 Poster: A snowHead
|
Bah! All was going so well with the Tibial Plateau Fracture recovery (full ROM and extension and no pain at 8 weeks post-op, now 10 weeks post-op), but when I started partial weight bearing on the 31st May I started to get pain around the inside edge of my knee, my knee was tilting inwards and I was tending to walk on the inside of my foot. I had been told to dispense with the hinged brace as soon as I could after 5 weeks and I had not been wearing since 6 weeks post-op. Batman123, who is slightly ahead of me on recovery from her TPF, had the same symptoms and gave me the heads up that she had been diagnosed with MCL damage and has been told to keep wearing the brace when she is on her feet
When I went back to the fracture clinic the following week (last Friday, 7th June) the consultant did the Valgus test and said there was some laxity, which I could clearly see, and the best solution would be re-building the muscles around the knee. he did not say anything about wearing the brace, which I understood to be standard treatment for MCL(unless the 6 weeks of brace wearing would have made a difference?)
I can't exercise (except for leg lifts, stretches, walking and increasing the weight bearing and exercise bike) till I am fully weight bearing, which will not be till 28th June (at which point I'll be going to the physio & gym as much as is necessary) but I'm concerned that I am exacerbating the injury as the pain is becoming more constant as I'm walking around more and there is more instability than there was last week, although it's not much really. My muscle tone is poor.
I can't reach the consultant as he is sunning himself in Mauritius, so now I'm wondering whether the brace should be reinstated or is there anything else I should be doing now and asking about when I go back on 28th June?
If i call the orthopaedic dept would one of the other knee surgeons look at my notes and advise, or would they consider that to be bad form and so not do it?
thanks
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
holidayloverxx, wow, you are SO lucid with all this stuff, which must be highly advantageous for you. Imagine someone less intelligent and fluent than you and Kate, trying to assimilate this information and knowing what questions to ask as new information becomes available! Chapeau.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
I think if you have a significant concern, which you do, then ring his secretary/the department and either a) he will call/email you from the beach or b) his 2 i/c / oppo / cover will. You wont be the first and you wont be the last.
As loose test, I think that by the time you are asking us, you should be asking them. If you see what I mean. Good luck!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
As a completely lay opinion -you are hardly going to hurt yourself reinstating the brace if that's what gives you confidence. But in terms of overall recovery it's muscles that hold you together ultimately while ligaments heal or (in the case of ACL reconstruction which I do have experience in) grow.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
Pedantica, 
mishmash, I agree, but I can't ring till tomorrow so thought I'd see what a trawl today might draw out (including from JB if possible)
fatbob, I agree, I don't want to reinstate the brace if that would limit muscle recovery, but if that's the right thing to do... also, i don't lack confidence so the brace isn't needed for that, I wondered if my knee might need the support for recovery purposes and if so I'll do it, if not with good grace as it's a PITA!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
After my MCL rupture the consultant told me to wear the brace 24/7 (once I was out of the splint, but that's another story), this was to give the ruptured MCL an opportunity to heal 'short' enough.
I think he intended about 3or4 weeks (after 3 weeks in the splint) but with circumstances I ended up in it for 6 weeks (so 9 weeks from injury), this has universally been accepted as enough or more than enough (3x physios, 2x consultants). The total of 9 weeks did ensure a nice MCL heal but left me with a mountain to climb in regards to ROM and muscle waste.
So if I have the chronology of your injury right then I wouldn't go back into the brace, just hit the gym.
PS in the gym my knee HURT and worryingly always felt like I might be making it worse, but I deferred to the experts and pushed on and now it seems to be coming good.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
holidayloverxx, what type of brace do you have ?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Neville, chandos (sp?) Hinged brace
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
holidayloverxx,
An injury to the MCL will normally heal fairly well by 10 weeks.
One thing that I can't establish is whether the "laxity" is because the MCL is a little stretched( which is unusual in combination with a tibial plateau fracture) or is the bone still a little depressed? The vagus or knock knee appearance suggests the latter, is quite common and not usually a problem if the depression is a couple of mm.
The MCL will be sore for quite some time , so if you have been reassured about the integrity of the fixation and the ligament best to follow advice of the surgeon and get moving. Wear trainers or similar to give feet good support on the instep.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jonathan Bell, Thanks for that. I will ask about the cause of the laxity. I don't know if the bone is depressed. I guess the x-ray on 28th June will show if there is a problem, but there had been no changes to the fixation at the 8 weeks post op xray (non-weight bearing up till then).
I'm moving quite a bit and wearing trainers all the time, even in the house although I usually go barefoot so it feels odd! The pain isn't stopping me from walking, it's just irritating really.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
