Yesterday was an important milestone. Fourteen weeks since surgery but, more importantly, two months since weight-bearing and the start of real rehabilitation and genuine regenerative exercise. I had a lazy Friday today. End of the working week and decided that there would be no gym and no bike today. I think the blood thinners are making me tired and I slept in till 6 AM. Leisurely stroll down to Manly. A huge surf boomed into Queenscliff and I stopped for awhile and watched surfers getting some perfect tube rides on a 2 m swell held up by a strong offshore wind. Manly wasn’t too bad, pretty glassy with the occasional big set pounding through. I waited for the lulls and didn’t have any trouble getting out. Quiet swim over to Shelly Beach and back with the 7 AM Bold and Beautiful group. Caught the Jet cat into work with daughter Catherine.
At this stage, after eight weeks of rehab exercise, it’s worth trying to determine what someone with a tibial plateau fracture should be able to do and should not attempt to do. Most importantly, by this stage you should not have any residual pain other than an ache and some stiffness when you wake up in the morning or when you have been seated for some time. This should pass quickly with movement. The list below is prepared using the experiences of a 62 year old male as a guide. If you are younger you may have a faster recovery; if you are older it may be slower. If you are a woman it may be different again. I don’t smoke or drink so that will also have an impact. The timeline below is the result of a very structured exercise program supervised by a physiotherapist and a personal trainer who is experienced in post-surgical rehabilitation for sporting people. She is a genius and has been a major factor in my recovery. I am not a doctor nor am I a health care professional. These are my personal experiences. None of the following exercises should be attempted without clearance from your surgeon and physiotherapist.
WHAT YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO
1) Walk with a natural gait without limping
2) Stand with the injured leg straight and able to support the entire weight of the body. At eight weeks I have not quite got hyperextension of the injured knee but I’m almost there
3) Lying on your back you should be able to draw the heel of your injured leg towards your buttocks with the flexion measured from the hip, through the knee joint and down to your ankle at 135°
4) You should be able to walk 4km on level ground, without stopping and without any pain around the surgical incision or in the tendons around the knee or in the leg muscles
5) While there may be some residual swelling in the calf, foot and around the knee area, there should be marked improvement over the situation when you began weight-bearing. I can wear joggers, hiking boots and boat shoes but at this stage still cannot wear some tight leather business shoes due to residual swelling in my foot. This may be a residual impact of the DVT.
6) Despite some residual swelling, emerging muscle definition in the quadriceps and calf muscles should be evident
7) You should be able to bench press 10 kg with the injured leg five times. This should be capable of repetition at least three times without pain. This should not be done except under close supervision from an experienced personal trainer or physiotherapist. It should not be attempted without a month of buildup exercises to stabilise the injured knee joint. This should not be attempted if it causes any pain
8) You should be able to flex 5 kg with the injured leg at least five times. This should be capable of repetition three times.
9) Static lunges with injured leg both forwards and backwards in the lunge should be possible with a hold counting to 5 on each one
10) Sets of five sitting squats, with weight equally divided on each leg and back supported by a gym ball against the wall should be possible without pain
11) Step ups onto a bench with the injured leg both forwards and sideways should be possible in repetitions of 10 step ups and five sets. This should be done on benches both 20 cm high and 30 cm high.
12) Walking up stairs without discomfit and without hanging onto the handrail
13) Thirty minutes on a stationary bike, with the chain on the big ring at the front and on the middle cogs on the back of a ten speed bike i.e. the fifth and sixth cog. This should be done with a cadence between 70 and 80rpm. This should not cause any pain or resistance in the injured knee. Care should be taken that power is imparted to both pedals equally and the exercise is not done just with the uninjured leg.
14) Swimming, both with and without flippers, both in the pool and in moderate surf, is possible if this is part of the program. Great care should be taken in getting in and out of the water if any reasonable surf is running. The possibility for a sheer fracture of the knee from a twisting or rotational movement in the water is very real.
WHAT I CANT DO
1) I can’t walk down stairs without holding onto the handrail. I also cant walk down steps leading with my bad leg. I go down one step at a time leading with good leg.
2) I can’t step onto a downward escalator without hanging onto the rail. ie I cant use an down escalator with something in both hands. I stepped onto one the other day with my gym bag in one hand and drink bottler in the other and nearly fell down the escalator. It’s too early and my bad leg doesn’t yet have the strength, to be this cavalier. Always keep one hand free
3) I cant do one legged squats on my bad leg. Too much pain in the kneecap. Tried. Cant do them.
WHAT YOU MUST NOT DO:
1) Attempt snow skiing I have heard numerous stories about people back on the slopes four months after tibial plateau surgery. I have heard of people skiing one legged three months after surgery. Don’t even think about it. Even though your bones may have healed, there is no way that the muscle and tendon structures around your knee and in your injured leg are strong enough to safely attempt snow skiing. It should be off the agenda for 12 months following your injury. Do not even think about it.
2) Running and jogging. I inadvertently broke into a jog trying to get to the ferry this week. Not good. Don’t think about running at this stage. It puts impact pressure on the top of your tibia. If you want some aerobic exercise try swimming
3) Golf Too much twisting and lateral pressure on the knee
4) Field sports such as cricket, baseball, hockey and tennis
5) Body contact sports such as AFL, Rugby League or Rugby Union where lateral force can be applied to your knee in a tackle, should be right off the agenda.
6) Sports involving sudden stops, twists and turns particularly basketball and netball
7) Anything involving high-impact downward force to the tibia. Gymnastics of any form should be right off the agenda.
8) Road Cycling. While a stationary bike in your home or at a gym is a vital part of your recovery, riding a bike on the road with fixed cleats is an absolute
no-no. When using the stationary bike at home, I leave the right shoe, ie the broken leg side, permanently cleated to the pedal. I mount the bike with the left shoe on and laced up, the right barefoot. Once in the saddle, I put my right foot in the right shoe and close the shoe straps, while sitting on the bike. To get off the bike I do the opposite —Undo the right shoe straps and remove my foot leaving the shoe cleated to the pedal. If you were on the road and had to suddenly uncleat using the broken leg, it’s unlikely that, at 12 weeks, you would have the strength and may seriously damage your knee with the rotational force necessary to get the shoe out of the cleats. Don’t be tempted at this stage.
Hey, the great news………It’s 14 weeks since surgery and if you haven’t, by now, had an infection, rejection of the plate and screws, a deep vein thrombosis or compartment syndrome you’re not going to have them. If you haven’t had a fall you are probably not going to. Congratulations give yourself a pat on the back.
I am a 62 year old woman who like you Kieran broke my tibial plateau (in two places), as well as my collarbone after a fall from a pushbike in April this year. I enjoyed reading your blog, which I heard about on Macca’s programme this morning – unfortunately I didn’t hear you talk about your experiences. I can identify with all that you wrote about your rehabilitation – the frustration, pain, the time that the injuries are taking to heal and the lack of information unless you ask the questions yourself. I admire your perseverance and dedication to your exercise programme, and hope you are able to go on your walk in the NT. – good luck! I am not as advanced with my recovery as you are but have just started swimming and going to the gym. You have inspired me to keep pushing myself – so thanks for that! I’ll be very happy if I can walk 4km without pain, and swim 1km 4 months after my surgery! At the moment I am can swim about 600m without flippers, and walk about 1km. My pain mostly occurs at night when I’m trying to sleep. I’m hoping to be back on the golf course in a couple of months too.
Sue. A fellow traveller. Same age too. Good luck with the recovery. Don’t push too hard especially your good knee
I’m a 61 year old female and an experienced skier when I suffered a tibial fracture in Falls Creek in September last year. I was so happy to hear you on Macca and realise my frustrations are shared. I have had very little advice from my surgeon and conflicting advice from two physios with regard to my walking and recovery. I am now seeing a physiotherapist that has a lot of experience with this type of injury and we are starting at the beginning getting my walking and spine straight by concentrating on exercises to build up my core strength, glutes and the muscles that have depleted during the weeks of non weight bearing. I’m now 4 months post op in very little pain and learning to be patient and disciplined in my rehab. I have given myself another 12 months for a full recovery and hopefully will be able to ski again after that. Good luck Keiran and keep up the blog, you are an inspiration to me. Cheers, Sue.
Sue,
I agree, walking properly should be the number one goal. When you are on top of that you can begin to build into harder exercises. I’m glad you are enjoying the blog. I’ve just passed one year from breaking my leg. I’m about 11 months since surgery. I think I’ve still got a way to go but am not in any pain. That is an important part of this. I gave myself 18 months to recover. Keep going with the rehab.
Thanks for your response. I am 6 weeks post op…tibial plateau type II, Surgery…ORIF with bone gragh….No Medical insurance do PT will be conducted at home..so much info out there
I am only doing heel pumps knee cap dancing, and heel sides on the floor. My concerns are many for home Pt. I. Am reaching out for ideas to strengthen my core and other groups of concern. Your feedback is most welcome. Thank you.
hi,
i found your blog reassuring and motivating.. I broke my leg on 2nd sept.2016 n now on 4th week post op. for TPF fixation with one plate n five screws..much impatient due to the extended period of recovery.trying hard to elevate the leg and to flex the knee… my surgon told me to wait for a period of 3months to put weight on my injured leg..i found it a lot..hope it will help to avoid future complications..
Anju,
I’m sorry to hear about your accident. If you broke your leg on September 2 you are presumably only just becoming weight-bearing. . Whether you will have future complications depends enormously on the skill of the surgeon, the extent of your break, whether you had any meniscus or cartridge damage, your age, your general health and how diligent you are in rehab. I am now 21 months post surgery and into my 19th month of rehab. I’m still going to the gym a couple of times a week. I can now do everything without any pain, except jumping down from any height and landing on my right leg, running and possibly snow skiing. I have booked in for a month snow skiing in the United States in January/ February 2017 and I will find out then whether the recovery has been sufficient to do what I want to do. Hope everything goes well for you.
I was injured in an automobile accent 24 years ago which caused TFP. I can relate to several exercises that just can’t be done. I have accepted that as time has passed.
However, I seek the experience of how to grow glutes with this forever injury I will live with. I have tried one legged leg press foot high on the platform. This seems to be the only exercise-besides low deep bar squats with moderate weight-I can successfully press a decent amount of weight in order to create hypertrophy. Can anyone make suggestions how to grow the glutes?
Diane
Thanks for your query. I don’t have the technical expertise to answer it so I handed it on to Paul Birtles who is the physiotherapist supervising the second and third year of my rehab. Interestingly, when he took over my rehab about a year ago he noticed that I had stiffness in the lower back, in the glutes and in the hamstrings. We have been working on that all year and my second year of skiing, post surgery, was much more successful than the prior year. I put this down to Paul’s emphasis on stretching and building up muscles in the glutes and lower back.
His reply follows:
Hi Kieran
Its really hard to make specific exercises without any personal assessment but to recruit the gluteal muscles you’re best to focus on hip extension movements, like Supine hip bridges (with weight or single leg versions), standing cable hip extension, straight legged deadlift (hip hinge movement, but a slight bend in the knee should be maintained, ie. not locked out). Remember with any exercises they will always need to be personalised to that person’s unique structure, eg. individual biomechanics, flexibility etc. Its always best practice to seek professional guidance and when performing any exercises, pain should always be a red flag to stop and reassess.
Hope this helps.
Paul
You may be advised to get some professional help with this.
Regards
Kieran Kelly
I had a tibial plateau fracture a year and a half ago. I have just started to go to the gym and exercise on the stationary bike. I have noticed that my glutes are getting firmer just by peddling the bike. It was something I didn’t expect, but am very glad it seems to be happening. I still have clicking in the knee and I notice that if I sit too long without getting up and walking, that it is harder for me to walk without a limp. I am purposely trying to walk without a limp because I understand that limping can cause back pain and hip pain eventually. I sure don’t need that on top of this injury. I am having a slow recovery, however, I do notice that I am doing better and better over time. I am told that I must be patient. This is hard to do sometimes!
I sustained a left Tibial Plateau Fracture on January 23rd 2017, while being in a marked crosswalk, and was run over by a woman driving a car. That same woman ran over my friend as well.
I am now full weight bearing status, and am working hard at exercises, and I can walk unassisted around the house, but for longer jaunts need a can or walker.
I am hoping that my gait will improve without this limp, by November.
I too was hit by a car crossing the road on July 15 2017 and sustained a right tibial plateau Fracture and a left upper humerus Fracture….complicated! 10 weeks non weightbear on leg and non load on arm! I’m so frustrated it seems to take forever. How does one return to work and what time frame would you expect to be back at work? I started weightbearing a couple of weeks ago and can now walk around the house and short trips into cafe etc but need crutch for longer distances. I have a lot of fluid still in knee and down to foot and wear elasticated stoking from toe to over knee. Limping heavily after a period of time when walking and some days worse than others. Doing physio and lots of exercises at home.Left arm is quite problematic I can’t raise that very far at all at the moment, but slowly regaining some use. I wonder if it’s more beneficial to go to physio more frequently than once or twice a week?
Linda,
I bet that hurt. If you were operated on at the same time as you hurt yourself you are about 12 weeks post surgery and about six weeks weight-bearing. This is still very early days. I would suggest that six weeks you probably still have plenty of swelling and some pain. The extent of recovery depends a lot on the grade of the fracture, the skill of the surgeon, your age and your general health. However it also depends a lot on how dedicated you are to physiotherapy. I am almost 2 and half years post the injury and I’m still doing physiotherapy on my leg once a week. This is not necessary if you just want to assume normal day-to-day life however I wanted to continue skiing so had to keep up the exercise. By November you will be nine months post surgery and roughly 8 months weight-bearing. By that stage you should be walking freely without a limp. By 12 months I had resumed skiing if that is a guide.
Good luck with the recovery
Kieran Kelly
I fell off my bike in Vanuatu 20th May 2017 resulting in right tibial fracture and partially torn MCL. Hope to have operation on 31st May. I am 68 fit for my age into bicycle touring, ocean swimming events and a drummer in a rock band. Luckily the band is on its annual winter break but the thing is I am expected to play our first gig of the new summer season in Byron Bay on 23 rd October 2017 with my right leg working the kik drum – 5 months post op. Any advice as to my chances of a suitable recovery gratefully received. I need to give the band enough notice for a replacement if its not a realistic time frame.
Rick,
I hope the surgery is successful and you make a speedy recovery. Whether you can make your band commitment will depend on a number of things – the severity of the fracture, the extent of the MCL tear, the extent of any articular cartilage damage, whether you develop any post-operative complications such as DVT and the extent to which you engage in post-operative physiotherapy. On your proposed timeline if you are operated on May 31 you will be weight-bearing about 15 July. By about three months post weight-bearing, say October 15, you will be walking freely with not much pain and you will be able to do a variety of things with your leg. I found it was when I tried to do something unusual with my leg that I had difficulties i.e. walking quickly downstairs, walking down escalators or skiing. I’m not sure to what extent driving a drum kit will impact on your leg, at three months post weight bearing. I should imagine this involves resting the weight of your leg on the heel of your foot and driving the drum kit with a vigorous knee and ankle action. You would have to ask a surgeon or a physiotherapist about what impact that will have. At a guess if you look at my blog about what I was doing three months post weight-bearing it may give you a guide, but it should be only a guide.
It’s a realistic timeframe, but it’s only that. You have to get through the surgery first, then the non-loadbearing period, then the weight-bearing and intense physiotherapy. I’d say it’s too early to call.
Regards
Kieran Kelly
I am a 69 year old male recovery from a tiba plateau fracture surgery was done on 01/10/2018 just started putting full weight on leg having a problem with ankle area muscle very tight & sore did you experience this?
Hi, I fractured my left tibial plateau on 16.3.18 when a dog ran into me at full speed. Had ORIF on 19.3.18 – plate and 6 pins/screws. Brace and non weight bearing until 8.5.18 when consultant said I could remove brace and start to weight bear working towards FWB within 2-4 weeks. 13.5.18 today – using crutches – doing all physio as directed but can’t seem to get my leg straight other than when I’m lying down. Really worried about this – don’t want a permanent limp. Can bend knee to 90 degrees. Leg and hip more painful now I’m doing more physio. My leg is still very swollen and I can’t get any of my shoes on 🙁 when my leg is bent for more than 15 mins or so it goes red and blotchy – looks awful. It’s a nightmare to be honest – I’m 52 , female, work f/t, 2 children aged 14 and 16 – one starting GCSE’s tomorrow. Finding it so difficult not being able to do things around the house and for my family that I usually do …..
Hi Kieran
I’m a new comer to this tibial plateau injury- knocked into at speed by a dog on Xmas day while playing tennis., surgery with a plate and screws a few days later. I’m so happy that you continue to put skiing on your long term agenda – we’ve had to cancel our trip planned for March this year and trying to decide if same time next year is an option! Commitment and hard work with expert guidance sounds vital! At 55 I’m not ready to accept I’ve had my last ski trip! Thanks for writing about your experience
Jane
Well this was an interesting blog I came across while searching for info on TPF’s.
My story. On 7/13/2020, I was hit by an 83 yr old lady while riding my motorcycle. She came from a side street and didn’t stop as she should have and slammed into me basically. She went right in my path of travel at the last moment and I was doing about 40mph. She turned left in front of me. I hit the front drivers side wheel well area of her car, but I was traveling on a main road so she was 100% at fault and there was witnesses thankfully.
Anyhow, I flew like a ragdoll over the front of her car and landed on the street. Luckily I was wearing full motorcycle great, this saved my life and saved me from even worse injury.
I had massive trauma to my left leg. Broke the tibial plateau, a piece of the bone was found 4 inches up my leg on the xray. Surgeon had to use 2 long screws to fix there bone back in place. He said I had one of the worst knee injuries, basically a complete dislocation. I had reconstructive knee surgery and 1 revision so far.
I fractured the left greater trocantur as well. Right clavicle fracture and I have a grade 2 SLAP tear in right shoulder. Needless to say, this lady effed me up badly!!. I am 11 weeks out and still recovering and doing pretty intensive PT, but I can only do so much. I can bend my knee on my own finally to about 115 degrees. I am gaining mobility in my shoulder but it hurts a lot and there’s clicking and clacking..ugh.
I’m just so tired of being in pain and struggling to do things. I know I need to stay positive.
I’m 46 years old and never thought this would be my life. I mean I took the rush of getting a motorcycle, I get that, but this lady’s negligence really did a number on me and I don’t know if I’ll ever be the same. How do I accept that? There are days I feel like, ok I forgive her, I know she didn’t mean it and she probably feels terrible about it. Then there’s other days that I am so angry with her and her decision to just floor her car right out onto a main road and ran right into me.
I have an excellent surgeon, but I’m worried about needing shoulder surgery to repair the torn labrum. All this time going by and I may need to start all over again.
Also, I still have a torn ACL that needs to be repaired at some point. They don’t do the surgery on the ACL at the same time at the surgery I had initially, which really stinks.
Anyway, sorry for the ramble. Thanks for reading and listening to my story.
Email is dclarke374@gmail.com
Peace ✌️
Doug Clarke
Hi Kieran,
Thank you for sharing your experienced. I am a new comer to TPF injury, I slipped on the gorges in Kalbarri on the way up to parking area on July 25 2020. It took 5 days for me to have surgery with one plate and 4 screw. Now I am in 10 weeks post surgery and I am already walk with forearms crutches. My physio told me that I can use one crutch if I am walking around the home and 2 crutches outside home. Also I already start to have stationary bike exercise since last week. I still have a big problem thou, my knee and calf are still stiff and still feel pain here and there.
Hopefully by week 15 I am able toback on the mat again as I love doing yoga.
I am 55 years old women by the way 🙂
Cheers,
Dinni
Fell off a bridge while leading my horse. TF & Compartmental syndrome. 5-weeks since 1st. surgery. 69, rode my bike 20-40 miles a week. Equestrian 30+ years. PT is my priority. Need to back-read your blog – as to when you started.
Wow what a great site. I fell skiing last March 1 . I am 66 yr old female . I had tibia plateau schatzer 4 . I was playing golf by July. Walking about 2-4 miles. I do core training and Pt. Then I fell a month ago walking right on my operated leg/knee also broke fracture other foot fifth metatarsal. This really set me back. Nothing to do. I now have a lot of pain in my knee which I didn’t have. I did have pain from the plates and screws down back of knee but it was residing and now is bothering me a lot. I hope this is temporary.. I started running too soon in September and knee also swelled. I am very athletic and this is so frustrating. I can’t imagine skiing again. I see from your advice to take it slow.. I try to be optimistic.
I’m 39 and same injury broken in three places. 8 months out and walking with a limp. The surgeons say I’m lucky to have a leg due to the severity of the breaks. Long recovery and I’m still not back to normal. Still dealing with daily pain but improving with therapy. Lately has been worse than previously but it’s been extremely cold weather and I’m doing more than I have in the past. Any advice this far down the road for speeding things up?
Hi Brooke, My only advice is it gradually improves with the years but seven years on I’m still doing yoga and Pilates once a week. Don’t believe it when they tell you that at the end of eighteen months that you’re as good as you’re going to get. I kept improving for about four years after surgery, particularly when the joint was stressed by activities such as skiing. Your recovery may be different as you sustained a much more sever fracture than I did.
Best wishes for your continued recovery.
Regards, Kieran.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I documented my recovery as well- it’s been extremely therapeutic. I am on week 7, with 6 weeks to go until I can begin walking!
https://skirecover22.wixsite.com/website/post/7-weeks-post-op
Thanks very much, I’ll check it out.
Hello Kieran…Not sure of you read these anymore but your blog has been inspiring to me. I am a 68 year old female in Canada. I have always been very active, a skier, a recreational Laser sailor, a lake swimmer and a hiker. Been to Revelstoke, Fergie, Whistler, Louise and Sunshine…all gorgeous!
In September 2019, just before I turned 67, I was picked off by 3 large dogs careening down a steep hiking trail, slamming into me and breaking my right tibia plateau and ribs. Shatzker 2 and 3 …most documentation says 3. Impact not fragility fracture though. No operation as the ortho doc felt it was well aligned and very slightly displaced. Second ortho doc agreed.
2 DVTs, and 20 months later…it still hurts to walk. (Xarelto for 10 months.)
Because of Covid, ( Alberta now has the highest case count in Canada and the US), since March 2020 I have done all my rehab myself at home and through Zoom appointments… so 14 months. Not ideal or even adequate. Before that I had 6 months of physio, three times a week.
I couldn’t/ can’t swim in the pools because they were/are shut because of Covid. Gyms are shut…Covid. I couldn’t walk outside for many months with all the ice and snow…was stuck inside in a small bungalowNovember 2019 to April 2020.
Rehabbing the leg through walking outside in snow with poles THIS winter, I slipped on ice as the leg was still weak, fell and broke my right proximal humerus (this past February.) Thankfully its healing well! The leg….not so much.
So…your one legged squat. Mine isn’t deep like yours as I have no gym equipment. Trying, just normal lunges.
Do you have any suggestions for anything you did at home? I am at present just doing early physio exercises, stationary bike riding first for half an hour, then stand ups, stretches, heel raises hamstring curls, squats, and lunges. ROM is good. Pain…still.
Recent MRI shows an FCL sprain, a small meniscal tear, a chondral flap, and a small active insufficiency fracture…ortho, gp and physio advise repetitive stairs. Mild osteoarthritis. TPF is healed. I am doing 400 stairs a day and walking 2 hours daily. Walking slowly. Pretty bummed.
Any ideas?
You are so active, dedicated and an inspiration. And you were so lucky to get all that help in a warm climate pre-pandemic. I hope you are still swimming and skiing. My friend Carolyn owns a cat ski operation in the Monashees… and there is another great one in the Selkirks that my brother, who has tried CMH too, prefers.
Thank you for your blog!
Meg D.
Meg,
Wow, that’s quite a story! I really feel sorry for you – it sounds as if surgery might have been the right option but I guess you never know. We have some excellent orthopaedic surgeons in Australia and I think I was lucky. I have to take care now with skiing and I no longer heli-ski or back-country ski after being trapped in an avalanche in Telluride about four years ago. I still ski the triple blacks comfortably but probably not as recklessly as I once did. It’s a shame you appear to be on long-term medication. That has its own downsides. Everything you are doing at home I also did but it must be at the direction of a very competent medical professional. Stairs are good but a meniscal tear might require surgery. Miraculously, when I did my TPF I didn’t tear my meniscus. Get well soon.
Kieran.
Has anyone been told by their surgeon that you may need a knee replacement to totally eliminate the pain?
Carol, That was never mentioned to me. I was told that I am likely to develop arthritis more quickly in the injured joint which may ultimately require a knee replacement but that would be quite some time in the future. So far, I have not developed any arthritis and I do have the joint x-rayed every couple of years to check. My surgeon has told me that, at my age – 68, I could have expected some arthritis by now in the joint, even if I hadn’t had a TPF. He said it’s very encouraging that I haven’t. I completed the John Muir Trail in 2019 -28 days full pack and the Highline Trail in Utah in 2021 – 10 days full pack – with not a murmur of complaint from either knee. I will need some strong arguments to get me to consent to a knee replacement.
Kieran K.
Hi –
27 year old female here, fractured my left tibial plateau in two places in a horrible gym accident on November 11th. I had ORIF surgery on November 12th with 1 plate and 2 screws used. At my two week post op appointment an infection was found, so I had a wash out surgery on November 29th. I’m hoping that’s the only set back I have. I started physical therapy on 11/19, and have had 5 sessions so far. I’m about 20% weight bearing, and have just gotten my heel to touch the ground while using my walker. I’m still not cleared for crutches yet. My question is do you have any advice and do you remember when you were able to wear sneakers or a slip on shoe. I find that even when my swelling is minimal I don’t have “strength” to slide a shoe on even with a shoe horn.