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Fitted With A Hinge Brace For Fractured Tibial Platform. How Long It Takes To Cure?

Posted on Thu, 7 Feb 2013

Question: I broke my "tibial platform" on Nov 24th by falling down stairs and have been fitted with a hinge brace ... at first set at 30 then 60 then 90 degrees .. after 6 weeks I had expected to be "released" from this as I was experiencing little pain and could flex the knee well .. but to my horror was told it was to stay for a further 6 weeks .... is this "normal" ? ... does it suggest unusually slow healing that I should be concerned about? .... Have I perhaps delayed healing by exercising it too much? ..... I am a fit, keen and regular hill walker of 68 ... would a knee replacement be something I should ask about? ... XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Nsah Bernard (2 hours later)

Hi,

Thanks for posting on HCM

Let me start from below. I do not think you need a knee replacement given that you are clinically improving from your tibial platform fracture.

I will like to know on what basis did they increase the number of days that the hinge brace had to stay? Maybe because of your age and the fact that bone fracture healing is slower in aged people. Younger people experience healing of fractured bones faster. Was another x-ray done 6 weeks after to find out if consolidation is proper? So your health care provider probably evaluated all of this before increasing the maintenance of the brace.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you need further clarifications.

Dr Nsah

Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad