*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*
Surviving at home:
- A shower stool will help you shower (link). A garden stool is not recommended, because the plastic leg could bend or slip causing you to fall. The stool should have rubber at the end of the legs
- Always wipe the bottom of your crutches before leaving the shower room.
- If your hands hurt from using the crutches consider getting a crutch with shock absorbers, or ergonomic crutches (link)
- Replace the rubber at the bottom of your crutches if it cracks. this could be a safety issue.
- A gripper (link) will be very useful in allowing you reach, grasp and grab all those out-of-reach items. If you are on a wheelchair you will be very happy you got one.
- Use a big bag or drycast (link) to keep your cast and brace from getting wet while showering.
- Use a small bowl of water and a towel to wash your foott while you cannot wash them in the shower.
- Hinged braces will fit over tight jeans, but wide sweatpants are much more comfortable and will fit right over the
brace. Make sure to get a pair that is wide enough to go over your brace (link). - An electric massager can help relieve muscle tightness and spasms. Use it gently (link).
- keep a set of dishes and healthy snacks on the counter for easy access.
- Use your wheel-chair and a tray for taking food and dishes from place to place. A cushioned tray is perfect for holding with one hand as it rests on you thighs, leaving your other arm free to maneuver the chair (link).
- storage bowls with lids (link) will also work to help transfer food, especially if its liquid.
- Always keep at least one bottle/box of painkillers in your pocket.
- In most areas It is possible to get groceries delivered home, but it’s best if you have someone else do the groceries.
- A backpack (link) is very useful for moving things around while on crutches or going shopping. Just make sure nobody in the shop thinks you’re trying to steal!
- Holding plastic bags while on crutches is not very comfortable
- prepare a library of entertainment. You have a lot of free time on your hands. This is a chance to watch that show you always wanted to watch, all 300 episodes of it. consider registering to a service like Netflix or Amazon prime or similar.
- keep a positive attitude
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Hastening the recovery
- Don’t overdo it. Your body needs rest
- Smoking will prolong the recovery and might cause complications. Try to avoid it.
- Alcohol, Caffeine and salt should be avoided
- Eat well, supplement if you feel you need it. Make sure you eat enough protein(link).
- consider taking a multivatamin. Studies have shown this helps the healing rate and reduces the rate of nonunion (link)
- Do your exercises
- Do you exercises
- This is not a mistake.. Do you exercises
Legal
- Consult a lawyer to understandweather you should be filing an insurance claim.
- Keep all receipts for all medical expenses, and other expenses caused by the injury.
- Keep a detailed log of how the injury affected your life
General
- If relevant, ask for a “disabled parking” authorization from your OS. This can be very helpful.
- If someone offers help, they mean it. You should take their offer.
- A “clicking” or “cracking” feeling in your knee or ankle is normal and are caused by joint instability
- Find a doctor to give you a second opinion
- Talcum Powder is very useful in preventing itching while using a cast or a banbdage
- don’t use long objects to scratch an itchy spot inside the cast or under your bandage. This carries a risk of damaging the skin or surgical wound and could cause an infection.
- When replacing your bandage, make sure to wrap it from the foot all the way up to the knee. This will prevent the edema.
- If you have edema, A medical pressure sock will help. wear it for a few weeks, but not during sleep.
- Drink a lot of water. this has a lot of medical benefits when recovering from a fracture.
- painkiller can cause constipation. Consider using natural laxatives (link).
- Some studies have shown that ultrasound may help bone healing. This is not yet medically established.
- It’s very easy to announce that things are getting better prematurely. sometimes things go up and down and get better before the become worse. Be hesitant to announce to friends and coworkers that everything is OK now.
Hope is was all helpful. If you have any more tips or tricks, post them below or email me at [email protected]
Shlomi
I suffered my tibial plateau fracture on April 3rd, mine was also non-displaced. No surgery, just the leg brace and non-weight bearing for 2 months. Then, 25% for a week, 50% for a week, then the 30th of June-100% weight bearing. I’m afraid I got a little over-zealous, was really tooling around the house using a cane, before the day was out, I was back using the walker because of the pain and the whole next day on the walker. Now, I use my cane for several hours a day, and once the pain gets bad, back to the walker. Ice packs help a lot, gets the fever down from around my knee. My orthopedist told me- slow and easy, stretching my knee by sitting on a firm chair and easing into a stretch for 30 seconds- every hour. I’m 59 years old, so, I don’t expect to heal as quickly as I would have in my younger days. Try to do straight leg lifts as much as possible. I was doing 400 a day, just to maintain my quad and help support my weight when I went to 100%. A tpf will take quite a long time to totally heal, according to what I’ve read, sometimes up to a year. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to go back to work in a couple weeks. Just take your time, go slow and don’t do anything stupid (my mantra for the last 3 months), try to maintain your patience.
Hi Karen
I was wondering what your early recovery was like, particularly the first couple of weeks. I’m in a similar situation to yours where I didn’t (so far!) need surgery, just the knee immobilizer. How long before you felt comfortable going up and down stairs? Did you use crutches at all, or just go right for the walker? If you did use crutches, did you adjust them to your height, or an inch or two taller to keep your back straight? Were you allowed to bend your knee at all, or restricted to straight leg lifts? How soon after your fracture did you start straight leg lifts? When you put ice packs on your leg, how long did it take for your leg fever to go away? If you didn’t use ice packs, how long did the leg fever take to go away?
Sorry for the barrage of questions, but I haven’t yet had my first appointment at the fracture clinic, so I don’t have a doctor yet I can call and get everything answered.
Christina
First 2 months, leg brace-no bending of leg and NWB. I had crutches for a couple days, then got access to a walker. Highly suggest a walker over crutches. A lot more stability. After 2 months, I was allowed to start putting weight on my leg, 25% for a week, 50% for a week, then on the 30th of June- 100%!!. Man, I felt like a rock star when I went to the ortho that day, I was just using a cane and walking almost normal. My doctor looked at me and said “I’m impressed”. Unfortunately, after a couple hours I was back to a walker, my leg hurt so much, I couldn’t put any weight on it and I used my walker for the next couple days. So, it’s been like that for the last 2+ weeks, use the cane for a while, then the walker. When using crutches, make sure they’re adjusted so you’re not resting your body weight under your arms- straight arms. My ortho had suggested the walker because he told me, the prolonged use of crutches could cause shoulder problem, the last thing we need is more problems.
I didn’t need surgery, and I started doing straight leg lifts with-in a week of my injury (after I had seen doctor). Had some pain, but, 6 years ago I had broken my knee cap in half and had surgery. Ortho told me that was what was causing pain, old adhesions binding up in there. I worked up to 400 straight leg leg-lifts a day. Thank God, I have no stairs in my house, with both the broken knee and now, with the tibia, I’m not comfortable with stairs and have managed to avoid them so far. After I broke my knee cap, it took a long time (months) before I could go up and down stairs without doing the 1 leg, 1 stair crawl.
As far as the “knee fever”- I still have it, Especially after I do a lot of ROM exercises. I went back to work part-time and I noticed I have a knee fever when I get home. So, I put on the ol’ ice pack (20 minutes at a time). Just make sure you aren’t putting any weight on your leg until the doctor says it’s OK- don’t even use it to stabilize yourself, otherwise, you might cause more damage to the tpf.
I also started doing isometric exercises of my calf and thigh muscle-but, this wasn’t until after 2 – 3 weeks. A lot will depend on whether or not you need surgery.
The most important thing: don’t get discouraged, this injury takes a long time to heal and it’s difficult to remain patient, that’s my biggest problem. You will figure out how to compensate, lower your expectations about everyday things (the floor is dirty, can’t sweep or vacuum balancing on 1 leg).
I’m more than a little disappointed, I thought, once I was fwb I’d be off and running. No way!! Since I went back to work, I use my walker all morning, then use the cane at work-just a matter of pride with me. I’ll be damned if I’m going to work using a walker! Sounds kinda dumb, but, I’m really careful at work and if I think my leg is getting stiff and sore, I can go home and rest it.
It’s good you’re on this site. It should give you a lot of questions to ask your doctor, I didn’t find it until just a couple weeks ago.
Talk to you later and good luck!
Hi,
Thanks for the advice. I have two tibia plateau fractures. did you have one or two? I’m trying to determine low long to plan on not walking. I’m four weeks out from my car accident and a month last surgery of three.
I broke my tibia bone but not my fibula. it was a clean break no surgery needed, my bone stayed lined up doctor said how long does it take to recover I’m 31 years old
I broke my tibia but not my fibula was a Clean break how long will it take to fully recover I’m only 31 and really active?
Tibia fracture recovery is much quick as compared to Tibia Plateau Fracture. Except for some general suggestions here, most of the complications here may not be applicable in your case. This is primarily because your knee joint is not involved. Discuss this with your surgeon or PT they can help you explain the difference
What great advice thank you all for sharing your experiences. My injury occurred on May 31, 2014 from a ladder fall so I’m about two and half weeks out. I hate that this is happened to me and have bad dreams every night about falling. Anyway the one thing that I could say that was a huge help for me is the fact that I rented a hospital bed. It is set up on the first level of my home and it is been nice, it just makes things more comfortable. So I normally crutch myself between my bed and my recliner throughout the day. So I would say if this happens to you rent or invest in a hospital bed. It is well worth the cost.
What saved me when I was laid up after my accident and surgery were having some people that would come and check on me. However, if you don’t have someone that can check on you on a daily basis, but can at least set up a little “recovery station” for you once then you should be all set. I had a cooler placed next to the couch and coffee table in my living room. Each morning when I woke up, I’d crutch out to the kitchen, put a reusable grocery bag around my neck (sounds silly but carrying a bag with your hands and crutching around is next to impossible) and would fill the bag with snacks and seltzer water (my favorite and really good for hydration which helps healing, just stick with the no sodium kind) and a cooler pack, and ice packs. Then I’d lay on the couch all day and have easy access to anything I might need while I was alone. The worst part of the day was getting up to go to the bathroom, which felt like all the fluid in my body was rushing to my leg every time I stood up. I also kept all my medications on the coffee table, and would log what I took at what times in my smart phone so I wouldn’t overdo it by accident since I was on a lot of drugs those first few weeks. I highly recommend getting a netflix account if you don’t have one. I love to read but the pain meds make it hard to focus sometimes, so a little TV was better. I watched all of Parks and Recreation, which is a hilarious show and kept my spirits up when I needed it most. As for range of motion…stretch as much as you can within your limits and what your doc and PT says to do. I did my exercises everyday twice a day as soon as I was allowed and got to like 95 degrees pretty quickly, which my doctor and PT were amazed by considering my knee was a jumbled mess of cartilage pieces that had to be put back together and my doc wasn’t sure how the bone would heal. It was a really tough road considering I am so active, and from what I’ve read above, most of you all are too. It’s hard to have the ability to move taken away so suddenly, and coming to terms with the fact that your life will never be the same after this is very hard. I know now that I will never be able to sprint down a track anymore, not that I loved running, but at least I could do it…it’s hard to think about how you won’t be able to do things the same as before. You can get close to the way things were before with a lot of hard work, but not 100%. I did finally make the choice to have my hardware removed and I hope you all are lucky enough to be able to do that. I think this is going to get me to 98 degrees, and get rid of the popping sounds my knee makes when going downhills, and the discomfort I feel when kneeling, or when it’s cold outside, or if I just stomp up the stairs to hard. But if you can’t remove the hardware, know that there will good days and bad days, you just have to take it one day at a time and make the best of it. Sounds cliche but it’s the truth. It took me a long time to come to terms with this. After my accident and healing were coming to an end, I starting drinking a lot and fell into a major depression and one day I really hit rock bottom, and finally made a choice to turn things around, and I am so glad I did. Things are looking up for me and my leg is better than I ever could have imagined. I hope that all for you as well.
I was hit by a car April 23, had ORIF surgery with cadaver bone added the following day. I got home from rehab 2 weeks ago, live alone, and had trouble getting help from someone who can clean up, run errands, and follow directions from a patient with all their marbles, but I think I have a good person now. I am 51 and using a walker… was very fit but can’t hop on cutches due to wrist arthritis and old lesser bilateral knee injuries. 3 days ago I got a rolling stool which is a great help, but am not able to shake the pain/strain of my pectoral muscles that developed while only having the walker and little to no help. I am off the Percocet now but found it made no difference in the pectoral muscle pain anyway.
thank you for this wonderful site. I appreciate what I’ve read already and would love to hear from anyone else who had to deal with pain and strain in compensating muscles. thanks!
I’m ten years away from my accident. Once I was six months or so out I found that walking really helped, as well as climbing stairs. The strength returned after a year, and today I have no pain. I’m now 64 years old.
Good luck to all and keep a good attitude.
Got my fracture Wednesday May 21st. No surgery. I need to walk my daughter down that long church aisle, June 7th .Any miracle cures out there?
I purchased a cup holder used for strollers and it works great on crutches!! Holds a travel mug or regular water bottle. The one I purchased is adjustable for the size of your crutch and was easy to put on.
Thank you for putting this information together – I’m about 3 weeks from injury, 1.5 weeks from surgery. So much great information here and even better finding others who are going through or have!!
Knee extensions are as important as knee flexs in my opinion. I am 13 weeks post surgery and working on weight bearing. I was allowed to flex my knee but not extend to zero position during non weight bearing. Walking with a bent knee is not very comfortable with weak leg muscles. Every day is a challenge so far with good days and not so good days.
I am a year out from my TPF, and I still do not have full extension. It has been a long road. My fracture was severe. I basically crushed the entire knee into many many pieces from a bicycle ride. I have lots of scar tissue behind the knee which is not letting me get to full extension. I can walk short distances but with a bent knee. I may have to get a total knee replacement. My therapist and I work very hard, and I have a negative 15 degrees on extension. Any suggestions on breaking up the scar tissue.
I am only a month out but have found that rubbing cocoa butter lotion into the incision and injury areas has greatly helped increase the range of motion possible without pain during physical therapy and exercises. I do the exercises 2x a day, and then immediately rub the cocoa butter and then put ice for 15 minutes,
How many pins and screws and plates did you receive? Have you had a 2nd operation yet? I’m debating on having the 2nd surgery, it seems like mine is getting worse not better. I had my surgery Feb. 2, 2014. They almost had to amputate mine cause it was so severe. But 26 pins and screws and a plate, and 5 hours later I awoke with my lower part of my leg.
I am 11 weeks post surgery and ROM has been a challenge. I am only at 80 degrees and doc is talking about a manipulation in 3 weeks if I don’t improve my ROM. I am in PT 4 days a week for an hour and working very hard at home. Any other ideas for improving ROM? Has any one tried energy work or other eastern methods? Love any ideas or suggestions as I am quite frustrated with my lack of progress.
Physical Therapist videos on YouTube have been tremendously helpful. I searched for ones related to knee excercises, as well as post-surgery ones, and I have had great success because different PT’s have differing approaches to excercises.
Moving my knee cap back and forward, left and right, has contributed to my success thus far. I know. It sounds weird, but I got it from one of the therapists in a video. This streches the tendons (both above and below the knee cap) and allows for greater flexion.
I can’t over-emphasize how important stretching your hamstring, quad, and calf are. They are all so tight after surgery, and stretching will help to relax and elongate them. Your other excercises will strengthen those muscles to reinforce the stretching. Taken as a whole, and done a few times a day, I believe you will encounter increased flexion and extension.
I increased my range of motion drastically after I started really working at holding stretches for 30 seconds, for the aforementioned muscle groups. My stiffness decreased measureably each passing day, and I noticed that I felt more and more comforable sleeping with legs extended at night.
Thanks very much for your feedback. I have spent time online and found some great videos on YouTube. I got to 90 degrees this week and was able to do a revolution on the bike… Major accomplishment for the week :-). I really appreciate your response.
I am glad to hear that you have increased your ROM, gives me hope.
Dont be frustrated…I started bending my knee after 3 weeks… It is slow progress but it will get better! Just keep doing your exercises
Rick, You are so right and wow, I’m surprised that you weren’t allowed to extend for that long. My surgeon had me doing that the day I left the hospital. He told me that it was of the utmost importance.
Be patient as it says on here – I’m 8 weeks after op and now just steadily beginning to see an increase in mobility and lessening of pain and discomfort
You are so right Nicole patience is the name of the game so to speak with this injury. Its been almost five months from when I sustained the injury but four months since the surgery and I am now full weight barring. Some days I can walk totally unassisted, other days need walker or crutches and on real bad days back in the wheel chair for the day. It all depends on pain level. I give thanks to God for the good days and pray to God for strength on the bad days. I am recovering one step at a time literally.
I was in to see my orthopedist on Monday June 30th. Was full weight bearing and I walked into his office using a cane-this was the 1st day full weight bearing. He was impressed! Unfortunately, by the afternoon, I was back to using my walker because of the pain. I felt like a failure! So, I’m glad to hear that this is the norm, not the exception- well, maybe glad isn’t the correct word. But, at least I know I wasn’t doing something wrong or just being weak. I’m also a little peeved, my doctor could have alerted me to the fact I wouldn’t be off and running once I was 100% weight bearing and I might still need some assistance getting around.
Another tip I’d like to share is the use of zip lock bags…..I purchase individual serving packets of instant coffee, hot chocolate and fruit drinks, remove the individual packets from their box and put them in a zip lock bag all together stored on the kitchen counter. Then when I want one of those beverages it is much easier to get what I need from the bag rather then try to open a cupboard door, reach for the box while standing on one leg.
I have found a travel coffee mug with a tight fitting lid to be very useful for transporting all beverages either in back pack or basket of walker.
if using a walker get a basket for the front. a life saver for convenience. also great for safety. my neighbor got mine at walgreens.