This is a non-photography-related post and is very long 🙂
Timeline of recovery
It’s been 3 years since my accident and I’m doing very well. I continue to write these updates because I regularly receive emails about my posts on this topic.
View: Six-week update, Ten-month update, One-year update
An uncommon injury
For those who are not familiar with a tibial plateau fracture (TPF), there’s a reason why you’ve likely not heard of it; it’s not very common. And if you are familiar with it, I totally understand why you’re here.
It can be a devastating injury. Never walking, or never walking properly again, is a very real possibility. This is what my surgeon told me while I was in the hospital.
You’re probably scouring the internet for any information you can find because first, there is so little information to be found. And second, most of the limited information about it on the internet is found in medical articles that are difficult to understand.
You’re looking for real-world examples. I get it, because I was there 3 years ago.
My progress
So here’s my 3-year-update.
It doesn’t appear that I wrote an update last year (2019), sorry! Maybe it’s because I spent that January skiing again! It went very well and I’m so sad that the current season is cut short due to COVID-19. I did have a few sharp pangs here and there, likely due to the heavy boot pulling and twisting on the leg in ways it’s not used to. But those happened infrequently and for the most part it was absolutely fine. Mind you, I am not an advanced skier and stick to green and blue runs!
Last summer I ran a couple of laps around the track with my son, who wanted to race me. I lost that race by a LOT but I surprised myself by making it around the track without stopping. Running has never been a strength of mine and that has not changed! It is very uncomfortable to run because I can feel the long plate in my leg, and it does cause a mild pain. If you are a runner with this injury, I know that “hardware removal” down the line is an option. There is one Instagram friend I have made in the USA who had her plate and screws removed after two years and is currently back to running!
Over the last two years, I’ve had a chance to explore other activities including cycling, swimming, hiking, weight training, and climbing, which are all enjoyable and don’t cause any pain. It’s been pretty awesome.
Some limitations
Now onto the limitations. Running is one of them. The other limitation I have is in my flexion. I’m still unable to touch my heel to my bum without a lot of pain. BUT…this may be due to me not working on it consistently! It’s pretty close…and I’ve gotten lazy about it.
I also have occasional dull pain on the inside of my knee, opposite the area of the plate. I suspect it’s from the one or both of the two extra long screws that stick out a bit on the right side of this image below. I can actually feel a small bump where one of them protrude and it hurts when I rub the spot.
The pain only happens if I’m putting pressure on it, like sitting cross-legged for a long time.
Staying optimistic
All in all, it’s been a long journey and one that I know will continue for as long as I have this metal in my leg. I’m thankful that I’m able to walk and am optimistic that things will be stable for many more decades (my surgeon told me I’ll probably need a knee replacement at some point, and I really hope that doesn’t happen for MANY years down the road).
If you’ve stumbled upon this post because you’ve just suffered a TPF, I hope that you’re feeling a little boost of optimism. Send me an email (info@jessicanip.com) if you’d like to chat more or are interested in connecting with some more people in our “club”!
Warmly,
Jessica
