Knee braces and Tibia plateau fracture recovery

[Bayracer]

So I am currently very fed up and painful and only one week into box rest following tibia plateau fracture repair. I have had pins and plates put into my leg. My surgeon is also unsure regarding ligament damage whether I will need secondary surgery to repair these.
However he is hopefully after 8 weeks non weightbaring box rest this should give the ligaments time to start to heal on their own. And then steadily build up from there with physio and exercise.
I am also getting married in 9 weeks so this is obviously has been very stressful and definitely was not what I had planned as wedding prep.
My questions to all you wise guys is in peoples honest experience recovering from this sort of injury, when realistically do you think I’ll be back in the saddle? Also the surgeon has said if I do ride again I will likely need a knee brace, do people has any recommendations for braces that they have been able to ride in?

Why is it always just as the weather is getting nice and we have just waved a long winter goodbye these things happen?! Who knew walking dogs could be so dangerous!

 

[blood_magik]

I fractured my tibial plateau and tore ligaments after bailing and landing on my feet. I had plates and pins put in to stabilise it.

I got back on after 4 months but couldn’t really do anything except walk, and getting off was interesting…

It was about 7 months before I could trot properly and 9 before I started jumping again

That said, I ditched my crutches and brace after 12 weeks as they were getting in the way. I’ve not needed a knee brace for that knee at all (believe it or not, it’s now the ‘good’ one ).

Good luck with your recovery. Make sure you do your physio exercises - they do help

 

[scats]

Mine wasn’t a tibial plateau, it was a trimalleoler but my deltoid ligament was completely torn, as were the lateral ligaments.
I was back on a horse and returned to normal life at week 12, but I’d been boot walking with no crutches by week 7/8.

Good luck with the recovery x

 

[Parrotperson]

I’ve done that to both knees (dint ask how. Nothing to do with horses and far too embarrassingly stupid!)

My left knee I also ripped or completely ripped every ligament and damaged the cartilage. No swelling. No bruising. A&E nurse said(and I quote) ‘why are you being such a baby about standing it?’ .

Took them two weeks to MRI it then they called me and told me to go straight back to A&E!!

Anyway. I didn’t get any surgical intervention. I had crutches and a knee brace for 6 months and physio eventually.

Got on again at about 9 months post injury. Still can’t get off properly. Have to dismount Calvery style and lower myself down.

Right knee wasn’t quite so bad plus I knew the second I hit the ground what I’d done. Maybe 6 months before riding again.

And why didn’t I get any surgical intervention? Because I was 58 years old and deemed too old. That’s the bit if the whole sorry saga I was really cross about!!! TOO OLD!!!!!! How very dare they!! .

One more thing. Physio is absolutely key to how strong your knee will be. Get proper physio sessions. And Learn to get off on a mounting block or Calvary style lowering yourself down.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

So I am currently very fed up and painful and only one week into box rest following tibia plateau fracture repair. I have had pins and plates put into my leg. My surgeon is also unsure regarding ligament damage whether I will need secondary surgery to repair these.
However he is hopefully after 8 weeks non weightbaring box rest this should give the ligaments time to start to heal on their own. And then steadily build up from there with physio and exercise.
I am also getting married in 9 weeks so this is obviously has been very stressful and definitely was not what I had planned as wedding prep.
My questions to all you wise guys is in peoples honest experience recovering from this sort of injury, when realistically do you think I’ll be back in the saddle? Also the surgeon has said if I do ride again I will likely need a knee brace, do people has any recommendations for braces that they have been able to ride in?

Why is it always just as the weather is getting nice and we have just waved a long winter goodbye these things happen?! Who knew walking dogs could be so dangerous!

I fell walking the dogs and was effectively out of action for 6 months with a set of metal rings holding the tib and fib in place. There were several women in hospital with me who had all had dog-walking accidents!

Ime it just takes time.

 

[Bayracer]

Thank you everyone for their advise and experiences. Looks like I’m going to have some very shiny tack when I start riding again tack cleaning is the one thing I can do whilst I’m on box rest.