Tibial plateau stress fracture...on knee with TKR in 2008

[tonij]

Just wanted to see if anyone who was NWB for 6-8 weeks found it overwhelming? ugh..I'm only on week 3 and I am so frustrated and bored!!
I had always had trouble with my knees, had 3 arthroscopics for meniscus problems since i was in my 20s. And at 35 I was told that my knees were of a 70 year old, but I was too young to get a knee replacement...so in 2008 at 47 I get a left TKR, and recovered really well, so well that this year I wanted to check something off the bucketlist and I wanted to do a 5k. Well I am not in shape, so I did a couch to 5k program and after jogging a little bit everyday started to have some shin pain...I went to see a sport doc who took xrays and had me on crutches for 3 weeks, then sent me to a surgeon...I had a bone scan and there was a hot spot...the surgeon didnt see any sign of infection (old) or a complete fracture, but he said that it was a possible stress fracture and to stay off of it for 8 weeks,....ugh. He said that if it breaks completely that I would definatly need surgery...Which I do not. But this NWB is so difficult. I cant do anything really and to tell you the truth even the part of me that didnt hurt now do...the opposite knee that now holds all the wieght, my foot and even my hip and back...is this all normal? Thank God I kept all the med equipment from my total knee...that has helped.

I guess I just wanted to see if anyone was frustrated and any tricks to get through this time???
Thanks,
Tonij

[maryc]

Quite frankly NWB is a royal pain!!!!!  While NWB all I wanted to do was to go to sleep and wake up when my leg was healed.  The aches and pains you are feeling are completely normal.   The only thing I can recommend is to rest as often as possible, not much help.

[BigD77]

After my TPF surgery in October of last year I was NWB for 14 weeks. Without a doubt thee f-ing longest 14 weeks of my life! Hang in there. The joy you feel when you are able to even go PWB is awesome! Hang in there.

[Nettan]

Lend a wheelchair to let your other leg rest now and then.

[stavebomb]

I am currently non weight bearing for 12 weeks and I am on week 7 now. I really think the only way to not let it affect you too badly is to try not to think about it and just come to terms with having to be on crutches for this period of time. At the beginning it was extremely hard for me to accept this, but it's the only way to not go crazy!  I am 23 years old and am used to playing basketball 4-5 times a week, so not being able to do that really sucks!  If you can find a way to somehow "forget" that you are on crutches, I promise the time will pass quicker.

Be strong, and good luck with the recovery!

[kariberi]

Tonij, and stavebomb.... i feel your pain! i finished 16 weeks of NWB in Feb, and it was the longest weeks of my life!! I was excited to go to work for my whole 4 hrs 2 mornings a week to sit at my desk and do paper work, and when i started physio it became a highlight, simply to get me out of the house. I was also unable to drive and there was snow here until May so it was a long long winter. I became an expert at hauling myself up the stair to bed and the bathroom though, and gained some good pipes in my arms from that and the crutches.
i read alot and watched every movie on the movie channel and payed for about 4 every month!!
it does get better!! and being FWB for the first time is very exciting.
Chin up, and good luck to both of you!!

[stavebomb]

Ha ha! Keriberi I did the same thing with the movies! I watched so much tv, too. I watched about 5 full seasons of shows that I had never watched before.