Tibial Plateau Fracture Recovery

[crystalteras]

So I hope this picture comes out. I've tried to do it before but with the new app update it's not giving me the option to do this! :-)
TPF on may 26th
Surgery on 6/1
Type VI TPF w/ depression
Released to FWB....TODAY! :-)

Now that I'm released to full weight bearing, doesn't mean I'm anywhere close to there lol I've had a couple pool sessions and they seem to be okay. It's just a very weird feeling to walk after so long! Lol
My first pt was a month ago and I could flex at almost 90*. Yesterday I was at 112* so I'm happy about that. Apparently I'm overly flexible so my bad leg probably won't be able to go as straight as the other one (or maybe straight is the wrong word lol).
I am expected to go to either 1 crutch or a cane soon but I don't feel comfortable with it so I think I'm gonna keep with my crutches and walking with them. My ankle was very stiff so lately I have done nothing but use a gait belt and stretching that out! Also a barrier is that my "bad side's" hip drops when I walk and I'm having a hard time controlling that.
Overall, I guess I'm doing pretty well for how bad I messed it up! Lol I just wanna walk already! Luckily my pt gave me a free 2 month membership to a pool/gym at their facility :-) that will help a lot! I have another OS appt in a couple weeks to talk about our next surgery to take some of the 13 screws out! Scary. I don't wanna go thru that again.
This guy is the reason I am trying so hard! <3 him!

[Casper2012]

Wow that's really quick for FWB with type VI! You're way ahead of a lot of us on this forum. I wonder how they're able to tell if the fracture is healed when there's all that hardware in there. Are they planning just to take some of the screws out and leave the plates with remaining screws in? I have to have all my hardware out in 1 month. I'm nervous about it but I know it can't be as bad as the original surgery. Congrats on FWB. You'll likely ditch the crutches quickly.

[Casper2012]

Deenah- 110 degrees isn't bad progress for now considering the damage so don't be too sad

[crystalteras]

I thought it was quick too considering my OS said it was the worst one he has ever seen but they are also surprised that I've been healing quickly. We've been along X-rays and ct's like crazy! He was so worried that it would mess up (on accident if i did somethig wrong) that we did more than just check X-rays. But like I said. I'm no where close. I can comfortably put maybe 45 lbs on my leg. I'll find out more about the next surgery tho. I know they said they wouldn't take it ALL out but some seeing as how most of them are all in one spot. It's weird feeling them and he did say keepin the 2 plates. We'll see! Hopefully everyone else is healing well! I know as well as anyone else on here that it is nOT fun and not easy but we can do it! :-)

[itsdeenah]

~ Hi Crystalteras, WOW that's some x-ray girlie!! Just when I was sad facing it on the page before now I feel like an idiot. Great progess with the weight bearing that's awesome! Best wishes on your recovery and I'll be the first to say it... Strong Mom's Rule!!

Date of Injury 4/20/12
Surgery 4/27/12
Type IV TPF with 1+" communited depression of the plateau surface
1 - Fx's Tibial Shaft
Shattered medial meniscus

So I hope this picture comes out. I've tried to do it before but with the new app update it's not giving me the option to do this! :-)
TPF on may 26th
Surgery on 6/1
Type VI TPF w/ depression
Released to FWB....TODAY! :-)

Now that I'm released to full weight bearing, doesn't mean I'm anywhere close to there lol I've had a couple pool sessions and they seem to be okay. It's just a very weird feeling to walk after so long! Lol
My first pt was a month ago and I could flex at almost 90*. Yesterday I was at 112* so I'm happy about that. Apparently I'm overly flexible so my bad leg probably won't be able to go as straight as the other one (or maybe straight is the wrong word lol).
I am expected to go to either 1 crutch or a cane soon but I don't feel comfortable with it so I think I'm gonna keep with my crutches and walking with them. My ankle was very stiff so lately I have done nothing but use a gait belt and stretching that out! Also a barrier is that my "bad side's" hip drops when I walk and I'm having a hard time controlling that.
Overall, I guess I'm doing pretty well for how bad I messed it up! Lol I just wanna walk already! Luckily my pt gave me a free 2 month membership to a pool/gym at their facility :-) that will help a lot! I have another OS appt in a couple weeks to talk about our next surgery to take some of the 13 screws out! Scary. I don't wanna go thru that again.
This guy is the reason I am trying so hard! <3 him![/QUOTE]

[Dgw3369]

Its good to hear everyone is improving. ive been walking for over a month now and the leg is feeling really good. i can walk barefoot or in flip flops with no discomfort at all. knee pain is all gone and the stiffness is very minimal and at times gone. im still strengthening my quad. slightly smaller then the other. where i feel it the most is going up and down stairs. seems to require mainly the quad and is a little challenging. not much. for all you just starting to fwb again the foot pain does go away and the ankle loosens up to normal again. what i did was a lot of walking and stretching of the ankle. just posted a pic today from a couple weeks ago of a hiking/rock climbing trip i did. it was great to do something i always was able to, again. i remember many times thinking i couldnt get my life back or leg in that matter. but not no more. its all coming back. last weekend i went to a water park and was going down the waterslides and of course climbing the long stairs to get to the top. i think if you put in the hard work and dont give up even if you are sore and tired it pays off in the end. im focused on strengthening my legs even more then they were before the injury to prevent anything from happening again. i enjoy reading everyones updates and suggestions and ideas. i hope you all fully recover and keep at it and beat this!

[HeatherB]

I had my OS appointment today. Almost 6 weeks post op. the brace has been moved to 90 degrees, cleared to move it every few days until I have full range of motion. Also cleared to start FWB on sept 3rd, with PT. I have followed all the great advice on here, mainly stop the ibuprofen, take calcium, multivitamins. I also took glucosamine and chondroitin, to help joint and muscle health. Although I still have to have my AFO on for a couple more weeks, my foot range of motion is almost normal. Thanks everyone for the great advice, I read this site everyday, it has helped greatly. I hope everyone is heading down the healing path well.
Date of injury July 11th
Date of surgery Friday July 13th
Plate and 7 screws, also have fractured Fibula.

[Maker]

two questions -

1) I am 15 months out from a Type VI and I still get a ton of kneecap pain when bending past 45 degrees....anyone else have such a long tail on kneecap pain....told it is weak quad muscles but getting suspicious

2) anyone's knee joint feel really loose? MCL and ACL are ok...torn meniscus, but I cant almost feel my knee sliding back and forth....a lot of instability....ligaments just stretched a bunch?

[eddie33165]

Hi…I’ve been following this thread from the time I injured myself 17 weeks ago. This is for those who are beginning their journey and from the point of view of a 59 year old who suffered a tibial plateau fracture while cycling.

In my particular case I was cut off by a pickup truck and fell as I was trying to get around this fool. As I hit the ground my right foot never unclipped from the pedal and we all know what the repercussions are when this happens.

I was transported to the hospital on April 11 and was operated on the next day. I fractured the tibia and cause considerable damage to the tibial plateau as well as the meniscus. The surgeon placed a metal plate, a few screws to hold things together and 22 staples to close things up. In his words, he said that it was a pretty nasty injury.

I began PT two weeks later when the staples were removed. The initial range of motion was 76 degrees so he began working on my range of motion as well as strengthening exercise for my hamstring and quad. I would also massage the scar a few times a day as to minimize any scar tissue and problems that might come up from this.

The first two weeks were horrible as I could not sleep dues to after effects from the anesthesia, horrible constipation from the pain killers, and a high degree of skin sensitivity below the knee, specially around the area where he had operated. I would stay up until 5:00 am and then a nurse would stop by at 7:00 am and wake me up to give me an injection in my stomach to prevent blood clots. Boy, I hated this guy with a passion. After two weeks I was able to convince the doctor that I could move around enough so he discontinued the daily shots. As a teacher and being the end of the school year I was able to go back to work in four weeks with the help of a walker.

On the 5th week and without asking for permission as I did not want to hear the answer I began to drive myself to work. I would accelerate with the broken leg and brake with the left. I trick a learned while I worked in a parking garage in NYC. I began to get around with the help of crutches and get from the car to a wheelchair. Crutches were God sent as the walker was doing a number on my hands. My hands were killing me and by the last day I had developed a very painful callus on my left hand that would not allow me to put any weight on that hand so I was real happy for the crutches. My therapist taught me how to use the crutches and all of a sudden the world opened up again. I have a home gym and since I was off from work all summer and real bored, I began to work my upper body on alternate days. I think this also helped with getting around with the walker and then the crutches.

PT wise, I attended three times a week and repeated all the exercises at home. I purchased ankle weights, resistance straps and an exercise ball so I could duplicate all that I was doing in PT. By the 6th week I was able to ride my recumbent exercise bike at home. I began by riding two minutes a day and kept adding time until I was able to ride and hour a day by two month’s time. By the 6th week I had 140 degree range of motion.

The doctor would not allow me to be weight bearing for 13 weeks. The day he cleared me, I went nuts, rode an hour un the recumbent, walked 3 blocks, visited my yard, the shed and tried to do everything I had not done in 3 months. Guess what, after my leg started to really hurt to the point that I could not even put any unassisted pressure on it. At this point I grabbed the crutches to help me get around but put light pressure on the leg. My PT told me to take a couple weeks off. I drove, walked and generally got around with no problem with a little help from the crutches and the leg brace. Three weeks later I dumped the crutches and began placing full pressure on the leg while still keeping the brace. The therapist came up with a new set of weight bearing exercises while still keeping the brace. On the 17th week the doctor released me and told me I did not need the brace anymore. All my therapy exercise now were weight bearing and without the brace as he wanted for me to use all my leg muscles. Fearing a relapse I kept the brace on for a week but removed while at home.

It has now been 18 weeks since the injury. School has begun and I am now back to work. I am still going to PT twice a week and repeat all the same exercises every other day when I am not there. Now that I do not need to keep the brace I am able to ride the real bicycle. I began with a slow 5 mile ride, then 7 miles, 9 miles, 12 miles. I hope to ride 15 miles this weekend. I am back to my normal sleep pattern. The sensitive skin around the operation as gone away and I have zero pain. Since I’ve been working out my upper body for these last few months I feel and look much better than I did before the accident. Hopefully I should be back to something normal by the 6th month and back to where I was in one year’s time.

Yes, it’s been an eye opening experience that has taught me much patience and the need to depend on someone else when you cannot do things for yourself such as getting out of bed, taking a shower, etc. Yes, this is a slow process and you might have to take a couple steps back before taking one forward. But if an old dude like me can do it, so can you. Persistence and the will to make things better for yourself is all you need.

[peaton]

Well I must say that logging on today was awesome! All of the positive notes on everyone and their progress. Keep up the great work and blessings to all for a complete recovery.

I am in week 11 and now allowed 50% weight bearing, today was day 2. Yesterday was great didn't have any discomfort until the end of the day. Today was a different story, pretty sore in the knee area, foot and my calf. I am really only concerned about one area of soreness and believe it or not it is not the side of the tibia that was smashed. I'm thinking meniscus. When I ride my stationary bike I get a what feels like a clunk, not a click and doesn't feel like the kneecap. It is more on the medial side. I go to see my OS on the 28th, so we will see what he says. I am also hoping he releases me to PT.

Keep up the reports they are very inspiring and helpful.

[eddie33165]

Peaton...I went through the same thing when I was allowed to walk. Im my case, I think I tried to do too much and the inside of my leg opposite the injury was hurting so bad I could hardly put any pressure when I walked. I just laid off the leg and used the crutches to help me get some of the weight off. In a couple of weeks all was fine. My ankle also hurt a bit. I guess something is going to complaint after not being used for so long. Try to ease into things and not do too much until all that is holding you leg together begin to get acclimated to walking again. I did not have any pain or discomfort when riding the exercise bike. I've been weight bearing since mid July and off the brace since August 13. I feel my calf, hamstring and quad responding to all that is asked of them. I just got done riding 11 miles on the regular bike so hang on you will soon be back to normal.

[Casper2012]

Hi everyone. I've been reading through today's posts trying to find some encouragement in my situation facing two more surgeries in the next four months, five months after my first surgery. I'm told i'll have 6 months recovery after that. I'm a pretty optimistic person but I'm so struggling with this some days and today is one of those days. My bad leg feels awful today and seems like it's getting worse. I have an appointment next week for a second opinion but my prognosis will likely be the same. Sorry for sounding like a such a downer but I guess I just need to vent tonight and hope that tomorrow will be better.

[eeleeseepee]

Hey,
I just found this today- I wish I'd seen it earlier. I was lucky and my fracture was non-displaced so no surgery but I hit my head really hard and have been suffering from a severe concussion- I fell off the roof and my head bounced down the concrete steps while my leg twisted in the ladder.

I'm at 14 weeks today. I have been been in physio for 3 weeks now and am fwb. I feel like the whole summer has been a waste. I was suppose to be traveling extensively this summer and instead have been pretty-much housebound. I'm tired of my big outings being a trip to the basement or out to my deck.

This weeks physio has been really tough- stairs with no crutches and standing on one foot. I cant do it. I'm falling over and my leg is in so much pain. I'm walking (or rather limping) around the house with one crutch, but use both if I go out. I'm trying to push through the pain but I'm just so tired of this and feeling discouraged.

I'm trying to remember that I've come a long way from where I was three months ago, or even a month ago. It's reassuring to know that there are other people out there struggling with the same things especially the slow recovery.

[peaton]

Eddie....thanks for the note, it helped a lot, since today I feel the same as I did yesterday. I guess I will just have to slow down and ice more. You are right, the muscles, tendons, etc. are not used to us asking for them to do their job. I guess it would be similar to quitting an exercise routine or sport for a while and getting back into it, OUCH! It is going to be hot here again the next few days, so I can spend more time inside in the air. I was just so excited to get out, be on my own, groom my 4 dogs, 2 horses and feel kinda human again. I also was using a walker for the first 11wks and have found the crutches at this point in my recovery to be awesome. I did try them early on, when first home from surgery while on pain pills and in pain, it didn't work out so well. So for those of you who use a walker, when your pain is gone, you are off the pain pills try the crutches again. One of the things I found to be so-so much easier was stairs. Funny how it is such a mental thing. I was not able to go up or down stairs when I first came home from surgery while using crutches. Now, day 3 using them, I don't even think about the crutch, I am more concentrating on my knee and what it is doing. All I can think is the fear of falling, pain, re-injury, so totally mental!

I so look forward to being normal again. I hope everyone is make strides in the right direction!

Peaton...I went through the same thing when I was allowed to walk. Im my case, I think I tried to do too much and the inside of my leg opposite the injury was hurting so bad I could hardly put any pressure when I walked. I just laid off the leg and used the crutches to help me get some of the weight off. In a couple of weeks all was fine. My ankle also hurt a bit. I guess something is going to complaint after not being used for so long. Try to ease into things and not do too much until all that is holding you leg together begin to get acclimated to walking again. I did not have any pain or discomfort when riding the exercise bike. I've been weight bearing since mid July and off the brace since August 13. I feel my calf, hamstring and quad responding to all that is asked of them. I just got done riding 11 miles on the regular bike so hang on you will soon be back to normal.

[greg33]

Looking for a little advice/guidance. Went to see my doctors yesterday. My surgeon and a bone specialist. The option that is on the table is a bone allograft. The initial repair was done with cadaver bone as the outside of my tibia was crushed. So the docs removed the crushed bone and tried to rebuild the joint surface with the cadaver bone. Well the joint surface is not what they were looking for, plus there is no cartilage. Now the inside of the joint is fine, with cartilage. The outer portion of the femur, above the repair also has cartilage. But the existing repair appears to have "dropped" at some point during my recovery so when I walk it is going to want to move medial, like a knee knocker. So the only way to fix it now is to go back in, cut out the existing repair and graft in a partial tibia from a donor/cadaver. Now best case scenario I have a better joint surface with cartilage and proper knee geometry. On the worst case scenario the whole thing could be rejected, which would leave me up the creek without a paddle. Or the cartilage on the section of the allograft could die, which would leave me with a better joint surface but no cartilage. So the docs are not trying to steer me one way or the other, they are just giving me options and the pros and cons of each. If I leave what I have alone eventually the cartilage on the femur will wear away and I will be left with arthritis, and then I will be looking at a knee replacement. I have to make my decision sooner rather than later as the more I use/walk (or try to walk) on my knee the more the existing cartilage is going to get damaged. So I'm really up in the air. The docs said they can't guarantee the bone allograft will be any better that what I have. But if it does work I will have a much better and hopefully more stable knee. I'm kinda leaning toward going for it....what do I have to lose at this point!! If I do have this procedure done I'm looking at going back to square one....three more months of non weight bearing, lose of flexibility and strength, etc. A knee replacement is inevitable, but they want to put that off as long as possible as I'm still considered "young"!!! HAHA I don't consider 37 young but thanks anyways doc!! Thanks for looking and I hope everyone is feeling better!!

[RiverZX]

So this seems to be the thread of choice on the internet for tibial plateau fractures. So here's a question:

I am 10 weeks post surgery. I've had weight bearing as tolerated status for 2 weeks now. I can tolerate about 75% of my weght now and am using both crutches to walk most of the time. Full weight makes it feel like my knee cap is going to split in two. My range of motion has only progressed from about 60 degrees to 75 degrees for flexion and extension is stuck at about 20 degrees. Is this slow recovery of range of motion normal? Or at least not reason for concern? PT seems a little frustrated with my progression but just wants to keep working on it.

[Dgw3369]

Riverzx don't get down on yourself or be disappointed in what you've accomplished so far. There is no set in stone where you should be at after any length of time. It will all come in time. If you continue to do your excercises at home as well as pt it will happen. There will be pain along the way and what I did was push threw it. If your fwb your bones are healed. Not saying go out an do hard impact stuff but you can walk. Start doing a lot of walking with your crutches. What I did at first fwb and a few weeks before I was fwb, I would walk around the neighborhood 3 miles a day and slowly increase weight onto the leg after a week I was walking without crutches. You def got to transition. It's not instant weight bearing. Really push for that ext and flex too. It does not increase for the better without going a little further then your pain threshold every time. Sit on the couch and put your heal on the coffee table and let gravity drop your knee. This kills but it gets your leg straight! I myself just got back from the gym. Rode the stationary bike, eliptical machines for an hour on a pretty intense setting to strengthen the thigh. It's exactly what I needed and felt like I could walk better right after. The thigh muscle being stronger really makes a difference in walking straight and without a limp and pain. Best of luck to you!

[GardenerGirl]

New to this forum, and very happy to have found it. Lateral tibial plateau fracture 6/11, surgery 6/13, so today I'm six weeks into this. I'm at 25% weight bearing, 50% next week, then cleared to start walking with support. My fracture seemed much simpler than most of yours, and the surgeon said the displaced segment "locked back into place as though it wanted to be there." I have a plate and six screws. I consider myself very lucky after reading these posts. I've been doing PT exercises at home since week 2, and am struggling to regain good movement in my knee. Wow, bending it still really hurts. Looking forward to taking that first step, and terrified of it at the same time. Thanks to all of you that post on here--it's really helped.

[HobieTony]

two questions -

1) I am 15 months out from a Type VI and I still get a ton of kneecap pain when bending past 45 degrees....anyone else have such a long tail on kneecap pain....told it is weak quad muscles but getting suspicious

2) anyone's knee joint feel really loose? MCL and ACL are ok...torn meniscus, but I cant almost feel my knee sliding back and forth....a lot of instability....ligaments just stretched a bunch?

Dammit man, you still hanging out in this corner of the forum? Looks like the most supportive, friendly people are over here, just dont let them get into the general ski discussion, or god forbid, polyasshat. Hope you keep getting better.

T

[East Mtn]

Hello again, to the few I recognize from months ago and all the new members.

Since most won't remember me unless you read all the way back to Page 25, here's my basic resume:

• male, 50 year-old at time of accident
• skiing Snowbird, fx TP, fib, spiral tib 02/09
• surgery ORIF 2 plates, 18 screws 02/10
• compartment syndrome / fasciotomy 02/12
• PWB 6 weeks
• FWB 10 weeks
• Exogen ultrasound weeks 14+
• impact 18 weeks

In the dark days after the injury, what cheered me most was reading longer-term recovery and outcome stories. So in that spirit, here's my latest.

I've had separate trips to Yosemite with each of my kids, staying and climbing in Tuolumne and hiking to Little Yosemite with the intention of doing a technical climb (Snake Dike) on Half Dome. In mid-July, my 15YO son and I took the bus to Glacier Point to start the hike. After doing the five miles or so of down-and-up hiking on the Panorama Trail to Nevada Falls, with a 70lb pack, we realized that neither of us would have the leg strength to climb the next day, so we turned back to the Valley. Trying it again a month later with my 17YO daughter, hiking up the 2000 feet from the Valley, I was much stronger. After a night in the backcountry campground, we made it near the start of Snake Dike but had to turn back due to darkening clouds. So no summits, but I'm very pleased with the progress in leg strength.

The left quads and gluteus have a ways to go to repair the atrophy, and I still can't do a single-leg squat on that side. But it's fine for hiking and most climbing moves. My PT thinks it should be recovering faster, so we're concentrating on leg extension in PT and at the gym, which hopefully will bring it back to parity with my right. My next x-ray and Dr visit are still a few weeks away, but there is a visible bulge of bony callus for about three inches above and below the bottom of the spiral break in the tibia, so I think it will look good. Stressing it as much as safely possible and using ultrasound seems to have helped. The knee itself is well repaired, with only occasional lateral pain extending from acute flex under weight, or medial pain if I stress it and then stop moving for a while. I'm attributing the medial pain to the increased load on that side's meniscus, given that the lateral plateau is a tad depressed, and of course the medial meniscus would still be somewhat splattered.

The plates don't bother me at all, so I may just keep them in, rather than have the hardware removed and have to heal all those holes in the bone.

The only thing I haven't pursued much is impact, as I don't really engage much in activities with intentional or cyclic impacts (running, turning). The few times I have jumped more than six inches, such as to see the top of a shelf, I've wished I hadn't. So I may wait a few more weeks before pushing on that type of activity.

And last, an advertisement: please help capture all the knowledge you gain by writing content for the TPF Wiki at http://tpf.wikia.com

Best,
Chris

[Maker]

East Mtn...are you getting any kneecap pain?

[Umbrella Falls]

On 8/17/2011 I took a fateful jump and fractured BOTH of my Tibial Plateau's. I was in the Hospital for 5 days and in a rehab center for two weeks then home. I spent a total of 7 weeks in a wheel chair and this site helped me through the "5 week I'm going crazy" stage when I wanted to get up so bad and walk. I took the wise folks advice on this site which said "listen to your doctor and no weight bearing!!!" Thank you for helping me through those hard weeks.

I did get up from the wheelchair when my doctor permitted me to at 7 weeks. I had a walker for the first few weeks then my PT shoved a cane in my hand and I started walking with a cane.

Balance has been the hardest thing and fear of falling. When I fractured them on was on a hike to Umbrella Falls. I was on a log, no biggy until I started to loose my balance and I jumped vrs falling on my hip. My bones are not the strongest due to medication that I have needed for my siesure disorder since I was 17. I am 58 now.

I had foot pain and worked through that. They are still stiff when I wake up in the morning but I am on my own two feet.

Keep up the the positive thoughts.

[scotiadallas]

Hi All,

I was cleared for FWB 2 weeks ago.

I have been using both crutches to "walk" and I've been slowly walking better and better. The initial feeling I had are mostly gone and the tingling, numbness are a thing of the past. With both crutches it appears that I walk almost normally but I am still using them for support and weight bearing.

Yesterday I was in the garage and I notice myself getting less and less dependent on the crutches. I was using one crutch most of the time (so I could carry things) and I eventually started "walking" around the garage. Although I had a big limp, it was still walking and I did this for about an hour. By the end of the hour my knee was very sore and swollen but I iced it and was very happy. I am going to try and "walk" every day now.

I am leaving for the pool in about a 1/2 hour, I continue to swim distance for conditioning and then walk (in the pool) and do exercises after my swim.

This afternoon I am going to get my bike out, tune it up and see if I can go for a peddle. I don't have a stationary bike but everyone here is raving about biking so I think I'll give it a try. If I can peddle it (I should be able to) then I'll incorporate biking into my recover routine.

Things are improving. I can safely say that every day is an improvement, albeit a small one. The best think you can do is look BACKWARDS. If I feel down about my situation on any given day, I just think back 3 or 4 weeks and what I was doing at that time (in terms of recovery). 100% of the time, I am much further ahead. This injury is like watching the grass grow - you can't see it happen day to day but if you look at things over a few weeks - it's moving forward.



Try to be positive and do something to move your injury forward EVERY DAY.

D

[sassypie]

I just wanted to do a post on my accident and recovery experience. I browsed this board a little after my first surgery, to get an idea of what the recovery would be like and to basically hear that other people go through this too. From what I've read the tibial plateau fracture accounts for only 1% of all fractures. This board was helpful to me in knowing I wasn't alone. This is quite lengthy and I apologize for that, I pretty much fell over and did a doozy.

My details:

24 November 2011 - Accidental fall over a cement barrier (the ones that stops your tires in a car park). I thought I'd just tripped and tried to get up and immediately fell back down, my leg was like jelly. I was on holiday overseas in Hawaii (I'm from Australia) so the police and ambulance were called and I was taken to hospital. I was told I had a tibial plateau fracture, given a splint and crutches and told to try and see an orthopedic surgeon before returning home. I had to wait 6 days to see someone because of the Thanksgiving break. I stayed on holiday because I'd saved so hard and didn't want to waste my trip. I was taking Vicodin to get me through the pain and relied on a wheelchair to see the sights. I tried to enjoy the time the best I could but I was in a lot of pain and scared. I saw the orthopedic surgeon two days before returning home, they told me I would be healed in six weeks and that I could walk on it. Luckily I was physically unable to as on my arrival home I had a CT scan and found out my fracture was displaced and needed emergency surgery to fix it.

4 December 2011 - Return home. I was cleared to fly and given exercises to do to keep my leg moving. I was upgraded to business class by my travel insurance for the extra leg room. That night and the next day my foot on my fractured leg was very swollen. My parents had pre-booked an appointment with my GP and an orthopedic surgeon. I saw my GP on the 5th and he suspected Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) from the swelling so I was rushed for an ultrasound that confirmed it. I had one 7cms in my calf. This too was very scary. I think I was very lucky to not have any worse complications from the DVT. I was started on blood thinning injections, Clexane as I couldn't start the typical blood thinner Warfarin in case I needed surgery.

6 December 2011 - saw orthopedic surgeon who told me it was a displaced fracture and I'd need emergency surgery to get a plate and screws put in.

7 December 2011 - Surgery day. I got a plate and 5 screws inserted. The operation and initial recovery were difficult on me and I was in shock. To have an accidental fall while on holiday in a foreign place away from home... believing I'd be healed in 6 weeks and then to go needing surgery and not being able to walk for 4 months. Very hard mentally. I struggled a lot. I think part of me was blaming myself because I couldn't believe what happened.

In this time I moved back home with my parents as I had stairs in the residence I was in. I was very fortunate to have my mum around pretty much all the time as I had so much pain post op and when you are on crutches you can't do much for yourself.

February 2012 - I was able to bear weight around this time. 25% for 3 weeks and then 50% for three weeks and then upto 100%. I started seeing a physio when I was cleared for weight bearing and in several sessions they got my knee movement back to normal pretty much, it took a lot of hard work and perseverance. To people reading... you can do it! It is so strange to go from not walking to walking after all that time.

Mid March 2012 - I was walking with 100% weight bearing at this time and I was recovering fairly well but I still had significant pain in the knee area. I tried to return to work at this time but I couldn't as I work retail and I was required to be able to stand for long periods. My leg was still very swollen and I had pain every time I walked. This was disheartening at the time. People see you walking and think you are fine when really you aren't and your leg won't heal fully for some time.

The pain I was having started to ease around late April, early May. I started the process to going back to work and did it slowly. I was only doing 10 hours a week. I had some pain while standing and walking around but it was manageable.

June 2012 - My leg really flared up. I don't know why. I didn't have another accident or anything I just started experiencing a lot of pain and my leg got even more swollen. I started taking fluid tablets and anti imflammatories to help with the swelling and pain. They worked but as soon as I stopped them the problem came back. I was luckily able to stop Warfarin at this time as my blood clot had cleared (the blood taking every week to two weeks wasn't fun, neither was the actual drug taking and monitoring!)

Late July 2012 - I decided then to see my orthopedic surgeon to get his advice. I felt surely 8 months after surgery I shouldn't be having the intense pain I was feeling. He thought I might have some torn cartilage which may have been caused by the plate and screws so he suggested getting the hardware removed and that he'd do an arthoscopy at the same time to fix any issues.

15 August 2012 - Had surgery to remove plate and screws and to have an arthoscopy. I'm only 26 so my surgeon felt it would be better for me to have them out then keep the hardware in. This surgery was much easier, the recovery is like 5 billion times easier than the first. I was amazed at how well I went. It turns out I had no damaged cartilage but what I did have was jaggered bone at the joint of my break. What was essentially happening was my knee was rubbing on the tibial plateau and damaging it. It was very damaged. My surgeon grinded back the bone so it was smooth but it will take around 6 months for the bone to grow into those gaps. I don't know if anyone else has had this problem, or if it's just me because of where I had the break I don't know.

I had my follow up with my surgeon today and he was pleased. My incision is healing up (been cut there twice now!) and I still have very good knee movement. I'll be back to my physio next week to try and strengthen my muscles. I've been told by my surgeon that long term i.e. for the rest of my life it is best for me to not run, not do contact sports and not do any highly strenuous activity. I was not a super active person before my fall so this is mostly okay with me. I think because of how I broke the tibial plateau there is a chance it could happen again, my surgeon said my bone will never be how it was before my accident so it's best for me to be careful and safe. I don't want to break it again!!

Hopefully others are able to go back their active lives. Here I am at 9 months post break. I am hoping the swelling and imflammation I have will go down and I will be able to walk with no pain.

My advice to everyone with this type of break... YOU CAN DO IT! It can be very hard physically and mentally and I think this is what a lot of people don't understand. They see it as just a broken leg but in these circumstances it's not, it takes a long time to recover. Around the time I returned to work I started seeing a psychologist to help deal with the immobility I was having, and to help deal with a bad breakup I was going through. Unfortunately the breakup was caused in part because of the depression and anxiety I had from my accident. Definitely not my fault but the person I was with found it too difficult. But that's on him. I was stuck in a hard place for a long time but it's been getting easier and easier. I don't know if anyone else has struggled with this. I know my circumstances are a bit different than normal.. having an accident overseas, getting DVT, a slow and painful recovery which resulted in bone damage. It was difficult but there is always an end in sight.

What I've learnt through all of this is to try and look on the bright side and to try and help myself with my recovery everyday. Every step (not even literal), just getting your knee moving, getting your legs moving with crutches or a cane.. all are important and great for your recovery. Cheer yourself on with every achievement

My X-Ray post surgery:



And my arthoscopy from 2 weeks ago showing the bone damage I had:

[hobblerguy]

I must say that this post has been awesome for me. What a great resource since there is nothing else out there on the internet regarding this injury.

Date of Injury: 7/29/12
Date of Surgery: 8/9/12

I banged my knee up mountain biking on the Monarch Crest Trail in Colorado. Had to get search and rescue, flight for life, ambulance to Denver. By the time I settled into the hospital in Denver (about a day after being injured) the swelling was too bad to perform surgery. So, I had to have the pleasure of an external fixator to keep the leg straight and allow the swelling to go down. It looks like an erector set coming out of your leg. That contraption is a PITA.

Anyway, had surgery on 8/9/12 and everything apparently went well. I don't know the type or degree of severity but I had two plates and some screws put in as well as some repair on the meniscus which had torn and wedged into the fracture. So I was placed into a straight leg brace for two weeks to allow the meniscus some extra recovery time. I had that removed on 8/22 and was given full permission to bend my knee as much as I possibly could.

I started PT yesterday and can bend the knee 45 degrees. Of course, my muscles have atrophied a bit and they gave me a bunch of exercises to start strengthening the muscles. So I will still be non-weight bearing for another 8 weeks and just focus on bending and regaining some strength in the leg. The doctor and PT are pretty confident on a full recovery, just takes time and work.

So, thanks again for everyone posting. This site is awesome.

I'll continue to post on the progress.