Tibial Plateau Fracture - Recovery

I sustained a tibial plateau fracture while playing netball. Along with the fracture I also damaged my meniscus (a portion of it had also herniated into the fracture). The injury occured on the 6th of April and I had surgery on the 12th of April (insertion of 5 screws and a plate as well as repair of meniscus)

My main concern is the progression of my recovery. I am now week 5 post op. I am currently non weight bearing and wearing a brace at all times. My knee's range of motion is limited to 80 degrees. When I try and increase my ROM I experience a feeling of tightness and pain on the lateral side of my knee where the injury is. Is it normal to still have this amount of stiffness? Is 80 degrees reasonable at week 5 post op? I am reading about other people's experiences and seeing that they have much larger ROM more quickly than I do.

My exercises comprise of bending my knee using a towel wrapped around my foot and pulling on that to increase the angle, also sitting off a high table and having someone slowly push my leg once again to increase the angle. This usually hurts and I try and hold it at this point and stretch it out and then go a little further the next time. I am also doing some exercises to engage my quads and calf muscles. I do these by contracting my quads and holding them for 5 secs and calves by doing resistance band plantarflexion exercises. I was only recently able to raise my leg in a sitting position (very exciting!) All up I do these exercises (not always all of them but a combination of them) about 2-3 times a day. I also go to physiotherapy twice a week which essentially involves my physio massaging all the main muscle groups of my leg and then doing some of the exercises discussed above.

Looking forward to any advice or other experiences you may have!

without seeing you it sounds fairly good at present. would have like you to have >90 degrees by now but not far off. if wounds are healed and if ok with surgeon, you could go to the pool, aquajog, walk in the deep end (if no pain and allowed as will only be partial weightbearing in deep water), do exercises, such as minisquats, minilunges etc, swim. you may also be able to do some cycling - again check with surgeon
physio sounds like doing a geat job with soft-tissue work, is he/she also mobilsing (fiddling!) around with your kneecap and the knee joint in generally to include good glide and function here? whilst you are still in brace the movement gained will be slower, you should be out soon, then you should make some greater gains.

remember you have had a major injury, and major surgery, so the recovery will be relatively slow, but should improve each week. the knee will also never be 'as it was' and you will have to continue to work on it.

good luck

I shattered my left tibial plateau the 22nd of Sept. I was leading my horse over a bridge, her shoulder bumped me & I fell off. I also had compartmental syndrome - discovered in surgery. That resulted in having the leg drained for 3-days & a second surgery to put things back together. I still have lots of nerve pain. I'm full weight bearing & gaining 4 degrees a week ROM (105). PT twice a week & going to the Y - twice a week. I still have swelling, tightness & lots of pain - especially at night. I was in really good shape when this happened & hope to be riding my bike ASAP... ? Realistically - April?