 9th.
He thinks another 6 weeks before I might being fully weight bearing.
I still have to carry on with my blood clot preventative injections though. Boo
The radiographer said I’d done ‘proper job’ on my leg and it was the “worst break” he’d seen all week (which for an xray clinic in a trauma unit certainly says something!)
Doctor was very surprised with my progress in terms of my leg extension and bend (it’s almost totally back to normal) so that was reassuring.
All in all a very positive appointment outcome!
🙂
So glad to hear you are coming on so well ,know what you mean about the injections but the consequences of not having them are worse .Have you found that some nurses are better at giving them than others ?
I’m self administering mine. Sometime in hit a vein and it’s quite painful but other days it’s easier. My partner has a very serious fear of needles otherwise I’d have had him do them.
Yes you’re right I’d rather the injections than the alternative.
When I was in hospital in France the nurses were sometimes putting them in my thigh (of non broken leg) which was much more painful than side of the tummy. Still hopefully only a month or so more of them to take!
yep ,I live in France but always asked for them in tummy after having one in the thigh I decided it was tummy for me ! I also discovered that I have small veins and had to ask “Dracula” for a small needle when she took blood .Otherwise I had a bruise for days in the crook of my arm .
O.M.G. what have I done to myself? Yesterday, found out I have a fractured tibial plateau from the MRI. My accident happened 11 days ago, but it took me that long to get an MRI, so for the 11 days I had a fracture-even after the ortho said there were no broken bones at my initial appt on March 19th. I was sent away yesterday with instructions of no weight on the bad leg for 12 weeks. I have another appt and x-ray next Thurs, April 9. He says no surgery, no cast, no brace, just time and keep all weight off my leg. All of the reports I’m reading are from people who’ve had surgery; so I guess I should be grateful. I don’t have any family nearby and don’t know anyone since I have moved to a new area. It is already depressing because I can’t do much of anything for fear I am going to mess up the healing process or knock the bone out of its spot and heal crooked or something. As for my injury, I fell down in the parking lot of the grocery store after unloading my groceries. My basket began rolling away from me towards a parked car. I turned and ran after it; only to trip and fall grabbing the basket and having it pull me to the ground. I was banged up on both sides of my body, but my left knee took the initial impact. It has been 12 days since my accident, and my swelling is at least half of what it was. I had some yellow/green bruising show up at day 7 and that is all gone now. I do have pain on the outside of my leg from the knee all the way down in to the foot across the top. My fracture is right in the center of plateau, but most of my pain is along the outside of my leg.? I am using a walker and ordered some pads for the grippers today because my wrists feel almost bruised. I also ordered some crutches today with shoulder and hands gripper pads too. I will practice with the crutches and see if I feel comfortable using them. I am taking lots of Vitamin C, Magnesium, Omega-3 Fish Oil, Type I Collagen, Resveratrol and Grape Seed Extract, and eating Turmeric as much as I can. I have been using Motrin for the pain, but looks like I should stop. I am just in the very beginning of this journey. I am going to ask about Physiotherapy at the appt. next week. I definitely need help. I am 53 years old, but have already told myself and my body that we will be healing in a shorter time frame than the doc has explained. I am going to give it a try. Thanks for this forum and I’ll check back to read entries in the future.
Hi Natalie. Sorry to hear about your injury as all of us here are! May I ask, what did you do for the past 11 days if you finally got your MRI? Were you walking on it? Limping? Just curious. I was totally unable to even limp when told to be NWB for 8 weeks. Finally bearing full weight after 12 weeks or so…. Good luck. Do what the Dr’s say, maybe even more!
@ Steve R, my husband drove to the medical supply store immediately after the X-ray appointment at the bone and joint clinic, and we bought a walker. No, I cannot walk! Crazy thing is, while waiting for the MRI appointment, I thought maybe I should try and put some weight on it to make it “stronger”…..well, obviously, it began hurting worse over the final 3 or 4 days before the MRI. But, I had been told that the bones were okay; I would get the MRI to look at all the other parts. Turns out, this fracture was something that couldn’t be seen on the x-ray- the surgeon told me- and now with the MRI results–he could see it….and boy could he see it. I am using my walker when I get up for anything and awaiting my crutches and the grip pads I ordered because my fingers are tingling from using this walker. I’m afraid to grip the walker too tightly, I don’t want to create a ‘tennis elbow’ situation on top of this tibia issue. I’ve decided to stop with the pity party and just do the best I can to get this leg healed. Take care of yourself!
I just had same experience . I fell on a sidewalk February 16. When I got up, initially I couldn’t put weight on my leg. I iced it and was able to walk on it with some pain.I went to doctor on February 18 and was told x- ray was normal-no fractures. I wore 3 ace bandages, was weight bearing and shoveled a lot of snow for next 4 weeks. It was slowly improving. I removed ace bandages at week 4 and walked for twenty minutes and was in severe pain. I started to use a walker most of time and went to a specialist on March 20. I had a second X-ray and she said it was normal and gave me a knee brace, said weight bearing was fine and come back in a month. I went for second opinion on March 23. He ordered MRI and said can walk on it until have results. Had MRI on March 26 and it showed tibial plateau fracture . Mine is also in center. Now am non weight bearing and using crutches walker and wheelchair and wear brace when mobile. I go back in a month. Doctor said it will take ” some time” since I walked on it for 6 weeks before it was diagnosed. He is optimistic that it will heal well.This has been a frustrating experience. I told specialists how much it hurt but no one suggested NWB.
Peggy, I have read this injury is one that is very commonly mis-diagnosed. I’m glad my husband insisted on the MRI, because the x-rays didn’t give them a clue. I had my 3 week post-injury check up last Thursday, and doc was amazed at my progress. I was elated. Now that they know exactly where the injury is, they can get good x-ray. My bone is fusing back together!! I’m 53, and taking lots of bone building supplements to help my body as much as I can. And, it is healing. Still no weight on my leg…next will be 6 week check up- he said we will probably discuss 25% weight bearing with what he expects to see then. I’m being careful. I don’t think I’m messing up any of my progress. I am miserable with this walker and what pressing on the handles is doing to my palms and wrists. My fingers tingle because obviously I’m pressing on nerves!! But, want to keep weight off my leg. Crutches make me feel clumsy and require me to hold on to them….so, I suffer and use the walker. Going to order some fingerless gel gloves like bicyclists wear, see if it helps. Take care.
Thank you! That’s excellent news about you too! How are you feeling? In my mind after 3 months of sitting on the sofa (literally) and going stir crazy I feel I am coming out of depression/frustration and more normal every week. I wish you and everyone on is website the very best recovery ever….
Yes I get blood rush…. Started fwb at 12 weeks post op & now I’m just over 14 weeks and it’s started to disappear along with the swelling! I could sit with feet up for hours and minute I get up the swelling and blood rush would be immediate. Only last couple of days much much better on both fronts… My physio gave me a Empi conductive garment to use last week as I have muscle waste and can’t walk well. I think with that and my new indoor bike I have improved loads including my nerve damage which I’m starting to get movement from too in my foot! I’m so happy! Amazing what we all take for granted now becomes a major achievement in our lives!
Hope you feel better soon.
Congratulations, Deborah! That sounds like great progress. You are a couple of weeks ahead of me but I am also seeing some of the progress that you are describing.