Welcome to the TPF Home Page.
This page has many useful sections with information, and fellow Tibial Plateau Fracture sufferer stories.
If you’ve recently suffered a Tibial plateau Fracture this is the place for you. This site was created after having myself gone through the recovery process of Tibial Plateau Fractures, and this site aims to contain information you need and want to know during Recovery. You can visit the forum to chat and share your story with others. Or, start reading in the Recovery Section Above. In the different pages you will find a lot of helpful information for your recovery period including medical information, first hand accounts of personal recovery stories as well as many useful tips & tricks. It’s Important to understand that this info is based on personal experience and research but that I am not a medical professional. This site is not intended to provide personal health advice. Your doctor is the professional source of information and if any advice your doctor gives you contradicts something written in this site- stick with your doctors opinion.
If you’re asking yourself how long your recovery is going to take, or what to expect, check out the recovery section. If you’re looking for some helpful tips and tricks from people who’ve been there – have a look at tips & tricks. We also have a Forum with recovery stories of different people Containing many inspiring stories and a place to ask fellow visitors questions.
If you’re looking for a community of people who have been through the same also check out the forum, or if you are looking for more information and references, those can be found in “further reading” which contains links to other websites and pages.
This page currently contains mostly information regarding recovery and recuperation after a surgery or non-surgical treatment. If you are still in the hospital and want to know more about your injury this is also the place for you. In future I might add some useful information for your stay in the hospital.
Hope you feel at Home, and feel free to contact about anything at all at [email protected]
Note: This site is currently in building and so some sections might not yet be complete
Shlomi,
September 10th, 2013
*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*
I’m glad that things are working out for you. I fell of of a ladder from the fourth step and as I came down I hit my knee/shin on each step. It did not break the skin but it was a horrible pain. The ER Dr said I would be going to surgery. The orthopedic surgeon came in and said I have every right to have surgery if I wanted too. I should have known right then that I needed another Dr. I have never been given an option when surgery should be done. I am praying for a good outcome from the surgery I need. I am hoping to have it done in January. The Dr I am seeing now said the surgery should have been done. He even stated he may have to break my leg again to get things where they need to be. I hope that doesn’t happen. Thanks for your encouragement.
Dear Sherry,
It just shows the degree of difference in doctors. I think I was fortunate to have gotten one of the finest ortho surgeons in the Denver area. There was no choice for me. I had to have surgery and thankfully I will walk again. Going on the 7th week now. I hope they get your leg back to where it needs to be. Best wishess for a complete recovery!
Sherry – your experience sounds very frustrating and I hope at this writing it has improved. I did not have the “traditional” screws & plates type of surgery. Not sure if you’re read my past posts and/or familiar with the subchondroplasty procedure. It is what my dr. performed on my TPF on my right leg. I took a bad fall on Easter weekend 2015 and at the end of April, went into arthroscopic surgery, where my dr. performed the subchondroplasty procedure – injecting organic bone material, a “glue” in to the fractured areas. My patella (knee cap) was pushed down (point of impact when I fell) and my tibia (shin bone) was fractured – both the bones were intact; the patella did have hairline fractures, much like when you see cracks in a ceramic cup, it is still together, but the cracks are there. My tibia had one fine hairline fracture beginning where it connected to the knee cap & down the front. My dr. made 3 small incisions (largest incision on right side of my knee, about 1″ long) in my knee area, lifted my knee cap back into position and back filled it with an organic “glue”, where it fills in all the cracks and over time will merge w/my own bone. Fortunately after surgery, he told me I did not have to have my ACL or MCL mended (which he thought were torn & would be another surgery 6 mos.later) – he said they were severely stretched. I had to stay off the leg for 3-4 months. After 3 mos. post surgery, he said it was healed and I could begin walking – that was the end of July. It’s been 3 1/2 mos. now and I have still have slight pain & stiffness in my right knee, and I do limp a little when I walk. My dr. said that is to be expected and felt after 12 to 14 mos. I should be back to “normal” – though he did say the knee would be prone to arthritis / stiff for the rest of my life.
I still check in with this site and read the stories of each person’s TPF injury and I can relate to the pain and frustration. I wish there was some magical words or a way to comfort each one of you as you work to heal. And it is work, it is important to stay diligent with your exercises, diet and mind set. Each day I wake up and wonder if it will be the day I will walk w/o limping – if anyone can tell me how long it took to get your usual gait back, please let me know. Hang in there and do not give up both physically & spiritually.
Hey F,… It will be about 2 years before you will walk normally again. Depending on the degree of your fracture. I split my tibia in April of 2013 and am almost limp free now.
Hi Sherry,
I am so sorry for the experience you had! I agree that the Lord is in control of all things and knows His reasons. I also believe everything we experience has a greater reason than we can ever know. I have learned from this site that there are no normals with this injury. All different ages, accidents and experiences. Some, like yours, are worse and others, like mine, were not. Still unpleasant and life altering for a time, but I am grateful mine was what it was. Don’t we all prefer to have not had it in the first place?! But I said before and will again Philippians 13:4 I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me. I will pray for you and the success and quick recovery for your surgery in January. I hope you will let everyone know how you do.
Take care,
Karen
Thank you so much Karen. I believe in prayer and know that God is in control. I will give updates on what happens when I have the surgery. Your kind words have meant so much.
Hi all,
I’m still getting notices of comments and have been reading about all of you and understanding the fears and frustrations we all suffered and still do from this injury. Mine was July 1st and although not nearly as severe as you had, the injury is still not fun. My displacement was just under the recommendation for surgery. My first answered prayer! Initially, I was told at the ER I would require surgery, screws and 3 months NWB. Words we all dread.
Braced and resigned to it , my first visit to my surgeon was truly a blessing and relief. At 3 weeks I was told it was healing. We actually drove 2 days to Colorado after to visit our younger son and his wife. 6 week visit I was told it was healed and I could begin walking on my leg as I could bare it and remove the horrid and painful brace! Answered prayer 2.
My apologies for the rehash of this, but my prognosis wasn’t all that positive either, yet stuff can and does happen to change things for the better. It looks bleak, but proper diet, activity and attitude can make the biggest difference. I am also very strong in my faith and for me that is vitally important. Having said that, I also know not everyone has that. But attitude certainly makes a difference as well.
I started PT after the 6 weeks and did 8 visits. Very helpful. I also from day one began flexing my ankle to keep blood flow and muscle tone best as possible. At 64 then (turning 65 in Oct) blood clots were of concern. Especially being so immobile and traveling in a car for 2 days.
Walking was slow, unsteady and painful for weeks. After a little over 4 months I still falter some and the nerve endings at the knee (I am told) are firing, but strengthening as they do so. Also have been told it could take 12 to 14 months post injury for complete recovery. Again, my injury was not as severe as many of you. But it still hurt!
Bottom line and my purpose for posting now is to encourage you and reinforce that you are not alone. Each individual has had a similar injury, some worse than others, but the recovery is also different for each. Do not be discouraged. Stay strong and know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. What we experience good and bad makes us stronger. Know that my prayers are with you all.
Karen
Hi Karen
I also was told I did not need surgery. I broke my tibia plateau and fibula on my right leg. Dr said it was aligned so if it didn’t move surgery would not be needed. Everything went well for quite some time. I spent almost 4 months in a wheelchair. When it was time to take that 1st step I told the Dr I could not do it. He insisted so when I tried I fell into his arms. That was not a good experience. Started therapy in the wheelchair but did progress to walking with a walker. After six weeks made it to a cane and eventually by myself. It has been 3 1/2 yrs and I still walk with a limp. My leg was compressed when I broke it and will never be right. I still have pain and lots of swelling. Have seen another surgeon and his diagnosis is surgery with a knee replacement and reconstruction of the knee. He cannot provide the length of leg I have lost. He statement was I should have had surgery at the beginning. I was given the choice by the surgeon that I saw at the time of the break. Given the fact that surgery was not something I wanted I chose to let it heal. My surgeon at this point said the choice should have not been given. I am hoping to get the surgery in January 2016 and am praying for a good outcome. I know my Lord was in control and still is. For reasons I don’t understand it has worked out this way for me. I am so glad that it worked out much better for you. By the way, I was 57 st the time.
As far as the pain and aches it take a good months to get over most of that . I used I’ve every day and it seemed to help . As far as walking it took 10 weeks before I took my first steps . I started PT 6 weeks after surgery and that really helped with swelling and the aches and what not . I have still yet to get my screws removed and if I walk a lot during the day the rub the inside of my skin and cause a knife like pain . But after dealing with everything you have it’ll be nothing to deal with ! Good luck
I injured my TP in June of this year . It’s been about 4 months since I’ve had surgery and I still can run and I would say my knees at about 50% what it use to be . My TP tibia plateau required 3 screws to fix . They put me in a knee brace after surgery and the first few weeks after was pretty brutal . The pain was intense for the first 30 days or so and then it off slowly . One you get thru the first 30 days things will start looking up . Your doctor probably told you to keep your leg stable and not move around much , my advice is to follow directions . I found that moving my toes flexing my caves helped with retaining muscle and helps keep blood flow to the area . If it hurts don’t do it . Also put a chair in the shower that’ll help with doing some things on you own . Good luck man
hi Christopher, sorry to hear about your injury, thanks for the advise, its only been 2 weeks since my op and im still in a bit of pain, its mainly a constant dull ache tho, was it the same for you? im guessing its the bone fusing back together. I seen a pic of my xray and looks nasty, ive got 8 screws and 2 plates 🙁 im really concerned about when I will be walking again, im 25 and healthy so hopefully I have that on my side for healing. cheers, josh
hi all, im currently laid up with a Tibial Plateau Fracture and im finding it really hard to cope with and accept, im 25 and very active person usually so its a big downer for me at the moment. I was out riding my motorbike on the moors, I didn’t even come of the bike jus simply put my leg out to stabilize a rut, something you do all the time while enduro riding, I knew id injured my leg/knee streight away. anyway I went to hospital and they told me it was a very nasty injury, which worried me, I was in hospital 12 days in total, im a builder and love my job and making a great courier out of it, 1 of the docs came to my bedside and told me I will never be on site again and need to start looking at other types of work and a courier change… this upset me so much and has been on my mind ever since. its been 10 days since my op and im still in a lot of pain, and just cant get comfy at night. anyway I was just wanting to hear from a few people that have recoverd from this injury an interested to know about walking again and general recovery. cheers
48 yr old.male. left tpf March 2015. Can do full weight bearing know. My problem is my knee is straight but but left lower leg is misaligned out a few degrees counter clockwise. So when I walk I have to pick on what I want to hurt, my knee or my ankle. I need up with a plate and 13 screws. How I have to twist my ankle.to walk straight puts stress on my knee and vicea versa. Any thoughts or ideas?
Atv accident 9/4/15, fractured tibia surgery splintered down the middle of tibia, depressed tibia plateau. 9/12/15 plate, bone graft, pins. I am 5 weeks out and back working part time on restricted duty. X-ray at 6 weeks and hoping I will be to the partial weight bearing stage, doing PT at home. It is the most restrictive accident I have ever had, depressing when one cannot do the simple day to day tasks. I am 52 and am not a sedentary person, but this leaves no options
Your accident is identical to mine in March 2014. I too was sat at a junction on my motorbike and got hit by a car from the rear. I suffered a type 4 TPF and foot drop. I had surgery immediately due to the severity of the injury and suffered foot drop.
What you need to do is exercise!! Sounds tough but it helped and foot drop was sorted in six weeks. I used a scarf and put it around my foot and gently pulled it up. So sit with your legs out and put the scarf or towel under your foot and pull back so your foot in correct position. Do this regularly through the day and another one is. Just point and bring your foot back. By the time I got my appointment so a gadget to help it was cured. Good luck and if you need more advise I will try to help. Also use ice packs to reduce the swelling as that put pressure on the nerve that lifts the foot.
Good to find a place where I can see what others are going through. Dr’s tend to keep me in the dark. I’m 8 weeks in after getting crushed by a car while sitting at an intersection on my motorcycle. Foot was smashed but the boot kept the foot intact, lost some skin & muscle from my calf. . Broken clavicle complimented with broken ribs & collapsed lung. Had to stop the Oxycodone after the first 3 weeks do to complications it caused. They set me up for surgery 3 times & changed their minds as many. No warning that my leg would lock up at 30 degrees. My next appointment is Nov 13,another 30 days from now. Any tips on what I can do about the drop foot to speed things along? Does 14 weeks seem excessive to do nothing with the leg? Thanks.
Good post Chris! I’m so sorry to hear about your injury and particularly difficult when you’re young, active etc. Im 56, broke my right knee (TPF) first weekend in April 2015, but had subchondroplasty surgery procedure instead of screws/plates. Regardless, I too was NWB, on crutches, could not walk on it for 3 mos.after surgery, all in all it was almost 4 mos. before I got the go ahead from my dr. I could walk. You’re right, once you can start bearing weight on the TPF leg you have new aches & pains, but with persistent exercising, stretching, massaging the TPF area, you get through it. The laying around, leg elevated, on heavy meds in the early stages was miserable, I too got depressed some days, mostly frustrated that I could not work (Im a Realtor; could not drive or walk to show homes) and do very simple things like carry a glass of water or my own plate of food. Thank goodness I have a very strong & capable husband. This injury has changed my life, in some ways good, but in others Im not so sure… Ive been walking w/o assistance (no crutches, cane, etc) since end of July, I still limp a bit and there is a slight pain on the sides of my TPF knee. This injury has affected my confidence a bit, whenever I see a curb, a pot hole, any kind of change in the surface, I re-think my steps, my path. I no longer just traipse out on any field, for fear I will stumble into a hold, unevenness in the dirt that I cannot see. Showing homes I do not go upstairs, because coming down them is (still) a challenge. The “old me” I had never broken anything in my life, Im very fit, high-energy, go-go-go kind of woman – now, I really do feel old and at 56 that’s not good. But, it will pass and each day I do feel a little stronger – constant stretching, walking each day and just taking care of yourself is key. This site has been very good for my psyche, reading other stories, good and bad experiences, has helped me feel that I am not alone in this and that others suffer worst than I and get over it. Hang in there Chris, take it easy as my dr. told me and in time (my dr. said a year) you will be back to your usual self!
I’m glad to have found this site. I am 5 weeks out from my injury. At 63, I was a high energy person, active, exercised regularly which mostly included walking. One thirty in the morning I was rushing down the stairs to let my old dog outside to try and avert a mess to clean up. I just don’t comprehend that at 63 a person should not be rushing down old stairs (130 year old stairs). I don’t recall anything as painful as when I fell hard on my leg. I still wake up with a jolt remembering it. It’s been really hard. I thought nothing would slow me down but this has brought me to a crashing halt. Yes, it was a plateau tibia fracture. They operated on it and I have a long plate and screws and bone graphs. I was hospitalized for a week and ended up in a rehab facility where I was the youngest patient. It was like the nightmare just continued. I think emotionally I was a train wreck. I’m home now and find myself being a burden to everyone including my husband who has stressed out quite a bit because of this. He realizes all the shit I did for the betterment of the household as now he has to do it all.LOL. I’m able to cook and everyone is thankful for that. When I got out of rehab, the one thing I craved was olive oil and garlic. The food at the place was a horrible tasteless mush. They told me how to manage cooking and showering. I can do both those things. I want to venture out of my house soon and see the outside world again. I have seven more weeks of NWB. This just sucks like I never would have imagined. I’m encouraged to know I’m not alone. I am working on my third novel so that’s at least something!
Hi Joan – sorry to hear about your fall & injury. Hope at this writing you are feeling better. Im 56 yrs old, had a TPF fracture on my right knee Easter weekend in April 2015, surgery at the end of that month then told 3-4 mos. NWB, stay on crutches. It was very difficult on my marriage, even though Im very grateful to my husband being there and helping out, it was a real adjustment for us in the early stages of my injury. At the end of July I was told by my doctor, all healed and I could start walking on the leg, w/o crutches. Since Im in good shape and worked hard during my recovery to eat right, do the exercises dr. told me to do and then some, he felt it was up to me if I wanted to do PT or not. I decided not to and just walk everyday at least a 1/2 mile, usually around my neighborhood where I know the pavement is flat, even surfaced. I still have pains in the knee area, I’m thinking it is all the ligaments, such as the ACL & MCL, which I did not tear, but my doctor said were severely stretched, these muscles, tendons, ligaments are sore and I have stiffness in the knee, particularly after sitting awhile, like driving for a spell. My doctor told me it can take up to a year for me to feel “back to normal” and that the pain & stiffness is typical of this injury. However, I’m wondering if anyone has any good exercises for strengthening these tendons around the knee, please share. I do not have access to a pool or bicycle, if the exercises are floor exercises, I can do on my own, that would be appreciated.
Joan – I found the time on crutches very long, from the time I broke my knee to the day I could start to walk it was almost 4 months! Im a big reader, but I devoured books while I was laid up and even watched some movies off my phone on youtube. Like you I was able to lean against the counter & wash/put a way dishes, cook and hobble around the house doing light cleaning. Fortunately my husband was able to do my Real Estate work for me, as I could not drive or hobble around on crutches showing homes. I was able to do much of our work on the computer. Regardless, my confidence was shot, I had never broken a bone or been laid up like this, even after giving birth! Now that I’m back to walking, running errands, driving, showing homes, etc. my husband & I look back on that time I was on crutches and shiver! It was a dark time for both of us. I still have a limp and am frustrated I cannot get rid of it, hopefully this time next year, I will not have the knee pain and will no longer limp. Time is a great healer particularly with this injury. Hang in there and good luck!
Thank you for your encouragement. I have never felt so isolated and depressed in my whole life. 13 weeks will be the day after Christmas and to me it seems to be such a dark target. I worry it will be more of the same with working into actual walking. I just feel glad to read and share my experiences with fellow TPF sufferers because we are not alone.
My name is Chris I fractured my TP wakebaording over the summer around June 20 in a freak accident . The way I fractured my TP I was do something I’ve been doing for over 16yrs , no cool story just a weird land crossing a massive wake . I laid on the boat the rest of the day cause I knew that would be my last day to enjoy the lake that summer , knew instantly my life would never be the same . My leg felt unstable and the pain at first wasn’t to bad . Over the next 5 hrs my body started going into shock and I knew it was time to visit the ER ! X-ray exposed my TP Laterial displaced and needed surgery . I had surgery 6 days later which required 3 screws ! When doing the knee scope the exposed A bit of cartledge damage in my knee which isn’t good . My doctor told me it would be 3/4 months before I would walk again . Going from being a youn active adult excersing 3/4 times a week to laying on my back with my leg elevated was the hardest thing I’ve ever been through in my life . After surgery I remember barley sleeping for days from the discomfort of the brace and all the medication they had me on .i had a pain blocker for the first three days which pretty much made me numb , after that it was pretty much as many tabs as I could handle for the first 3or4 weeks . After that I got off the pain medication cause I know the body starts depending on it . The doctor issue a rom device that my insurance failed to cover . Never got the device . Anyways after 6weeks of laying around my house my doctor released me to go back to work . My employer made a office job for me so I could pay my bills ! Going back to work was pretty difficult because my leg was still swollen ! Looked like a red Popsicle and it was pretty hard to bare at times . I hid a lot of the pain so I could continue working and takin care of bussiness ! I started PT 7 weeks after surgery and that was a life saver with my swelled knee and getting it to function again.my foot felt like it was 20 pounds or something for the longest time . Seemed like it took about 2 1/2 weeks of PT before I saw Resultes . I started walking at 10 weeks after surgery on my own with my knee brace on . I had many up and downs after those first steps so don’t get down or stay down if this occurs . If you over due it you’ll know it ! Present I’m about 3 months since surgery and I’m out of my PO knee brace and they have me in some special cartilage knee brace that I’m suppose to wear cause of my damaged cartilage in my knee . I only wear it when I feel I’m in a dangerous situation like out in public , uneven surface , any kind of sports activity which I’m no really comfortable doing at the moment . I’m just getting to where I don’t think about my knee all the time and I can bend it and move it around without worrying about it . My screws sticking out and rubbing my skin is the worse pain at the moment . If any of you have any questions feel free to ask I know what you’re going through and it’s scary cause your dealing with a fracture most have never heard about . I’m no expert but I’ve been living with mine over 3 months . One last thing put a chair in your shower it’ll make things a lot easier when cleaning off , plus it’ll help your confidence being able to do something on your own . And who doesn’t like taken a shower when your down and feel like shit ! God bless all you people !!!
It really knocks you off your routines. And you, being young, have to keep up with healing. Take your time to get back what you lost. Here I am preaching meanwhile hoping I can recover what I have lost. It’s just devastating.
Working on it! Can’t believe people don’t do emails immediately!