 Poster: A snowHead
|
I had a proximal plateau tibial break in February by slipping on black ice on the road one evening in les houches. Not realising it was broken I rested the following day but did then ski for 3 days. After suffering for 3 weeks finally went to a&e in UK to find out that it was a break and there was a vertical displacement of 2mm but it appeared that there was no joint damage, after the fall there was also massive bruising to the rear thigh which suggests hamstring tear.
6 months on and a period in full length cast and physio, the break seems to have fully recovered but I have no strength in the knee and find stairs difficult. Can manage to cycle no problem for a reasonable distance. Can Walk a round of golf, but behind thigh does become stiff and painful towards end of round and no strength.
Physio has now stopped as they said it was now up to me. I do a lot of stretches to relieve hamstring, knee stiffens up a bit if try to do squats. The main issue is no strength and localised pain in the hamstring area. The knee is still a bit swollen but there is also noticeable reduction in muscle size in the thigh.
Does anybody have experience of this type of injury and how long did it take to heal. The consultant is not interested in what I say about the hamstring pain and only concerned with the break saying soft tissue will take time, but the hamstring seems to be causing more trouble. Not seeing consultant again until December.
Already booked a ski trip to Chamonix next year and want to be fully fit by then.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
ade0005, My tibial plateau fracture was different to yours (full story here if you are interested http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?p=2273161&highlight=snowhead#2273161 ) but like you I had no strength, a lot of muscle loss and couldn't do stairs when I was FWB after 3 months. My break was on 1st April last year and I was skiing the following November.
the answer was physio all the way. If your physio (NHS? )says its up to you, change your physio. I had some physio paid for by my holiday insurance. I was lucky that I never really had pain or stiffness...it was all about muscle loss. As soon as I was FWB in July I went to a sports physio 3 times a week plus 1 or 2 sessions at the gym for a couple of months. After that I went to physio twice a week along with 2 sessions at the gym till about September (the insurance money ran out) Since then...a year later... I still go once a week and do gym once or twice a week (I really should go twice).
I did 5 weeks skiing last year starting with Jonathan Bells highly recommended Return to Skiing After Injury day at Hemel. ..which meant for a couple of months I was also going to his physio for assessment and a fiendish exercise programme.
So in my case hard work and commitment. But if I had pain it would have been a different outcome.
Good luck with your rehab...skiing after Christmas is totally doable
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
ade0005, I'm non-medical but have seen a bit of A&E over the years, I've broken just about every limb, wrist and digit a going in 5.3 decades, skiing, bikes, motorbikes, football etc  (thankfully nothing too major) and the only advice I can give is to use it or lose it, so I usually but not exclusively give it 2-3 weeks to heal initially then get on and work it, even if its painful. I, against better advice in March skied on my broken ankle for 2 days which could have been perceived as stupid and was painful at the time but my view was that I was there to ski so what the hell, it's clamped in my boot so when I got home I ignored any thoughts of plaster-casts/ hospitals and carried on walking and doing light work, I was really worried about muscle wastage than pain, and got on my bike most days. Thankfully its completely sorted and I'm feeling fit now, back into high impact stuff and raring to go next winter. I've got a good physio and advice is generally the same, ie; keep it moving.........I know nothing about muscle tears/ hamstrings etc, but suspect this may be best kep moving with light excercise/ swimming etc?
Good luck!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
Thanks. I don't generally have pain but the hamstring stiffens up a lot and can feel the knee tightening when bearing weight whilst bent. Can cycle 20miles pain free and OK walking for about 5 miles but does feel a bit tight afterwards. Most of the time I have no limp but there occasional days where it feels sore and noticeable limp. Big problem is that I sit at a desk all day which does tend to tighten up.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
ade0005, I've found decent sports physios the way forward in the past for the best rehab treatment and advice. They just seem to have a different outlook for getting you returning to sport... Even though it's a cost it might be worth you seeing one to get a second opinion on the best rehab route?
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
| ade0005 wrote: |
| The consultant is not interested in what I say |
Im embarrassed by my profession.......again.
Your are not fully rehabbed at 6 months. A 2mm step is minimal. You need a physio who can administer and end stage ( or late stage ) rehab program.
I can recommend in London and South East.
Pm me and ill try and help you find someone.
Jonathan Bell
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jonathan Bell, thank you for your advice, I live in South West Wales which is not convenient for South East. NHS physio has stoppedband I'm about to contact the physio with the rugby club. I feel that the break is ok and its now balance of building up muscle without pushing hamstring too much. I'm a bit in dark about the hamstring as I had xray and ct scan on knee I have had no diagnosis on the rear thigh although the physio could feel it noted during treatment and did some work on it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ade0005, the impact which caused the fracture very likely created other stresses and strains as well. I broke my pelvis (ski crash with a big Frenchman) and the fracture was better very quickly, but I had some soft tissue problems, partly from the initial spiralling impact with the ground, partly no doubt with all the sitting around (hip flexors). A chiropracter gave me a few sessions but then sent me off to a Pilates specialist for a couple of one to one sessions because he thought I'd probably worked some of my core muscles too hard in some slightly ill-advised DIY rehab and needed to start again from scratch. You'll have to pay for private physio but well worth it if you can find the right one. They're not all equal.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
interesting thread as I did something similar to my tibial plateau laterally around the same time in february. its a small fracture, but the difficulty with staircases and steep gradients when walking downhill is all too apparent even now.
I haven't heard from the NHS physics so am going to see someone privately, while attending the gym regularly for the foreseeable future. I'll be in touch when I learn more.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Old Skool, good luck with your rehab.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
You could grow old waiting for NHS physiotherapy Old Skool. There aren't enough. Private is the way to go. But try to get a personal recommendation.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
pam w, I was lucky, had a call from physio the afternoon the cast came off and 1st appointment a week after. Lasted for two months before they signed me off to do my own strengthening. The cast was only on for 2 weeks as had been walking around for 3 weeks before cast put on.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ade0005, I was also seen quickly by the NHS physio, but was signed off as soon as I had ROM and could walk. They just don't have the resources for the intensive work needed. I think I had 3 or 4 appointments in 3 or 4 months (funny how you forget!)
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
holidayloverxx, Sounds familiar, I had 5 or 6 sessions over two months. The first two were with a young physio who said I greater movement than she expected so did nothing in the sessions and just gave a few sheets of exercises. I then had an older physio who was much better but signed me off when I had full ROM and could walk.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
ade0005, I expect a lot of NHS physios spend much of their time with people for whom weight bearing and full ROM would be little short of a miracle. A sports physio will have higher expectations - and be more used to pushing people, too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
Just going back to see my physio for an update on Thursday ...knee feels great, indoor skiing feels as good as pre injury, once I changed my style after a lesson or six.... Had an indoor ski session and skied my old way and the knee swelled up for two weeks...learnt the hard way !!
Just back from five weeks in France cycling between one and two hours per day and the difference was fantastic. ..but I still feel a weakness in the vastus medialis quad, .. Main problem skiing in January though was swelling afterwards, only pain was while skiing over frozen corduroy !!!
Still unable to run on it, don't know how the chap on a forum here ran a half marathon six months after TP surgery though..! Physio said no running for me last time I saw him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
yorkshirelad, same here, no running.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
| ade0005 wrote: |
| Jonathan Bell, thank you for your advice, I live in South West Wales which is not convenient for South East. NHS physio has stoppedband I'm about to contact the physio with the rugby club. I feel that the break is ok and its now balance of building up muscle without pushing hamstring too much. I'm a bit in dark about the hamstring as I had xray and ct scan on knee I have had no diagnosis on the rear thigh although the physio could feel it noted during treatment and did some work on it. |
That's probably a good place to start. Hamstring pain poss just compensation for poor movement. I do know a good physio who is, I think, Cardiff way. If you don't get in let me know I'll get her details.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Jonathan Bell,
| Quote: |
Hamstring pain poss just compensation for poor movement
|
Thanks, that could be the case. Had a lot of initial bruising to thigh but recent exercises and stretches and a lot of squats daily and knee improving. Just got to work now on improving knee extension as can straighten knee but visibly less hyperextension than good knee.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
