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 all!! I found this so helpful I am almost 10 weeks out after tpf. I fell into a deep hole in the sand at the beach. After thinking i just sprained it bad and trying to finish vacation. I found out it wasn’t just a sprain as a mother of two young children the hardest part is the patience and becoming more dependent on others. It’s mentally exhausting and draining I keep hoping to be fwb soon my two year old is giving me a run for my money Thank you all and hope your all feeling better
Hi Jamie!
So sorry to hear about your injury! Were you operated on for your tpf? I believe that the recovery varies with respect to whether or not you have been operated on or not. I was hit by a car back in December, had surgery 5 days later and am now walking fine (just a bit slower). My affected leg is weaker than it was before but I am still doing exercises at home and going for p/t outside of the house. It is a very slow recovery but if you take things one day at a time, it goes by fairly quickly. Don’t push yourself before you are supposed to. Follow the doctor’s instructions and if you were given exercises to do, do them. That is what helped me the most. That and a lot of rest and eating well. Keep us posted and all the best!
Hi
I fell in March answer sustained a depressed tibial plateau fracture a partial medial tear, tear in the meniscus and internal acl tear. At the time I was put in a cricketers brace for a week then referred to physio. The physio recognised that this was a serious injury and following an arthroscopy suggested I went for a second opinion. Having seen the second consultant and having another arthroscopy he says that as we are now 6 months down the line the surgery is too risky. He says that I will need a new knee in time but for now I have to wear a acl leg brace. I am still in pain and cannot walk any distance. My life before consisted of running a sheep farm, having 5 horses, 7 dogs and 3 teenagers. On the day I fell in had walked 13 miles. My life has changed dramatically. My question is how long will this take for the pain to subside and is there anything I can do to hasten this. I am going to join a gym but my physio says that I have good quads and hamstrings. I forgot to sat that I’m a 57 year old woman.
Thanks
Hi Elizabeth!
Sorry about your injury and that you are going through this!! II am 60 years old and not an athlete. I also sustained a tpf, meniscus tear, torn ACL and torn MCL. I was hit by a car. I had surgery 5 days later. That was back in December. I was non-weightbearing for 3 months and when I was allowed to walk, it wasn’t easy. I had swelling in my knee and foot by the end of the day and pain. It took a few months for that to get better and I also had to take an anti-inflammatory to help with that. I just had the hardware in my leg removed in August and I feel so much better. I barely have any swelling anymore. I have weakness in that leg but it is getting stronger with the continued physical therapy.
I believe that those who have surgery heal differently than those who have not. I don’t know how long it will take for you to feel less pain or no pain as you were not operated on for your tpf. Your recovery sounds like it will be different. My advice is to speak with your doctor and others who have had similar injuries and have not had the surgery to repair them. I do know that it is a long recovery but if you follow the instructions given to you by your doctor, you will be better before you know it. If you have exercises to do, do them. Rest and eat well and don’t rush this! Keep us all posted on how you are doing!
Elizabeth: I’d get another opinion about getting the surgery. From what I’ve learned about this injury (my wife had it), the body does not do a good job of healing on its own if the fracture results in the displacement of the broken part.
This seems to be a rather common injury and a reputable surgeon with a good track record with this type of injury should be able to tell you how to best proceed. Was an X-ray ever taken? That would tell you right away the extent of the injury, its current status and likely reveal the best option(s) for you to take.
I broke both legs, a little over two years ago. They were both tibia plateau fractures. Thank you for your article. It’s does help even this far out. I’m have lots of pain with walking still.
I went back, to a physio hospital after complaining of knee pain 18 months after my accident .I was strapped into a machine that compared my muscle strenght and it was found to be weak in both legs but mostly in the injured leg .I was then signed up for 5 mornings a week 8.30 to 12 for 4 wks continual strenthening execises both in the pool and on a work bench .Now I only have pain if I sit too long in the same position or on uneven gradients .
Hi Virginia,
Not sure how to advise you. My whole leg hurt terribly for several months and now my leg hurts where the metal is located but overall, I’ve experienced very little actual knee pain. its been kind of odd that way. I would expect it to feel worse. The good news for you is that you can walk 24 blocks, 6 days a week. Walking is one of the most painful things for me to do because of the metal. But why you’re not able to fully extend your leg and have so much knee pain is puzzling. Maybe someone else can weigh in. I’d keep working on extension as much as possible though and make sure you’re completely rolling through your foot when you walk. One thought is that it may not have healed correctly, especially given that you didn’t have surgery. When is the last time you had an X-ray? I’d get an image of it and see if it’s lined up correctly. Good luck to you!!!
I suffered from a tibial plateau fracture on May 16th after falling off a Bosu Ball in the gym, and I’m currently still using crutches to get around.
One major issue for me which doesn’t seem to affect others is the fact my lower leg below the knee has fused together at an angle – so if you imagine I am stood up straight, the leg below the knee actually bends outwards to the side.
I have one theory – could it be that when the surgeon was replacing the bone (this was a compression fracture) they simply didn’t use enough, and now the bone is shorter, it’s left the leg at an angle? It’s a possibility because I know my right leg is shorter than my left, and having the fracture in the left leg, if they measured my right leg to get an idea of how much bone should be there, they would be around 1-2cm short.
Back in 1997 I had a horse fall on top of my left leg and sustained a closed degloving as well as stetched ligaments. Dec. 2015 I fell and sustained a severe/ complex R tibial plateau fracture. Road to recovery has been difficult as my balance has now suffered. I have noticed though that I have pain in the muscle where the plate is. For example, to distract my leg as though pulling off a shoe illicits pain as well as lying on my side and sliding my foot along the mattress by adducting or abducting the leg. I have asked my Doctor about this but he can give me no logical explainantion as to what is going on. I am intersted in hearing your thoughts.
Thanks, Sincerely Kathy
Manjunath,
Though achieving flexion (bending of knee) is important for walking, my physical therapist emphasized my working on extension the most. Being able to fully extend my leg is what helped me the most in overcoming limping. Here are a few suggestions:
Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are elastic bands that can be used in a variety of exercises. To simulate leg extensions, simply fasten one end of the resistance band around your ankle and the other end around a stationary object such as a bench or chair. Sitting on the chair, extend your lower leg against the resistance of the band. This will force your quadriceps to contract. This extension exercise can also be performed while standing up.
Ankle Weights
Ankle weights are another way to simulate the leg extension. Begin by sitting in a chair with weights around both ankles. Lift both legs up in the air, contracting your quads to work against the added weights on your ankles.
Body Weight
You can simulate the leg extension exercise using nothing more than your own body weight by walking backward on a treadmill or doing a reverse step up onto a slightly raised platform. Both exercises require you to contract and release your quad to complete the range of motion, using the weight of your body rather than a set of weighted plates.
Bikram yoga helped me the most with extension as they emphasize “locking the knee” throughout the class.
Good luck to you!
Hi!
Glad to find this site. Tibial Plateau Fracture on Feb. 23rd. My 30 pound dog was running at a very high rate of speed and crashed into my right knee, causing it to go at about a 90 degree angle. Most intense pain that I have ever felt in my life!
Good news, I guess, was that it didn’t require surgery. 6 weeks of NWB, 4 weeks of PWB and then the hinged brace came off. Initially, no PT as ortho was pleased with my range of motion. Pain increased and I had a definite “brace limp” so did 8 weeks of PT. Felt some decrease in pain and lost the limp. Now Mid-Sep and still have lots of pain in the knee. Cannot extend completely straight, incredible amount of pain if I try.
I do walk 6 days a week. Take my 70 pound lab for a 24 block walk and take the “knee breaker” border collie for a 16 block walk after the lab finishes dragging me around the neighborhood. Very active for my age, 60. Run my own business and go up and down stairs multiple times daily.
What should I expect? Is a visit to my ortho a good plan?
Virginia: Can’t tell from your note but I gather you did not have surgery. How was that decided? Was the broken part of the tibia plateau not displaced? From what I know, that the only time when surgery is not required. Were X-rays taken to determine the extent of the break and have recent ones been taken to see what shape the knee is in now?
I would definitely see your ortho soon or another one if you don’t have full confidence in him/her to discuss your situation and see what are your best options.
My wife had her injury about the same time as yours, had the surgery with screws and a plate and is walking about fairly well right now, with close to full motion, and without serious pain anymore.
I can’t wait to get back to my yoga practice which is very similar to Bikram. I was hit by a truck, riding my bike to work on July 15. Didn’t have surgery until July 26, one plate, six screws. I work a lot on extension as I was told by a couple people how important it is. I’ll be so glad when I can walk again. For now, I get in the pool as often as possible and do my floor exercises twice a day.
Hi D. Priyanka,
Sorry to hear that you are suffering so much. My other leg (my right leg) took a beating with this recovery and that leg and knee were not very good to begin with. When this first happened to me, back in December, my husband purchased a knee brace for my right leg to help support it (I was told that I need a knee replacement in that leg) because I knew that it was going to take a beating because I was unable to put weight on the left leg for 3 months. I would definitely check with your doctor. I know it is frustrating to keep going to the doctor but I would imagine that they are familiar with these issues. Keep your chin up and let me know what the doctor says. Good luck!!
Hello barbara mam..
Priyanka here…now am waking wthout support….but my left leg wch was normal is paining and abnormal…from ligmnt tear of right leg.i put force on left nly….so now am afraid..dat my left leg is afected or wat..i shud consult the doc again…am gng mad for so many visits nd recovery at dis stage of my life
Hi Barbara,
Thank you for forwarding the link. I had seen that but just read it again as I had forgotten most of it. My hardware removal date is now Jan 3. I’m glad to hear you’re able to take long walks, even if at a slower pace. The thought of not being able to work out for 6 weeks or so again is kind of depressing but if I can take walks, that will be better than nothing! I’m happy to continue working out until then. I believe my hardware is definitely holding me back and it is very painful, especially where the screw is coming out of the bone.
You sound like you’re doing so well! I’m hoping your leg feels strong and stable. Bummer you have to contend with both knees now. No doubt everyone’s other knee has taken a beating in compensating for the other, independent of history of injury. My right hip is super tight too. But onward and upward as they say!
Hi Jen!
Glad that you have a surgery date; at least you can prepare for this both mentally and physically. It was nothing at all like the first surgery; you will walk out of the hospital that same day. I had quite a bit of pain the next day but that was short-lived and the meds helped take care of the pain. Other than that, the recovery has been very good. I am sure that you will do great! The walks will help you both mentally and physically and before you know it, you will be back to exercising the way you used to.
I am back to work now and contending with commuting. So far, so good. I just have to be careful not to get knocked down as I work in a big city and everyone is always in a rush. Other than that, I am doing fine. Going for p/t 2-3x per week and doing my exercises at home. It feels so good to be back at work and involved with the outside world once again.
Keep up with your exercises and doing everything that you are doing; it will get much better! Continue to keep me and everyone posted!
My motorcycle accident happened July 23, 2016, I have a tibia plateau fracture in my right leg as well as right radial fracture…had surgery on 7/25 was in the hospital and rehab facility til 8/15…had my knee immobilized removed on 8/22, cast on my hand removed on 9/6 and started using a crutch to walk as of 9/9….it feels great to be able to move around with a wheelchair or my funky walker ( non weight bearing on both right leg and right hand) that got lots of attention. Fortunatley, I was pretty active with working out and playing flag football before the accident and I weened myself off the drugs while in the hospital….I’m a surgical tech and I am hoping to be back at work next month. I just found this page and the comments here give me hope…oh I’m 43 and I’m a woman. I’ve been blessed to have friends open their home to me and my cat and dog as I couldn’t really do anything for myself. Now with the crutch I can get around easier and cook. Best thing ever!!!’
Deme,
Isn’t it awesome to be able to move around more? Things will improve at a faster pace now! It helps so much that you were active prior. I’m also in my 40’s and am very athletic. I think it has definitely helped in my recovery. Good luck to you!!
Hi, my name is Judy. I had a fracture of the left lateral tibial plateau on June19 of this year when I jumped into the pool in the shallow end and twisted my knee. It was non displaced so I did not need surgery but I was non weight bearing for 6 weeks. I have more pain in the medial portion of the knee due to arthritis. I did get a cortisone injection in the knee, but think it has worn off. The left ankle is also very painful right now. I was told my ankles have a lot of arthritis and am thinking it was aggravated in the accident. I think I will be seeing the doctor on Wednesday to make sure there is nothing more wrong with my ankle. Has anyone suffered ankle pain after tpf. Right now I am living on acetaminophen for arthritis.
I’m post op 4.5 weeks the pain was minimal since 2 weeks post op until the last few days it’s almost unbearable @times it’s on the lateral side of knee area…has anyone else experienced this
hi tina thornton
how u bear the pain u can recovery soon . don’t use more drugs r medicines to reduce bcoz it effect ur pain bearing ability in ur body (naturally).
so to reduce pain use icing (use ice pack r ice cubs by rubbing r holding) around ur surgery part and where more pain area. this is what my doctor preferred to me .
i had 2 surgery on my left leg in this year(2016)
*Acl reconstruction on jan 4 and under my doctor guidance i did what all he advice after march last week i was able to do normal things (no jumping and no running).
*After that i meet with an accident on jun 5 and on jun 7 in same hospital i go operated on same leg with tibia platuea fracture and plate has been implemented now i’m good but i too get pain even after 12 weeks so when pain rises i try to bear it r i keep icing to reduce pain.
TRY ICING TO REDUCE PAIN DON’T USE MORE DRUGS R MEDICINES AVOID THAT.
I need some suggestion on after tibia platuea recovery i started walking full weight frm 8/9 but still i’m limping is it good sign r i want to do some thing(excises) to walk normal . suggest me on this
This was very informative. I’m on week eight and it answered a few lingering questions. I feel so isolated and disconnected from my old life. It does put things in perspective but, i wouldn’t do it again for a million dollars. The pain is more a tightness and edema is the major issue. I know this will pass once i start walking…..but, it seems endless.
Thanks to everyone who posted. It did help to hear others and it gave me an idea what to expect. I started working on ROM a week after surgery and, use the ankle weights daily.
Hi Barbara,
Thanks so much for the update. Sounds like you’re doing great! I had read in one of the posts that you’d taken a long walk and meant to ask how that felt for you. Happy to hear you have greater ROM and just a little stiffness. I’m assuming you’re having just minimal pain, if any? I’ve read some other posts about the clicking. I don’t have that.
I’m almost exactly 8 months post surgery. I am doing Bikram yoga 5 days a week and also weight lifting including weighted squats. My lunges aren’t looking too swift but I’m hoping they improve. I haven’t measured my ROM in awhile but I still can’t sit on my feet, kneel, get on and off the floor well, or sit cross legged. I’m still having trouble with the stairs. Interestingly, one of the most difficult things for me to do is to take a walk. I really think this is due to the metal. I was an avid spinner and have taken three classes in the last month but I have a long way to go before I’m back to where I was with respect to speed and resistance. I know this is way more than you asked, haha but am posting so others know what to expect as well.
Dad’s surgery will be this month so I’m hoping to reschedule mine for maybe January. I’ll keep you posted! Please do the same and thanks for taking the time to let me know how you are!
Hi Jen! Sounds to me like you are doing really great!! I believe that the things that you have mentioned that you cannot do are due to the hardware. I know that when my hardware was inside of me, I could not cross my legs without discomfort and I definitely could not kneel without pain. I truly feel that once your hardware is removed and you heal (about 6 weeks before you will be able to resume any contact sports or anything vigorous), you will notice a huge difference. I am not taking any painkillers right now and that includes Acetaminophen. I just finished taking regular aspirin (post-surgery to prevent blood clots) and I am hoping that I won’t need to go back on anti-inflammatories for swelling like I needed to after the first surgery, but only time will tell. With respect to my taking long walks, I can do that but I am much slower. My husband has to keep falling back to walk alongside me. I can’t walk faster right now but the walking that I am doing is pain-free. My other issue is that my other knee is not in good shape and is bone-on-bone. I had meniscus surgery on that knee 30 years ago when I was 30 years old, which helped tremendously and have had physical therapy but, unfortunately, arthritis has set in and now I am in need of either a partial knee replacement or a full knee replacement. I am hoping to put this surgery off for a few years; hopefully, when I can retire. I can honestly say, though, that my injured (tpf) leg feels stronger than my other leg (that needs the knee replacement). I am attributing this to the fact that the surgeon did a great job repairing my tpf.
From what you have stated in your posts, it sounds like you are extremely athletic and are a fighter so I am confident that you will be back to your old self, and even better, once you have your hardware removed. Again, all the best with your dad and with your recovery and continue to keep us all posted.