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*
My tpf story, hopefully it helps someone. It’s nice to know that so many are feeling the same way we are. Not that i would wish any injury on someone of course.
I had a motorcycle accident on 11/9/17. A car wasn’t paying attention and hit me, throwing me from the bike. The tank crushed my knee against the pavement. I suffered a torn ACL, completely tore off my MCL, torn menisci, split my tibia down the middle, broke one side of my TP in 3 pieces and completely crushed the other side of my TP into more than 30 pieces. The doctor said he literally used bone glue to “smoosh” all the bone pieces back together and tried to fit it back. I have 2 plates from the TP down the Tibia and 15 screws. I had a fixator installed on the day of the accident and 4 days later went through a 5 hour surgery to “completely reconstruct” my knee. The trauma surgeon said it was the worse knee he’d ever tried to reconstruct but they could not just do a total knee replacement because they had no way to put the rod down the tibia being it was broke too. Anyway, i’m now almost 13 weeks post surgery. For the first 12 weeks i was completely non weight bearing, last week i was able to toe touch and this week I’ve been released to start bearing weight little bits at a time as tolerated. I was not able to start PT until 10 weeks post op as they wanted the knee to “lock up” for stability. Let me tell you, this makes the rehab harder but i’m sure it’s for this reason that i have not had to have a total knee replacement to date. I went for my 12 week follow up yesterday (a few days over actually) and the fractures don’t show much improvement yet. I wish I could insert a picture of my injury/hardware but don’t know how. Anyway, the next 6 weeks are extremely important. Doc said if the shattered part starts to cave from weight bearing i will need a total knee replacement. Praying this isn’t the case but to be honest some days i wish it was. After not using my leg at all for 12 1/2 weeks its like learning to walk all over again. The atrophy, the tendons needing to be re-taught and stretched, the bones, handling the pain, the enormous amount of swelling that can last a year or more, etc. I have had to wear my full leg brace 24/7 until yesterday. I know only need to wear the brace when walking. I slept through the entire night for the first time since this accident happened. Wonderful not to have to wake up what feels like every 15 mins to adjust and re-adjust! For anyone reading this that is going through all the unhappiness of a TPF, just remember, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I read these and other forums often to see how others have been handling their recovery and have learned so much. Nothing takes the place of the doctors advise of course but its good to read as much as you can to educate yourself on your injury and what others have done to make tolerating easier.
Always here to talk,
If your interested, i figured out how to post links to my hardware.
https://ibb.co/k4Qbtx
https://ibb.co/n76hYx
I had my TPF on December 10th. I fell and was lucky to get into ortho the next day. The doc said that ACL was fine but could have torn my MCL and /or meniscus. I spent the week in a knee immobilizer. I went back a week later and he allowed me to take it off and because I still had instability standing and could not lock my knee, he wanted me to have a MRI. Had the MRI right before Christmas and followed up on Dec 27th when the doc said the MRI shows the TPF. In the week without the knee immobilizer I thought I was getting better. I was putting some weight on it and attempting to make steps without crutches so I was shocked when he told me my results. He put back in the knee immobilizer for another two weeks and said to stay off as much as I could. He said it could come off for showers and sleeping. The doc also said that if I didn’t wear it, I could bend wrong or twist wrong and my knee could just collapse and I would end up with surgery with plates and screws, although if it had not happened by now, it was unlikely it would. Now all I do is worry about every twinge or ache (I am a compulsive worrier). I freak out thinking my foot is asleep or weird feelings in back of my knee mean it is worse. I go back on the tenth to see where the healing stands. I asked at my appt on the 27th about how long before I would be normal and he said 6-8 weeks. I know things could be so much worse, I have read that in all the stories others have shared, but this seriously has me so depressed. I cry several times a day and can’t figure out exactly why sometimes. I feel like everyone’s burden. My doc said I could go back to work, which I will next week because I have been off between the fall and vacation since the 11th, but that is another worry. My son and husband have been helping me everyday and my son especially, offers encouraging words and keeps me calm for the most part. My husband said I will feel all types of twinges and floating feelings as things heal and that was how it was when he healed from his meniscus surgeries. I just wanted to share my story because I feel like I am losing it with all of this. I am tired of sitting!
Had my TPF one momth ago. NWB as expected. Had surgery to repair shattered 1/3 if it two weeks ago A few pins, two screws to hold a plate on the side. Was never in much pain while in Velcro non knee bending cast. Had the stitches/staples taken out today. Wounds look like they are healing, no more need for cast. Will start PT in as few days 2-3 days a week. Next appt for doc is in 3 months. Still not weight baring. Doc says PT & NWB in most important. On a side note I asked doc about supplements (ie clucosimine & condroitine ??spelling). He said just stick to a good diet and take a multi vitamins & D3. Will see how the PT goes. After reading others experience I plan on giving my best to the PT & any home exercises that they want me to do at home. Also, my lovely wife bought me a great recliner that has helped with my comfort and sleeping. Hope my comments help others as the comments from others helped me gain knowledge.
Hello,
I’m going to write my tpf story as I know reading it will help others to know what to expect when they are in the first stage of the injury.
I had a motorcycle accident on June 1st, and was diagnose with a type 3 fracture, 5mm. I had the operation on June 16th, the operation went well (2 screws), it was on a friday and on sunday i was home.
I was non weight bearing for 12 weeks, but on the third week after the operation I started PT, I went to PT everyday where i did some exercises to try to maintain the almost gone muscles in my left leg and some ROM exercises, I was lucky and from the beginning I had 90 degrees and in about 3, 4 weeks I had the same flexion and extension in both the left and right leg. After that, Pt became quite boring as I could not do much because i still had NWB period ahead of me for a long time.
At week 10 I started exercising on a stationary bicycle , which at the time for me was a relief because I was doing something different.
At week 12 I had the go ahead from my doctor to start partial weight bearing, he really didnt tell me much, just start weight bearing and your body will tell your limits.
So I started weight bearing with my trusty crutches which was a big change for me, I could start resuming my life and most importantly I started driving again, which was great, I was independent again after the accident (3 months and a half had passed)
Up until this point I really didnt have much pain in the knee since the operation, but now I had pain in the knee when forcing my knee a little bit, but this was normal, the pain that i did not expect and was quite painful was foot pain, they told me this pain was normal as I didnt use my left foot in the last 14 weeks, if I would have known I would have massage my foot everyday in order to give it some movement.
As time passed my knee muscles were getting stronger (I started using a gravity mill), but the foot pain was still there and more painful than ever.
At around 16 weeks I started using using 1 crutch when being outside and none at home, still with foot pain, which made me limp.
Now, after 5 months my foot pain is almost gone, the knee feels better every day, still hurts at some moments, and I walk almost with no limp, sometimes I feel like I could suddenly start running which was unthinkable just 2 weeks ago. I even rode my motorcycle again last weekend.
I still have lots of work to do, my PT told me that this kind of injury can take up to a year to recover from. I do exercises for my knee muscles everyday.
My advice for people who just recently had this injury is to have patience, do lots of PT and massage your foot everyday. There will be weeks when you wont feel any improvement and you will feel down, but just need to have patience and keep on doing your exercises and you will start feeling better.
Regards.
Thanks for your story. Had tpf 5 was ago. Started PT twice a week plus home exercises. Am NWB for 12 Wks. Seems like the norm. My foot is not very mobil now from initial compression post surgical wrap. Glad you made comments about your foot. I will massage and include more mobility exercises on it right away. Hope you are now fully recovered.
I have a tibia plateau fracture with eight screws I also have a graph knee , I noticed a couple weeks ago that I have a bruise right next to my knee close to my scar , seems like it’s right on the plate , it’s always been tender since my surgery and I had surgery on December 12, 2016 … I was like some help wondering if this is normal to have tenderness so long and to have bruising
15 years old had surgery on a tpf. I had the option to go without surgery but took the surgical option. I’m wandering now did I make the right choice? My knee is numb I have a ugly scar and I’ve got screws in my leg . I’m currently 6 weeks post op and partial weight bearing
Were tibial plateau fractures repaired much different in 2005, when I had mine? My surgeon told me I had minuscus damage , fracture in mid of my tibia long bone & plateu had fractured into 6 pieces cemented back b4 hardware was added? Were these severe fractures fixed any different in 2005 ??
Great post! Have nice day ! 🙂 vvurx
Not sure how to navigate this page but will try
try. Had a TPF on May 19 falling off a ladder and surgery may 19 with plate and 6 screws I was supposed to be solo backpacking now for 2 weeks for my 60th bday but not happening Am killing pt after 9 weeks. Walking, not running or anything fancy but happy to be moving. My advice is kick ass out of your pt. Maybe my tbf wasn’t as bad as some but I’m happy to be walking again. .
I sustained TPF classification 6 January 2016 (Skiing) and have internal fixation. Physio ceased after 7 sessions but to be honest I did not find it very helpful anyway – they gave me exercises to practice on my own (which I scrupulously followed). The orthopaedic doctors signed me off as soon as the X-rays showed bones were healed – they don’t seem to care about regaining function as some of you all have said.
Although I too have only reached 110degrees flexion and I still have a lot of muscle-wasting, walk with limp especially downhill/down steps or at speed etc I am still making gradual progress through self-directed hydrotherapy/swimming and with weekly help from a personal trainer ‘PT’ with sports injury special interest at the gym. Over time the swimming is helping with cardiac stamina and muscle strengthening. The gym sessions were initially purely deep muscle tissue massage (AGONISING, felt as if gouged by a soldering iron) to break down scar tissue and passive stretching to loosen tight muscles finishing with passive flexion of my joints . Nowadays the gym sessions are about 65% exercises. The goals are small and also the PT give feedback as to my progress which goes up and down a bit depending on whether I have been sitting or standing for long periods on previous days. Over past three months I have progressed from a quarter of a length of pool to 12 lengths of pool with rests.
I do not feel I would have made the progress that I have without his support and the swimming. I have had to economise quite harshly to find the money to pay for the PT and get the annual membership for pool ( as can go as often as I wish and it doesn’t matter if only swim for 5 mins each time) but I think worth every penny.
Please don’t give up, persevere. This injury has had a totally demoralising detrimental affect on my social life and doing the outdoor past-times that make me happy so it has been really hard losing the frequent contact of my ski & hiking buddies so I am having to find different ways to occupy myself. My goal is to be an observer on the waterskiing boat, to try snow-walking at the same ski resort one day, but in the meantime and trying other pursuits in hope of finding something else within my reach. Good luck
Jennifer, You sound like you are doing fabulous. My tpf was in February 2015. It has been a very long (3 surgeries in the first year) of trial after trial of what is going to work.T-Plate and 11 rods–since removed-February 2016. TRULY has changed my life, just as I have read it has changed yours. Still Blessed. I just now started working with a personal trainer and more hopeful then I have in a long time. She is using a fascia blaster (been all about the foam roller..nightly..no kidding) to break up scar tissue as, after thing I have done, I have limited range, still leg and a limp..worse when I’m tired. PT, Water Therapy, Acupuncture, Medical Massage, Yoga, Walking, Pilates…you name it and I have probably tried it and/or incorporated into my new life regiment. Keep Moving.
Hi there 🙂 I had surgery on my tibial plateau 4 weeks ago and my knee looks twice the size of the other…how long did your swelling take to go down and is this normal? thanks for any advice 🙂 kind regards. Alice
I’m now 3.5 years out from a motorcycle accident with a tpf and foot drop induced at the hospital during immobilization. Just had the knee replaced as a final intervention. Lots of stiffness still, lots of pain when I push it, still can’t straighten the leg, and only 112 degrees of bend after lots of work. I continue to get better, but therapy and self hard work are the only ways to soldier on, it will take time, but I’m better now than I have been in 3.5 years, so don’t give up the ship. By the way, I’m 73 and still determined to beat this thing. Probably no more cycling in my future, maybe something safer,,,,skydiving??
Thanks for sharing. You’re tough!! Way to not give up. Lots to live for ……..even if not the way we completely “planned” it all out. Be Well
Time is all I can say and elevate… pain meds helped me
So I went to the er with a TP fracture on January 8th 2017. At this time I’m only able to bend it to about 30, and my leg is super weak… I have been doing the exercises and icing through out the day, does anyone have any suggestions that can help me….. I’m about ready to ????….
I shattered mine 5 months ago, pretty traumatic explosion of bone. I still can’t put weight on it. I cry a lot. It will never be the same, but I’m still alive I guess ????. No one I know can relate to this so I just exist with crutches for now. Your recovery will depend on the severity of your fracture. I get down a lot when I realize that my leg will never be the same, but I have some good friends and family that encourage me. I’m in physical therapy now, and can bend my leg about 115 degrees. I hope your recovery goes well. Acceptance is part of this thing, as shitty as it is. Good luck
Hi like you my tpf was shattered as though hit by a bomb,was told highly likely I’d lose my leg as most calf muscle had ripped off..was hit by a range rover on my motorbike. .and leg took full impact…but from nowhere my leg ballooned past 2 days …and don’t I’ve been looking for some reasons lol ..and dull the best I know how you feel
I totally relate. My injury was Dec. 17 2001 and I’ve been in pain ever since. Horrific fracture ….I was told after surgery not to put any weight on the leg at all or it would crumble !!! It’s pretty much affected every aspect of my life
Hi Ila,
I hear you! Your injury is still new! Are you in aftercare at all? Did you have surgery?My TPF happened July 2016 surgery Aug 2016. You need support for this it is a process and any orthopedic Dr.will surely know what you are going through. If still in pain if nothing else ,go back to the ER and get a referral to the best possible Orthopedic surgeon!
Did you have surgery?
Broke my left ankle November 18th. Weight bearing three weeks today. I can walk fine but have some neuropathy issues and pain issues and my left knee is very painful. My left leg is also swollen and tight. I have metal. Any feedback.
anyone recommend a good brace? I shattered my TPF in Feb went to a football game last night and was stiff cold and extremely sore. I have another game next weekend and was hoping to find a brace thats comfortable to wear all day.