+ What do I do with my dressing?

• Cover it when you shower for the first 3 days and change it if it gets wet or dirty. You can remove the dressing after day 3.
• You can also remove the outer ACE bandages in order to remove the ice pack from out of your dressing, just be sure to put the ACE bandages back in place.
• Leave the Steri-strips in place until they fall off on their own.

+ What are my restrictions?

• Wear your brace and use crutches for balance
• You CANNOT put any weight on this leg. Putting weight on the leg will stress the broken bone and may make it less likely to heal. This is typicall for 12 WEEKS after your operation.
• Don’t bend your knee past 90 degrees for 2 weeks, your brace will help with that

+ Do I have stitches? When do they come out??

• You likely have staples instead of stitches. They will be removed at your first post-operative visit.

+ Can I put lotions or anything on my incisions?

• No. Please do not put any lotions, creams, oils, antibiotic ointments or anything on the incisions until they are perfectly healed and the scab is gone.

+ When can I shower?

• You can shower immediately if you cover the dressing for the first 3 days. After 3 days, you can remove the dressing and let the water run down over the incisions. DO NOT scrub the incisions or submerge them underwater.

+ How long do I wear my brace?

• For about 6 weeks after surgery.

+ What do I take for pain?

• You will be given a prescription for narcotic pain medication after surgery (usually Percocet/Oxycodone).
• However, Ibuprofen and Tylenol work great. You can take start taking Ibuprofen every 8 hours starting immediately after surgery to minimize the amount of narcotic you will need to take as long as you have no stomach ulcer issues, kidney issues, and you are not on any blood thinners.
• You will likely be on Lovenox as a blood thinner, so make sure to check with us before taking any ibuprofen or other NSAIDs along with it.
• The Percocet has 325 mg of Tylenol in it already, so if you are taking Tylenol, just be sure that you do not exceed 3000 mg of it in a 24 h period.

+ What medications will I be on?

• Aspirin - to prevent blood clots. Don’t take while you are on Lovenox, start the day AFTER your last Lovenox injection.
• Lovenox - these are blood thinner injections to prevent blood clots. You will be on this for the first 3 weeks. Start taking a baby aspirin AFTER you are done with the lovenox injections.
• An opioid for pain, usually Percocet (Oxycodone)
• Zofran - for nausea
• Colace - stool softener

+ Will I have a nerve block?

• Usually not, but some numbing medicine was also injected into the skin.
• This usually last 1-3 days.

+ How do I return the ice machine?

• Bring it back around your 1st post-operative visit and drop it off at the hospital entrance.

+ Do I need to wear my brace when I sleep?

• Preferably yes, but you can take it off when you sleep after 2-3 weeks if it’s intolerable.

+ When do I follow up after my surgery?

• Between 7-14 days afterwards. This appointment should already be made for you, but you can adjust it if needed.

+ When should I start going to physical therapy?

• Immediately, the sooner the better. You will have all the paperwork you need for PT when you leave the hospital.

+ How long will I be going to physical therapy?

• For the next 4-6 months

+ How frequently do I need to go to physical therapy?

• 1-3 times/week initially, but this will be spaced out over time as you progress.

+ What are some red flags after my surgery that I should be looking for?

• Fever over 101.4 F
• Calf swelling or severe calf pain
• Extreme pain when moving toes
• Progessive numbness or tinglingin the foot that does not come and go
• Increasing redness around the incision
• Pus draining from the incision. It is normal for some drainage from the incisions for a few days after surgery.
• Chest pain or difficulty breathing

+ How long is the recovery?

• It takes 3-4 months for the fracture to heal. It takes another 4-5 months to regain your strength.
• Full recovery is about 9 months.

+ When can I sleep on my side?

• You can sleep on your side as soon as it feels comfortable to do so.

+ When can I swim?

• You CANNOT get into a pool or hot tub until your incisions are perfectly healed, usually around 4 weeks. After that, you may get into a pool but check with us or PT before swimming.

+ When can I run?

• You will work with us and your physical therapist to determine this, but it’s usually around 4-6 months.

+ When can I return to sports?

• You will work with us and your physical therapist to determine this, but it’s usually around 9 months after surgery.
• You will likely complete a functional sport test in PT before returning to sports to more objectively determine if your muscles are strong enough.

+ When can I drive?

• When you can fully weight bear and are not on any pain medication. Be sure to practice before driving again.
• This often takes longer with a right knee surgery, and some studies even suggest that can even be up to 18 weeks for a Right-sided tibial plateau injury.

+ When can I go back to work?

• Depends on your job. If you can perform your job while abiding by the restrictions, you can go back as soon as you feel able to.
• We recommend not making any important decisions while on the pain medication.