Fracture of tibial plateau

[Helene2013]

Went to see surgeon today for my swollen knee. There was so much fluid that I could not bend or walk properly. I sleep on my stomach and the stretch of my leg was making it so uncomfy to sleep even with pillows under leg. As soon as he saw that knee he sent me right away into his surgery area. He numbed the area and then proceeded to remove two full syringes (those bigger ones) full of synovial liquid. It was weird to see the knee come back to normal size as he was doing the procedure. Also did an infiltration.

Still off work another 4 weeks (for the fracture of tibial plateau, and now this issue).

No physiotherapy until Monday. I can resume what I was doing, but for the bike training warm-up
No cycling (on trainer) for another week but we will be able to increase resistence from 0 to 1, if the leg with extra fluid lets me.
No aquatherapy until next Friday (of next week)
No walking on left leg for 24hrs. I can walk at home, with crutches but not go all-day shopping. Once the next few days of remaining "calm" are over, I can start to use 50/50 weight on the fractured leg but not overuse the left one either. So much fun figuring all of this out.

He wants to see me back in 4 weeks and at same time will take an xray to see how the fracture healed.

So some more boring and quiet time at home. I'm fed up but it is what it is for now and I should be ok for summer. If I don't abuse of the knees. osteoarthritis is no longer helping but can be controlled to a certain point.

I'm sure I'm forgetting things but overall, it's been a helly winter on that front. But there are certainly worst things in life and we'll deal with this issue one day at a time.

[Catrin]

Youchies Helene! So sorry you are having to go through all of this Hope things feel better soon!

[Crankin]

That must have been very uncomfortable. Two syringes ? I fractured my knee, 40 years ago, and I had to drag myself to the ER to get it assessed. It was at a teaching hospital, where they promptly had a 3d year med student stick a syringe in my knee to drain it. That was worse than any other thing I've had done.
I hope you can abide by the brief restrictions for the next week. It must feel very boring, but it does sound like there will be complete recovery of the fracture.

[Helene2013]

It was so hard to leave foot down or flat in bed on my stomach. It was such a thrill just to sleep in any position last night. Their is a paradise after all.

No pain draining it out because he numbed the knee. Did not feel a thing but joy seeing the knee shrinked.

Should have told him that while at it to continue with a lipo suction in the knee area. Lol lol a 2 for 1. Lol

I tried thigh high compression, icing, Aleve, swimming to push the fluid away from area with water pressure. Nothing worked and was happy to have been able to see him. Great timing.

[OakLeaf]

Glad you're getting some relief.


FWIW for anyone else, or if it starts retaining fluid again, electrical stimulation has worked really well for me. There's only been once when I was on the point of having an effusion drained (a month after I'd smashed my knee into the side of a minivan at a combined 45 mph, sigh), so it could be that it was just finally ready to drain on its own the day after I applied the electro-stim. But it's also quickly reduced swelling in sprains and contusions, so I'm a believer. I just used the units you could buy over the counter 15-20 years ago, I know they've opened up more of the TNS frequencies to OTC sales lately.

[Helene2013]

When I go into PT, more often then not my PT does set me up on this current machine.
Someone also mentioned to me that I could try some BioFreeze. Available easily in USA but in Canada you have to go through some chiropractors, etc. Having it shipped to Canada would cost me a fortune in shipping, not counting the US$ vs Cdn$.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/271940954637...IDX%3AIT%5dBio

So far so good. The swelling has not come back. I did nothing but sit or lie down yesterday as he requested it. Today did some light errands, with my crutches. Still good tonight. Hoping it stays that way now. No PT allowed anyway until Monday. And no indoor trainer either. So we'll wait. It is a lonnnng winter but you have only one body and need to take good care of it. As much as possible anyway.

[netskyblue]

Someone also mentioned to me that I could try some BioFreeze. Available easily in USA but in Canada you have to go through some chiropractors, etc. Having it shipped to Canada would cost me a fortune in shipping, not counting the US$ vs Cdn$.

I use Salonpas DEEP Relieving Gel (http://salonpas.us/product/salonpas-deep-relieving-gel/) and I actually like it a little better than BioFreeze. I feel like it's stronger and lasts longer, at least for me. Not sure if this is commercially available to you in Canada or not. I buy it at Walgreens here in the US. Might be an option, if you can get it.

ETA but whatever you do, don't apply it after a long hot bath. Or you'll feel like you've been lit on fire (ask me how I know!) It's fine applied to skin-temperature skin, though.

Another edit: looks like it is available in Canada, not sure if it's carried anywhere local to you: http://salonpas.ca/where-to-buy/

[Thise1936]

Sorry for you. Get well soon.