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 would like to join this group contact me [email protected]
TPF July 7th
I recently was in an auto accident and have a fractured tibia plateau the docs said the kind of injury I have may or may not need surgery I wont know for another 2 weeks they have to do another exam– they say I need to keep my knee completely straight for it to heal. It’s so disheartening to think of the recovery time and what I may have to go through if surgery is needed. Depression is setting in and I’ve been relying on 2 very elderly parents just to help me through this. I wish there was some device any device that would allow me to walk with a straight leg
Wish I had found this sooner so as to know what to expect. Aug. 29 suffered a TPF as well as a clean brake of the Tibia at the ankle with soft tissue damage. Currently I am walking with a cane and a air splint boot on the left leg, every morning is a challenge, everything stiffens up during the night. I still do not have full movement of the knee and some very interesting sensations at night while trying to rest. It feels kinda like a cross between pins and needles and a bad sunburn but goes away during the day. I see a back specialist this week, long term use of crutches is rough on the back. Like the “Guy on the Couch” I feel very lucky to be alive and mine did require surgery. It appears to be a long tough road.
Hi everyone I had a tpf in February requiring surgery I still can’t put full weight on leg fully and bend fully or straighten fully, as anyone had a operation by knee manupalation if so did it work appreciate any comments thanks
Sounds the same as mine. I broke both heels and also a TPF. I also did mine in feb. Been getting around with a pretty good limp, just stiff. I did have a manipulation because I couldn’t straighten my leg hardly at all. I can straighten it better now but still can’t bend it past 105′.. guess it’s gonna just be longer recovery.
I had that done and at first it was fine, but my knee locked back up after a few days..
Tibial plateau fracture 8 weeks ago , plate and 7 screws , was awful first month knee brace fixed. Wheel chair etc sleeping downstairs, neighbours cooking for me everything was a mission.
Now brace off after 6 weeks leg getting back to shape as in muscle building back with excersising . 8 weeks on walking 1/2 crutches , little pain getting around the house.
Able to drive short hops, was right leg but high break so no pressure.
Even forget and catch myself walking downstairs.
Maybe I am lucky, used to pain smashed my right foot in RTA 4 years ago that still giviving me grief nerve damage.
Have found reading all comment helpful so wanted to add, I am on the way up 2 months in expect full recovery in 4 walking unaided and back to work, I work for health service on my legs all day so can’t rush it. All good from where I was , little pain off the meds walking a bit driving a bit, progress is very fast now, not planning a marathon soon but will be dancing at new year ha
Blackly depressed. TPF three and a half months ago. Do not seem to be making significant progress.
Hi Georgina, My TPF occurred July 23, and was operated on July 25 where plate and screws installed. Was non weight bearing for 13 weeks. Its a slow process and now can sort of walk short distances using either a cane or 4 wheeled walker. Its not the knee that hurts but the top of my hip, shin, ankle. Worse when I get up in the morning and after sitting for a while. I find it frustrating so know what you must be feeling. It feels like one day I am making a little progress and the next have gone backwards. Hang in there! from reading other peoples stories you and I still have a way to go before we are walking normally. I tell myself what I can do now that I could not do 2 weeks ago. All the best to you.
We seem to be close to the same time frame. My TPF was accompanied with a fibula brake at the ankle on Aug. 29 .My recovery also feels agonizingly slow but is tremendous compared to when I returned home from the hospital. Exercise seems to be the key, try and keep your spirits up.
Hi, Georgina,
As others have told you, it will be a long, slow process before you are walking normally again, unfortunately. I think the key to eliminating the depression is acceptance of this fact, as it was for me. I too, was always depressed and there wasn’t a day to go by when I wasn’t crying. However, after reading some of these comments, I realized my recovery would take awhile, since some of my problems were identical to some of those other people’s. I fractured my tibia plateau as well as breaking the fibula away from the knee on June 27th. It took two months of non-weight bearing. I now am walking with a cane and a little without the cane. My leg is still weak and buckles if I walk too much. So I find I can get around better still wearing my brace if I’m walking a lot. My doctor feels that since the bones are healed, I should walk strictly with a cane, gradually transitioning to without the cane. However, I do what feels right for me!! Everyone’s different, so do what you can, do the exercises, although at times you feel they’re senseless. Fracturing the tibia plateau is a serious injury, one most people do not understand. I had eight screws and two plates inserted in my leg. Three or four screws were stuck just below my knee and I’m wondering if they are the reason why my knee feels constantly swollen. My other pains have diminished somewhat. I feel I’ll give it time before I start inquiring about screw/plate removal. I still hobble like an old lady with the cane and still shuffle without the cane but I have to give it time, for frustrating as it is, especially when you’re active. So, hang in there. Do the exercises and most importantly, do what feels right for you. Doctors just “guestimate” what you should be doing. Face it – they’re just “technicians” as my brother told me!
There is apparently a bundle to know about this. I assume
you made certain nice points in features also.
Rattling wonderful info can be found on website.
I broke my leg about a week and a half ago. Mr Dr man said it was one of those tibial plateau fracture things. All I know is that it hurts to get hit by a car, and not being able to walk is the worst feeling in the world. They said I was lucky to be alive, and even more so that I don’t need surgery… But I can’t tell how lucky I am, cause my life feels like it just stopped. It’s hard to explain, but I’m sure somebody out there knows what I mean. I just wanna walk again.
Oh, yes, Mr Couch Man, I know exactly how you feel. Am counting my blessings but just want to walk again and to have my life back.
The guy on the couch – did you remain not needing surgery? My doc says no surgery but I am in the knee immobilizer for a while now and I am so scared because doc said that if I twisted wrong or bent my knee wrong it could collapse and then need surgery. I have spent everyday crying since the fall back on the 10th.
Thank you for sharing your experiences, tips, and courage to recover and live the best part of your life as the recovered next part of your life!
From a recent tibial plateau fractured person.
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I am trying to figure out how to join your forum. Would someone please advise?
Thanks!
My some is 9 weeks post too. Due to many circumstances and pneumonia he could not see a trauma surgeon until today. He has been in a brace and most non weight bearing. He has a choice to have surgery which has to be done within the next 2 weeks or it will be too late, or no surgery remain non weight bearing another month followed by physical therapy. The latter choice vCard e puts him at risk for knee replacement down the road. He doesn’t know what to do. He is 38 years old
I want to let everyone who has suffered a tpf that it isn’t the end of the world (as I first thought it was!)
In April last year I had a very severe break through my kneecap, which had to be built back up with fake bone and multiple pins and plates put in. I was told I would need a knee replacement within two years and would definitely develop arthritis- I am now due to have my hardware removed in 30 days and I have been told that the bone has completely healed, with no knee replacement in sight. This is no thanks to (what I felt were) the utterly useless physios either; while I was unable to work, and once I was off my crutches, I was straight in the gym doing leg weights and swimming and light cycling, all of which helped in the beginning part of recovery. Once I was able to go back to work, I took up 6am starts and decided to walk the several miles to work and back every day to strengthen it.
As I said, I am now 30 days from having my hardware removed- as it is no longer necessary and could be a pain factor- and if I’d known this was a possibility in the beginning I would never have felt so down about my accident.
I still have pain, and difficulty with steps, but it’s good to know the bone is strong again and that a knee replacement is far in the future, if at.
hi lauren..
would it be possible to email u directly?
I had a tibial plateau fracture with bleeding inside my kneecap I was in a stabilizer splint for 4 days before they did my surgery this happened July 19th my surgery was done while I was on my stomach so I have a good size scar from behind my knee going down the side of my leg. I still have swelling the side of my leg I had surgery feels kind of numb and my foot is very swollen ,my knee is stiff and I stress that I’m trying to stretch but because everything is so swollen not much is happening ,my ortho said that if I can’t move my leg by my sept 6th appt.then he will have to sedate me and manually move my knee ,I do everything to reduce the swelling I even got compression socks any advice is welcomed I’m just really frustrated right now .