Many people focus on when they fully recover and return to sports after injuries and surgeries. It can be important to know what you can do immediately after surgery. In this Ask Dr. Geier video, I discuss immediate restrictions and activities for a fracture around the knee – a tibial plateau fracture.

Sarah in Bangalore asks:
I had a surgery on my leg for lateral tibial plateau fracture with a plate and 5 screws. When can I bend my knee?

Tibial plateau fractures are fractures of the upper part of the tibia – shinbone – just below the knee. It is common for an active person with a tibial plateau fracture to require surgery to line up the bone and hold it with a plate and screws.

In many cases after these surgeries, we allow the patient to bend the knee right away, although we often do not allow weight bearing. In the video, I explain the postoperative restrictions after these and other knee surgeries.

X-ray of a tibial plateau fracture fixed with plates and screws

Also read:
Ask Dr. Geier – Time for healing of a stress fracture
Ask Dr. Geier – Return to sports after a tibia fracture

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