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.
Sounds like I need to stay out of dog parks!
Kathleen, I too was hit by a dog at a dog park (who knew they were such dangerous places), but I was 12 weeks NWB after surgery, so a much longer recuperation. I also broke my ankle, which at this point is giving me more grief than my knee. I am 53 and, almost 6 months later, am only starting to resume activites like going to the gym. My walking is still limpy and slow, but I did manage a 4 km walk while on vacation last week. I think yoga is still a ways away from me, though I am slowly trying to incorporate different positions into my daily workout. A long road, to be sure, but I am hopeful that I will be able to eventually do all the things I was doing before my injury. Good luck.
I wish I had found this site sooner! My lateral tibial plateau compression fracture occured on May 17, 2014 – a dog slammed into me at a dog park and down I went. My surgery (plate and screws required) was on May 27 and as of July 10 was PWB for 2 weeks then was allowed to go FWB. I started outpatient PT as soon as I was PWB and have been continuing 3 times a week. I am 55 years old an d before this was clocking an average of 18 thousand steps a day on my fitbit. During all of this process I had to move as I had sold my house. I am grateful that I have family and friends who came through for me as I don’t know what I would have done without all the help I got. One piece of advice – if you have a hard time asking for help – get over it and ask! I am now walking my dogs short distances and hope that I will soon be back hiking the trails with them. I have not yet returned to Pilates and Yoga but I expect to be getting back to that soon too. I still do experience some pain and swelling if I do too much (I’m still unpacking at my new house so that happens fairly regularly). I am encouraged by the stories from those of you who had injuries over a year ago and are back to (almost) normal and hope that I get there too.
Rick , I too had the external fixator for 10 days till my surgery to repair T6 TPF. I have 2 plates and 17 screws. I’m 7 wks post surgery.If you haven’t already found it there is a wonderful Facebook page just for TPF suffers ( Tibial plateau fracture recovery) there is a link to it on this site. I have found it very helpful for information and support. I hope your recovery continues to process and that your back to “normal” life soon.
I had my injury on 1/28/2014 had an external fixator until 2/11/2014 when I had surgery to fix my type 6 tpf which happened when I had to jump from a work truck from about 15 feet it has been and continues to be a very difficult recovery ! I was 10 weeks nwb I have read a lot of people having foot and ankle pain I still struggle with that also its very hard to stay positive ! I have had a lot of ups and downs physically and mentally because like a lot of you I could do pretty much anything I wanted when I wanted so it was very hard when I had to rely on everyone else . I now have 3 plates and several screws holding the bottom half of my knee together but I’m back to work 4 hours a day and continue to do physical therapy 3 times a week for about 2 hours each time progress has slowed but thanks to my awesome support system ( wife and family) and now the inspiring stories on this website I will continue to work as hard as I can to get back to as normal of life as possible. !
Thanks for sharing your journeys
Rick
Hi Rick,
I also had an ex fix until surgery to repair a type 6. I now have 2 plates and 14 screws in my lower leg. I am still NWB (by the time I see my otho surgeon next I will have been so for 15 weeks). I also suffered an insanely awesome knee dislocation.
Yes, the emotional stuff has been the hardest for me. I have spent my summer in a wheelchair, and I used to be very active. Very, very hard.
Hang in there!
My accident was 12/8/2013 when the ladder I was one slipped out from under me. Still can only guess how I landed on it but ended up completely shattering my left tibia/tibia plateau, shattered my right humerus and breaking my nose in 2 spots. By the time I was taken in the ambulance I was starting to go into shock and BP was too low to get any painkillers. Which led to the worst 3-4 hours of my life with the most pain I could ever imagine–even begged them to just cut my leg off because it hurt that bad. After getting to a room, I was told by the OS (head of orthopedics) that they grade TPF’s between 1-6. Mine was about a 10 on that scale.Ends up that my TP was in over 20 pieces. Surgery on the arm was 1/3/2014, and left on 1/6/2014 (yes, I had to wait 4 weeks for surgery due to the holidays). Anyway, after 2 plates and 13 screws in knee/leg, and 1 plate and 7 screws in arm, I was released from rehab facility on 2/20/14. As if TPF wasnt bad enough on its own, I had a broken arm to recover from so that delayed me being able to get around. Was NWB on arm until 3/6/14, started to use a walker about 2 weeks later. Was completely NWB on leg until 4/29/14 when I got 50% WB, and didnt get WBAT until 5/27/14. Was using crutches about mid-May So yes I was not able to really use my left leg for almost 6 months. Unfortunately my at-home therapist wasnt much help and never did any passive-assist ROM exercises on the leg, so that also set my recovery back at least another month. My leg atrophied to the point that it looks like it belongs on a 15yr old kid.
So here it is in end of July and I only have 70 degrees ROM on the leg, and 110 degrees on the arm, and very little strength in both. I started to use 1 crutch about 2 weeks ago, but I pushed it too hard and screwed up my back by compensating. And the crutch-side is the one that is used with the broken arm. Go figure.
The area of the TPF is always feeling “tight” and makes it that much harder to get it to bend during therapy. My goals are (a) to get to 90 degrees for stairs and to start using a bike,(b) to be able to walk, even with a limp, by the end of Sept and (c) be back to “normal” by 2/2015. Even my PT says those are aggressive goals, considering the severe damage I’ve gone through. But no matter how far I’ve come, its still mentally frustrating making such slow progress. The only thing I wish I could improve right now is the ROM so it gets to 90degrees soon, but with all the tightness and swelling it just never seems to want to bend. So thats how I got here, looking for any hints/tips/revelations in that respect.
btw, on 7/1 my ortho told me I came “this close” to really losing my leg. so the fact I’m actually walking is nothing short of amazing. his original prognosis was that it would be at least 6 months before I could even start any walking on the leg (ie any weight-bearing). I’m planning on using a cane sometime in August. I know that being off my leg for that long means it will take quite some time to get it back. Was told for every day it wasnt used, it takes 3 days to recover. So by that note it should take me well over a year to recover from this. But I’ve already beat the doctors words once so I plan on doing it again.
I’ll tell ya, life really sucks! I can’t even imagine the stuff you’ve been going through, you’ve run the full gauntlet, maybe I should say-limped. I suffered my TPF on April 3rd, but it was a Type 3- non displaced and no surgery needed. Every time I come to this web site, I read others’ stories and am so grateful (?) in regard to my injury. I had my last appointment with OS today, he’s pleased with my recovery and I don’t have to see him anymore- too bad, he’s real easy on the eyes!
I’m really not in any position to offer advise, your injury is so much more severe than mine was. But, that doesn’t mean I’m not going to offer any. Don’t push it- listen to your body, this is an on-going process, take your time. You’ve already seen what happens when you try to do too much. I know it’s frustrating, we all get so impatient because our lives have been thrown into disarray, and WE JUST WANT THINGS TO BE NORMAL! Unfortunately, that’s not going to happen for a long time.
I bless each and every one of you that is dealing with this horrible injury and I thank all of you for the support and information that I’ve gotten from this web site. It’s lifted me up from self-pity and given me an outlet to vent to people who know what I and everyone else is going through.
Thank you so much for your response Lee. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to have someone understand what going through. I will definitely join that Facebook page. I’m just having such a hard time having everyone tell me it’s going to be ok. This is not ok, it sucks. But I will survive and I know it could be much worse. Your words have meant so much to me thank you!
Megan,
Sorry to see you or anyone on this site. I had my TPF last August, so I am 11 months post op. I was out of work for 4 months before I could return. I am a home physical therapist, so in order to return to work, I not only had to be stable on my feet, but make sure I could react quickly if one of my patients were about to fall.
Even if your injury wasn’t as severe as it is, I don’t think it is realistic to think you can return to your residency for those 28 hour shifts unless you were in a wheelchair. After being non weightbearing for 8 weeks, it took me another 3 weeks in the pool before I could bear weight on land, then another 2 months of land therapy. My first month back was really tough with my leg swelling, wearing compression stockings, and just general deconditioning.
If your residency will allow it, plan to be in the wheelchair. As a PT I thought I would recover within 2-3 months. How wrong I was. I have done 4 Ironman triathlons, and this injury blows those races out of the water in difficulty. Whatever your projected date of returning to work full time is, I would say add 2-3 months to that realistically. My surgeon told me to expect 2 years before I know if I am fully recovered. I may never run again, or jump or play ball with my kids.
BUT
This injury has been a blessing to me. As a PT this injury has totally changed my perception of how important my profession is. I have total empathy for my patients, as well as instant credibility. When my patients see my scar, they know I have been through some tough times. So as bad as this recovery has been, I am a better clinician as a result.
With you as a physician, I pray that you will experience a similar realization that this experience will make you a better physician. I recently treated a very well known orthopedic physician. He thought he knew what physical therapy was all about. It wasn’t until he broke his hip, and became a patient that he understood the importance of what we do. Because you are now a patient, you will have a newfound respect for your patients, as well as a new appreciation for what YOU do. The lessons learned for you will be worth it in the long run. I know you may not understand this now, but things happen to us for a reason. This injury made me a better PT, made me a better husband and better father. The 4 months I was away from work sucked financially, but the time with my wife and 2 boys was priceless. I pray that in time you will realize this terrible injury made you a better physician.
At 11 months post op, I still limp, cannot climb stairs without a railing, and have difficulty standing up after sitting more than 20 minutes. But when I think back to those first few weeks in a wheelchair, elevated toilet seat, and shower bench, I don’t remember how I persevered. The pain and depression and doubts you are feeling now will get better. One day at a time.
Take care,
Chris
Chris, your words mean so much to me thank you. I can already see how this injury will helps to empathize more with my patients. I know I will make it through….it just seems like such a long road. I have never been one to give up, and I won’t now. This website is really helping me and I’m so grateful for the support and understanding.
I am now 3 weeks post-op from my TPF, which was about as bad as they get. I also tore my ACL, MCL and had a proximal fibular fracture. I am a resident physician and am lucky my program is letting me do a research month from home while I recover this month. I have always been a very independent person, and been the one to take care of others. Now I am reliant on my boyfriend to help me with nearly everything. I have begun to feel more and more depressed, and don’t know how to get out of this “funk”. I am also becoming terrified about returning to work in 2 weeks. As a resident, we work 80 hours a week, and I just don’t know how I will be able to do it. Residency has been so hard even without an injury. Starting at week 8 post-op, I will have 28 hour shifts every 4th day, and work everyday in between. I am non-weight bearing for 3 months. How will I be able to function when I am so deconditioned from sitting all day? I am not doing any PT now, as my ortho told me that won’t start until after 6 weeks. I just didn’t expect it to be this hard. I am trying to keep a positive attitude and put on a positive front to my friends, family and coworkers, but it’s getting harder to do. I don’t want to take time off residency, because that could push my graduation back and I have already been in training so many years (7) and I want to have my own life someday. Any advice on how to push through? Wheelchair or crutches when I return to work? I will have to cover a lot of ground everyday at the hospital. Thanks.
So sorry to hear about your injury Megan.
Your fracture is quite involved and takes quite a while to recover. Many of us are NWB for 8-12 weeks and then physio before we are able to go back to work. I am an RN in a busy Dialysis/Oncology unit and work 8-12 hour days.
I have only just gone back to work on short shifts 16 weeks after my injury and mine was only a Type 2. You are allowed to feel down and negative at times as unfortunately it is part of the healing process (unfortunately).
I am not sure if you use Facebook, but if you do can I suggest you join the TPF group as there is much support and just being able to talk with others in your position might help with the depression we all go through.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/tibalplateaufractures/
I was out of school alone for 2 weeks and basically bed ridden the entire 2 weeks. After that I would say I would have been ok if I was on my own around the house. Granted my surgery did have some complications that put me in more pain, I would guess about the same is true for you since you had multiple fractures. The meds they had me on also made me very fuzzy and even simple things like getting out of bed on my own was very difficult because I couldn’t keep my balance. Don’t push anything. I would keep someone around until you feel comfortable being on your own.
It takes a lot of time and care in order to be ‘normal’ again. I slipped and fell of my bike and suffered a TPF Schatzker VI, plate and screws.. Nearly 7 month ago. I immediatly started little exercises even when i was NWB, stretching, pointing foot and such. After 6 weeks i was FWB and had to learn how to walk again… I trained very hard to walk without a limp and always listened to my body, pain is stop!
At the beginning i was very tired which is normal because your body needs lots of energy to heal, i didn’t have to work luckily.
This can take up to 2 years the whole proces! Now i function okay, i cannot run, nor sit on my knees, jump and other things which i used to do without thinking, annoying because i feel confronted with the fact of still being limited. Seeing where i come from after sitting in a wheelchair and being completely depending it is anyway a huge improvement and i cherish that daily!
Whish you all the very best and take care!
Excellent read. Thank you. My biggest concern is longer term complications that restrict my activity levels. It’s comforting to read that, should I stay patient (which I’m struggling with) and carry out physio diligently (which I’m not concerned about, I’m just itching to get to the physio stage) that I can expect a full recovery. Ill be bookmarking this page and reading over regularly as it has raised my spirits considerably. Thanks again.
I had my injury 6-9-14. I am currently 1week post op. I had a level 6 TPF. I had 3-4 different fractures. ( having trouble remembering everything the surgeon said). I am still in a lot of pain and will be going back to see the doctor in two days. This has to be the worst thing I’ve ever gone through but I’m trying to keep a positive attitude. I have been do some ROM exercises already but find it very difficult to be able to do any daily activities. My mom has been staying with me to help. My question is how long should I expect to need full time help at home?
Hi Andrea,
I’m so sorry you are going through this! Your question about how much full time help you’ll need was/is one of my concerns, too. What did your doc say as far as the nwb period? I was told I was going to be nwb for 12 weeks. I have 3 kids so my biggest concern was how the heck to take care of them. I had my mom and then my mother in law out to help for a total of 5 weeks. I then hired a gal to help with the baby and light house work. She lasted 3 weeks. I’ve been about a month on my own with the occasional babysitter. Let me tell ya, its rough. But it is also amazing what you can do when you have to. The pain will go away very soon and then it will just be time and patience. Keep bending and straightening that leg and do anything to get some blood flowing. It helps everything. My advice: get a wheelchair and one ofthose arm gripper things. The chair is so much easier than crutches when you are in your home, plus you can carry things. The gripper let’s you reach things without constantly having to stand up and down on the good leg. I can take care of the kids for the most part and feel a not-so-small victory after i cook dinner. I still cant go to the grocery, carry laundry, put away dishes etc. My husband picks up a lot of that slack. Anyway, I don’t know what I’d do without some kind of help until I am fully able to walk again. I hope that comes sooner than later for you. Hang in there. It is slow but it really does get better, and you can learn an awful lot about yourself in the process.
I am 2 almost 3 weeks out of surgery. I was put in a brace in the hospital emergency as soon the TPF was found. I still wear the brace but the staples came out yesterday. I also received a copy of the OS report who did yesterdays exam and my fibula was also broken at the neck. Surprisingly not much pain, and I came off the pain meds after week one. Sitting in the cast clinic with the other Ortho patients I had myself half convinced that I would back in the saddle in a couple of months. The OS told me I would be off work 6 months to a year. Crutches are getting easier to use and I fill my day with little victories, like sitting in the back/front yard watering the garden. The one big scare I had was my crutches slipping on the ceramic floor which had a wet spot and I had to step down on the injured leg to keep from falling. Didn’t hurt but scared me. The x rays yesterday came back without any new damage so its a wash I guess. This is gonna be a huge exercise in patience. Going from all out to 0 is tough.
I am 2 weeks out of surgery for fractured tibia plateau had 6 screws and plate installed think i tried cutting pain meds off to soon as i dont believe in them but think i will bite the bullet and take them as bending hurts so bad.I am not in a brace or immobilizer which i find odd but think maybe its due to previous patella dislocation and the ROM issues i had was worried about it but getting around on crutches well cant wait to be able to shave and get haircut due to blood thinner injections
Brendan, it does seem strange that you do not have any brace or immobilizer fitted, but I guess that is up to the consultant surgeon and his team, as to what they feel is best for you.
Whilst I was in hospital I was fitted with a brace that could be adjusted at increments and secured in place, so any attempt to move the leg beyond its setting was impossible. When I was discharged I was given meds to take (29 tablets per day, plus anti blood clotting injections), never had so much in all my life and after about 10 days I stopped taking them, as this was when the injections finished. I was lucky not to be in any pain at all, so I felt taking the tablets was a little fraudulent really.
My pain started when I was able to go without the brace (nearly 12 weeks) and do real exercises, but thankfully this was short lived as the muscles, tendons and ligamnets started to get stronger. Foot pain kicked in as soon as I started full weight bearing, but this has stopped as per my statement above.
I found crutches difficult initially and had a couple of stumbles (nothing bad), but I also used a wheelchair, which brings a whole new view on life to you.
I’m now able to walk with a slight limp but take it easy and use ice packs if you overdo things.
Hope all goes well and as everyone else on these boards say – take it easy.