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.
Hi Terri, yes, stiffness and painful movement from bending to straightening lasted about 3 months post Op for me, I also had a sprained ACL, a plate and 6 screws. Mornings were bad, I would have to limp for a while. 7 months out now, I still have allot of pain when kneeling, as in yoga ‘child’s pose’. But no longer experience ‘transitional’ pain when relaxing or at night sleeping when I change positions, straght leg to bent leg and vise versa- in fact my leg feels very normal when not weight bearing, no pain or stiffness.
Hi rebecca….priyanka here….u also got tibial lateral condyle depressed fx ah…i also have acl tear…now mcl tear also….will i be normal in 8 mnths….my weight is 75 kgs…and will physio wud be rigorous…..plz do reply….waiting
Hi had accident 6 weeks Falling from scaffold with injury platea tibial fracture plus splitting cartlidge any idea how long I will be of work thanks John
I am 22months post TPF with plate and screws. I am still having altered skin sensation over the front of my calf. Feels like bruise and burn. Can’t stand anything rubbing on it. Anybody else out there with that problem? Will it eventually go away? Also, it hurts to run. I feel like I can feel the screws when I do. Will that go away, too? I want to report that I thought I would never be able to squat again, but I am doing deep knee squats at the gym – just in the past 2 months. AND, in the past 6 months I have been able to kneel on the affected knee. Thought those days were over, too. So, even in the second year I am seeing progress. I was 10 weeks non weight bearing. No ACL or MCL tears, but they did have to remove and reattach the Pez Anserine tendon so they could install the hardware under it.
Does anyone wake up in the morning with the knee bent and have to work on straightening just to walk. Once it is warmed up its not bad….but when its left still for a period of time it takes on a bent resting position and won’t straighten until it is stretched straight with exercises. Any advice? Does this get better? 71/2 weeks after surgery with plate and 6 screws and an acl avulsion that has healed. More than 90 ROM and weight bearing for past week.
Hi….anyone who had ligamnt tear and recovered……r u able to sit on ur knees or put pressure on ur knees…plz reply….i am havng acl partial tear frm 2 yrs..but still unable to sit on knees..or cross legged
Priyanka,
I was hit by a car and suffered a tpf and a third degree MCL tear. My doc said the old school of thought would have been to immediately repair the MCL but the new school of thought is to immobilize it for 2 months (which I was doing anyway because of the tpf). He believes it will heal on its own. Whether or not this actually happens, remains to be seen. I will say I’ve had a very difficult time gaining ROM in my knee and it’s NOT because it hurts to bend the knee itself as much as it kills the MCL to bend it. I can’t get past the MCL pain to get to the knee pain. It has gotten better, but it’s been 11 weeks. There’s too much metal now to MRI the MCL but I hope it truly is healing. The MCL has been the hardest part of all of this for me since the beginning. Whether you get it repaired or not, I hope it begins to feel better!
Hi jeevan….am Priyanka….sorry for asking again and again…..actually am having doubt if my fx will cure or not….my ppl are giving me hopes but as am suffering I am unable to cope up guts….will i be able to walk bend my knee at least after 8 mnths…..even for slight shaking movement will it pain after recovery…and shud I continue physio lifelong…and I have plate and screws in place…will the surgeon remove these after years
Hey priyanka,
First thing I should say is, Don’t worry stay chill.Have good and healthy food.its a must for healing ua bone.always spent time with ua love one so that u can get ride of loneliness and difficulties.don’t think much about ua injury.
My doc told me that it requires 6 months for complete healing of bone.and after short period they will remove ua hardware.
And u will be normal as before.u can live ua normal life.but nw u should take great care of ua leg.pain will go slowly.u must do regular exercises.and keep visiting ua doc as well.Thank u!
Thank u so much jeevan for replying me and making me ease…jus yesday i saw the mri report…alrdy i was suffering wth acl tear….now along wth fracture i have mcl tear…will it be okay….till now i was thnking nly fracture….but now additional mcl tear also…
Mcl tear is not a big thing I should say.i think it will recover within a month.its just because of sudden movement of ua parts like twisting and all that.U will b okie very soon.all the best!!
Hi Jeevan, I don’t mean to interfere with your comments to D.Priyanka, and we are all on this Chat Forum looking for help and advise. After suffering through this terrible injury that is a PTF. But your comment: “Mcl tear is not a big thing I should say.i think it will recover within a month
.”Is miss informed. Tears to tendons and ligaments are usually fixed through surgery due to their cartridge type structure and therefore lack of blood flow. They don’t heal on there own like other wounds. If not repaired, they will always be painful, and get worse with age. A PTF type injury usually involves the critical ligaments that surround the knee, they get beaten up pretty badly. Most Dr. ( and mine too ) want to fix the broken bones first, get that healed and get you back to walking, and latter address any ligament issues. The good news is, to fix a MCL tear, is usually done through ‘key hole’ surgery, very quick and simple, minimally invasive. And about a month of healing, but you can walk, no problem after or maybe crutches for a week or two. It’s a very common sports injury, I know dozens of my active friends have had MCL tears fixed this way. But it should be fixed and D.Priyanka sould consult her/his Dr about it.
Hi Ashish: Based on what you’re saying, I think an x-ray should be taken to determine how things are healing. Popping and cracking sounds need to be investigated. While it may be touchy to ask for a second opinion, if you’re not confident in what your doctor is telling you, find another doctor.
I had my hardware out after getting my new knees. Hardware had been in for almost 9 months. No problems.
I’m interested in knowing the pros and cons of getting the hardware out. My wife’s surgeon did not offer to take the screws and plate out, saying instead, “They’re yours to keep.”
Is this a matter of patient’s choice? Other than not wanting another operation, which I gather is quite a small procedure, why would anyone want to keep them?
all operations carry a risk so if the hardware is not causing you physical or mental problems ( for some the very idea all that metal inside is abhorent ) many surgeons prefer to leave it in place.
Hi, Jake. I had a TPF 22 months ago. My hardware is installed under the pez anserine tendon, where the worst part of the break was. (It was detached, surgically, to install the hardware, then reattached.) So, to have my hardware removed would mean un attaching the large tendon and then reattaching. I don’t think I would want to have to go through the recovery of that, again.
Rebecca: Nice, encouraging words. – Jake
Hi…iam 28 yrs female…i was crossing road and car hit me… I fell down and suffering with tibia lateral condyle depressed fx…from 2 yrs ago itself am suffering with acl partial tear of same leg…now bcoz of fx i underwent orif surgery wth plate and screws…bone graft was done from hip and kpt at tibia region…iam given bed rest for 6 weeks….can anyone plz tell me if i will be atleast ok…to perform light activities at home…also am married…so can i lead normal life atleast after 1 yr..plz reply…my husband is good but i want to know if i can lead a normal life wth him…if i do physio…plz reply
Hey priyanka,
U will be ok right away within 6 months.don’t be panic.just go as per your doc advice.i also got the same injury two week before while playing football.and I’m hoping to play again very soon(haha).But physiotherapy is a must.don’t put Weight on your injury leg until further advice from your doc.but keep moving your leg.thank u!
Hi Jen, yes, I agree. With this injury, you must work through the pain ! Pushing it, isn’t nessasarly a bad thing. After the NWB period for me -12 weeks, my Dr. told me ” Work it like you hate it ” also ” Stay lite, and stay active “. All great advise. I’m cycling 14 miles, and up to 8 miles of tough ( up and up, then exstream down ) hiking. When my insurance ran out for PT, I found a Pilates studio and am working one on one 2 x wk. It’s not cheap, but neither was PT after I had to pay out of pocket. Plus I quite the pool stuff as I needed weight bearing. Also after I quit PT, at 4 months after my accedent, I signed up for a one month 2x wk workout at a Cross Fit type gym . A lot of TRX and timed interval training. That got me back into shape fast, so now am back to most of the activitys I enjoyed ( plus surfing ) before this accedent. And you will too, it is scary, but keep working hard ! I’m proof, you can get back to being in great health/fitness. Good luck.
I like your style Rebecca! Too bad you don’t live next door, haha. I think I’m going to start hot yoga (not Bikram since you have to lay down so much in between poses and I can’t get down or up easily). I also did my regular weight lifting class yesterday minus the lunge track and clean and press (doc says no to heavy weights overhead). Felt great to be back in the gym. I’m happy to “work it like I hate it!” Anything to get my life back. I’m a very competitive cyclist so I’ll be thrilled when I can achieve a revolution. 14 miles is great! Felt a little jealous reading your response but it just makes me want to work even harder so thank you!
Hi Jen,
My physical therapist also measures my ROM while I am lying on my back with my leg bent as far back as my heel will slide. She has never measured me any other way. I go back to my doctor in 2 weeks and I will have a better idea then when he thinks I can return to work. As of today, I know that I am not ready. I tire by the afternoon and I am still not confident that I can handle the commuting. My leg is getting stronger but at times it feels like it wants to buckle, although that is getting less and less. I would imagine that I won’t be returning to work until the end of May which will be 6 months from my accident and surgery. The doctor said that the removal of my hardware will be discussed at that point, to be done in the future. He said that if everything looks good, he recommends that the hardware be removed as it will have done its job and served its purpose. Keep up the good work that you are doing; sounds like you are making great progress!
Hi Jeevan,
I’m not using crutches any longer (10 1/2 weeks). I began using them at 6 1/2 and used them until just a few days ago. I think it’s a very individual process but as I said in the last email, rolling properly through the foot is very important. I did not put the crutches down…(first two and then down to 1 for balance) until a few days ago. I never had a stick or walker of any kind. I bought pads that go on the tops and handles of the crutches to make it a little more comfortable and it was well worth the $30. Got them on Amazon! I do still limp a little but am totally ok without crutches if I take it slow. Hope that helps!
Hi
I am ashish. I am 28 years old. 3 months back i met with an accident where injured my knee. I had an open dislocation with comminuted fractures to my patella, tibia and femur. I immeditely had surgery with internal screws and and an external fixator to stabilise tibia. Currently i have almost full extension but my knee flexion is poor only 65 degrees. I was wondering how much time would it take for my bones to heal compeltelyso that i can go with further treatment. I am worried whether ill be able to gain decent knee flexion rom since i found out on some websites i might have a condition known as arthrofibrosis. Currently i am undergoing physiotherapy and cpm. Its been almost a month now on cpm but my range dosent seem to go beyond 80 degress ( forced ) and also its extremely painful as well. My doctor told me there are ligament tears as well . ( i dont have a pcl at the moment). Was wondering if anyone had an injury like this. My surgeon told me its a combination of worst possible injuries that could happen to my knee and that i had no vascular damage is a miracle.
I wanted to know realistic outcomes of this type of injury and whether my life can return to normal again. My goal is to gain as much knee flexion as possible but at the moment is not happening because of an extremely painful and stiff knee.
Hi Ashish,
First of all, I want to say that I’m so sorry you’ve experienced such a difficult injury. I had a tibia plateau fracture almost a year ago and I had arthrofibrosis which limited my Rom and even with physical therapy I only got 60 Rom. After four months, my surgeon did a physical manipulation of my leg and injected cortisone around my knee and upper leg. After a month of doing physical therapy 3x a week, going to a sports rehab doctor that used an active release technique which helped tremendously and working on it at home (stretching, massaging and slowly riding the stationary bike), I was able to get full Rom. Oh and lots of prayer! I hope this helps you and don’t give up. Good luck, I will pray for you!
Hi lisa,
Thanks for replying! Its great to hear you have full rom! It was something i was concerned about. My quads are in decent condition. I thinkmy surgeon maybe delaying any further treatment to let the fractures heal first. Currently i am non weight bearing 12 weeks post surgery, doc has asked me to delay weight bearing as much as possible. I trust my surgeon but he never tells me whats going on in his mind! Hah. So most of it is speculation. Just wanted to make sure if treating arthrofibrosis can be delayed. Thanks Lisa!
Hi Ashish,
I would check with your surgeon on how and when to treat the arthrofibrosis. I know that at 4 months my surgeon was concerned that we had waited too long. I was told that I was very fortunate to get full rom. Good luck with everything!
Hi Ashish,
I was told that it takes a full 12 weeks for bones to heal. I can’t speak to the exact nature of your injuries ( I had a tpf and third degree MCL tear) especially in predicting outcome but hang in there and don’t lose hope. 12 weeks is still early in the game. Gaining ROM has been the most difficult thing for me too but I’ve heard good things about the cpm machine so maybe you just need to stick with it? I also purchased a flexible, long looped band off Amazon that allows you to lay on your stomach and pull your leg to your rear yourself. Maybe being in control of your own range will help, especially if you’re “guarding” any, if even unconsciously. I don’t want to advocate you going against your doc’s advice but mine has given me pretty much free reign to do what I want and I’m only at 10 1/2 weeks! Keep us posted as to your progress!
Hi jen
Probably my doc wants to take it easy due to the complication of an open fracture with a shattered and dislocated joint. If i compare my current knee condition with at the time of the injury its a miracle. But i am really impatient mostly due to the fact that i was never used to this sort of lifestyle. I used to play soccer and cycle quite regularly. It maybe is too soon to predict whether ill be able to return to that level of activity but my current aim is get atleast walk with a normal gait ( correct posture without a noticeable limp ). I am using the cpm machine at the moment and trying to actively bend as much ad possible. I was reading about those bands and was even thinking maybe i could use a towel instead of that. But at the moment i cannot due to the external fixator. Doc has told me to be careful with that in place. Its already been 12 weeks and i am hoping my doc would ask me to get an xray to check how its healing. Also i am getting this popping and cracking sensation in my knee, and it has kind of increased with the increase in pt. was wondering if its normal ( sometimes it pains like a needle shot inside ).
Thanks jen, it really makes a difference when one shares, i am feeling much better now thanks!
Ashish,
I was also very active. Went to the gym every single day, an avid cyclist, weight lifter, etc. it’s frustrating to not be able to do the things I want. I don’t know the details of your specific injury, other than what you posted so I certainly can’t speak for your doc. I am surprised he’s not done an X-ray recently though. I had two within the first 7 weeks. I’ve had minimal cracking noises (maybe twice?) and literally one pop throughout this whole thing but have read that it’s very common. I definitely wouldn’t worry about that. The adhesions are likely breaking up which is a good thing. A towel would work as well as a band though it helps that the band has some flexibility to it. That plus heel slides, wall slides and a suggestion I saw on the “knee guru” site…rocking! I have a porch swing in my front yard, hanging under a large tree and I sit on it and rock back and forth. It’s been very helpful. I wish you the best of luck walking “normally.” I am working hard on that as well. Keep me posted as to your progress and push for an X-ray!
Hey
The doc finally asked me to get an xray done next week. I guess it would be 13 weeks post surgery. He told me the cracking and popping is actually grinding of the bones. He dint say of its bad or good but he told me for now to bear with it till i get my muscle strength back. Another problem i have is that my pcl broke due to the accident and one of the lateral ligaments is torn ( probably acl as well ). So the knee is very unstable and until i get decent strength in the muscles non weight bearing is advised.
The doc sort of gave me a hint that maybe post the xray he might do a small procedure to improve the condition of the knee ( hes always mysterious ) i am guessing knee rom manipulation.
My physio on the other hand is quite positive and is confident i can achieve 110 degrees which is more than enough functionally. Anyways i hope there are some signs of healing in the bone and he may decide to start partial weight bearing.
Cheers mate hope you get well soon!
Jeevan, 27th march 2016
Hi
I’m jeevan.i’m 19 nw.i broke my leg few week before when I was playing football.it was tibia injury.i got operated right after 2 days of injury.my doc gave me bed rest for 1 week and send me back home.they removed stitches right after 8 days and gave me some medicines too which Im taking now.i can bend my leg and the angle between thigh and the injury part is just less than 90 degree.i can raise my leg up straight with little pain on the knee.i can also move my ankle but it is not that flexible.dnt know how many days it will still take for complete movement of the ankle.my physiotherapist told me that everyone who met this type of injury got problem in ankle movement. Today it is the 10th day after operation.i would like to know if I could walk without crutches after one month of operation?? My doc told me that now itself I can put 30-40% on the injured leg.and after one month they call me for further check up.i still have little pain on my leg.
Hi Jeevan,
Yes, I think we’ve all had accompanying ankle issues. I do the pedal pumps up and down with my foot and also would stand in a doorway and practice balancing on one leg. That helps to strengthen the ankle and muscles around it. I was allowed to full weight bear at 7 weeks but in truth starred at 6. I’m limping because of the ROM issues but otherwise have no real issues holding my own weight. It’s very important to walk slowly and to completely roll through your foot, even if it means you have to use crutches. You throw your whole body off when you limp. I would still wait for your doc to clear you to bear weight. I’ve heard (even though my break looked “healed” at 7 weeks) that it takes 12 weeks for a break to fully fuse. Best of luck to you!
Hi jen,
Thank u.hope u improved alot.i would like to know if u are still walking on crutches or a single stick.i recent google and found that atmost 3 months we should walk on crutches and after that they will provide us single stick.and I will pray for your quick recovery! Thank u.