Broken tibia, torn tibio-fibular ligament and suspected meniscus damage
Posted , 3 users are following.
Hi all 
6 months ago I had fall (just one step is all it takes!) and broke my tibia, tore the above ligament and injured my knee. It couldn't have happened at a wors time (I had my sisters wedding the next day).
I had surgery to install a plate along the tibia and a screw to replace the ligament while it healed. The pain was excruciating upon the initial injuries as well as after surgery. All these injuries where to the left leg however, I injured the right ankle (soft tissue damage) and was wheelchair bound for three months.
I have only just stopped physio as I had to have an arthroscopy on the knee and removal of the screw (4 days ago and no pain. I was fully weight bearing the next day). My OS did not give me the results as he wants to see me in two weeks.
I am now 30 years old. I am still waddling around (due to pain in the ankle and the ankle not having full mobility but that should improve with the removal of the screw). I have been off work since the fall and I am now getting worried about my recovery. I feel it's taking too long for someone of my age (I've been told I'm young and will heal quickly).
So, my questions are -
Am I supposed to continue with physio post op?
How long will recovery take for the ligament and bone?
Does anyone feel any discomfort 6+ months on with the plate such as sitting crossed legged, certain sleeping positions etc.?
Any further info would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance
0 likes, 3 replies
annette91728 Ashlee87
Posted
I've had 14 spine surgeries. Starting around age 35. I was never able to return to work. Personally I believe surgery is not the answer. However when you injure yourself like you did a repair must happen. Going forward try to get a second opinion. I personally have been re-injured during physical therapy. A surgery, cutting tissue and muscles is traumatic. It takes a minimum of 1 year for your body to heal. We go in to inflammatory mode. This is the body's natural very healthy response. Some people like myself get stuck in inflammatory mode for months to years. It can take me 6-12 months to heal after having a tooth pulled. Back surgeries have caused me 2-5 years of pure hell. My body develops scar tissue quickly and easily. And the inflammation is a process for me and others.
I don't go to PT or if I do I get the exercises and work on my own.
There is a technique called active release. Find a good practitioner who specializes in it. There's nothing quite like it. A lot of sports therapists do this. Google or research "ART for pain."
My son is 27 years old. He's had many sports injuries and the most recent about 3 years ago while playing basketball, a player from the other side landed on his ankle. It was a bad injury. He sees a sports therapist who is also a chiropractor. He explained to my son who is in sales and sits a lot, when he plays basketball, runs or uses his ankle for activity it gets really sore. The therapist explained it like this. There's a sticky substance that forms around areas of the body that have had surgery, injury or even after exercise.
Then it forms scar tissue. Scar tissue is literally stuck or sticky areas that when they can't move they hurt.
This can happen in people like me with a genetic pre-disposition to getting scar tissue. My dad had the same issues and so does my son. I've met people who have surgery, heal and have no residual pain, but that's not my experience.
It sounds like you may have formations of scar tissue.
When we are in pain we tend to rest that area. That's okay for a short time however moving is best.
When you restart your activities the scar tissue then starts up again.
So we've learned work arounds. Regular massage. If your insurance does cover massage request massage therapy. They often prescribe it for the specific injured area. I disagree in that massaging one area leaves blocked evergy and with our lymphatic system, a complete body massage is so beneficial. If you can't get it through insurance snd it's something you can budget for, have massage once a month or every other week depending on budget, find a good massage therapist who says they do myofacia release, or active release technique. A good massage therapist is well trained and they often specialize.
Massage, drink tons of good water it helps flush that sticky stuff, do self massage to the affected area while thinking of releasing that stuck tissue. We also use those self massage tools from Brookstone. They're wonderful. I use MSM lotion over painful areas daily.
Pain is very difficult and feet, knees and spine I have personally experienced and know people who have pain for years after. So I think your experience is difficult but not out of the ordinary. Having surgeries so close together puts your body in a sort of shock mode. It's trying to repair the last surgery by doing its thing then add another surgery and your body is in over drive. So take care of yourself. B12, vitamin D, magnesium, good diet plenty of good water and rest helps your body do its thing.
I hope this helps and wish you all the best!
Ashlee87 annette91728
Posted
Hi Annette,
Thanks for all the information! Wow you have been through a lot! I hope that one day your spine improves for you. So sorry to hear about that all.
I can honestly say that scar tissue has never been mentioned to me. In fact, I've never even thought about this. My PT has told me not to come back and if I have any further problems in the next two weeks to contact her. I find this incredibly strange as she had no idea of the outcome of the most recent surgery so how could she make such a remark?
I am most definitely going to ask her about scar tissue. The pain can be very bad with me reverting back to a hobble (it's far worse than a limp).
I've heard massage is amazing and will definitely look into it. I'm not from the US (I'm an Aussie) and we don't really have insurance that covers that (if so it's incredibly expensive). Would a specific massage be needed? Such as sport injury or myotherapy?
As for vitamins, I am on all of the ones you mentioned (in fact those are the only ones I am on). I've been in B12 injections for two years now and take more than your average dose of D due to a deficiency which lead to the break. I'm careful now and take deficiencies seriously these days.
Thanks again Annette.
Selerim86 Ashlee87
Posted
Hi sorry to hear your bad injury. I too suffer a horrible break but from my job. Short and simple pipes rolled and crush my legs, both. A open fracture/break tibia and fibula from my left leg and broken ankle from right leg. Surgery done on my left leg, 4 screws and a rod in my tibia bone, also a skin graft where the wound was. No surgery for my right ankle just a cast for 6 weeks, thank God. Well I'm 12 weeks in recovery, my right leg has completely healed after being in a cast, to a boot and off the boot. But my left leg still need time to heal. Doctor ordered me PT to learn to walk again since I was NWB for 6 weeks on both legs. Currently I can move around with a walker and gonna use a cane. I'm 31 so my right healed completely is a good sign that I'm healing fairly good. My goal now is to walk again and hopefully by December I be normal.
But I do sometimes feel my hardware in my leg. I don't know is it temporary but I hope it is. Doctor said the rod and screws stay so I'm hoping it won't bother me in the future. As for sleeping position I do have a hard time sleeping. Since my skin graft is still healing I can't sleep but only in one position. But I get tired and my legs get sore from being in the same position.
I hope my experience help your situation even tho it different but I understand how it is being wheelchair bond, bedridden, and some pain.