Yeah, you’re probably right.
I think the surgeon is being ultra cautious with it. It’s quite an old fracture and the bone growth is slow. He’s concerned that if I put too much load through it too soon I’ll loosen the pins and undo the good work.
Yeah, you’re probably right.
I think the surgeon is being ultra cautious with it. It’s quite an old fracture and the bone growth is slow. He’s concerned that if I put too much load through it too soon I’ll loosen the pins and undo the good work.
Make sense. You could start with some static resistance band work when you’re ready. Obviously wait until he says you’re good to go with it.
This is the problem I’m having. The tendon has thickened and there is a tear, but they are weak as hell, when the physio isolates the movements I can t do them and my traps take over to push the load
There are really good protocols for rehabilitating rotator cuff tendons. Takes a bit of time but they have a good success rate IME when followed though.
Yeah Ive got plenty of exercises from the physio for taregting them and have progressed to stronger therabands.
Im a bit of a bugger for forgetting to do them. Need to try harder.
I do think that giving too many exercises doesn’t help. I reckon you need no more than 4 maybe 5 max at any one time. Not saying your physio has done that, just in general. When an osteopath I would give 3-4 exercises and go with doing 4 days out of 7 as a minimum but not everyday. I found I got better compliance long term by reducing the demanded effort to waht that person was realistically likely to actually do. People forget or can’t fit it one or two days then feel like they’ve ‘failed’ so stop.
Although I was an osteopath exercises were a major part of how I worked.
Plenty was probably the wrong word, I started with 3, and after a couple of weeks she added a couple more.
Looking ahead a bit now, but has anyone got any views on leaving metalwork in or having a 2nd op to take it out?
When the op was first mentioned, the surgeon said that I would need a 2nd op 6-9 months later to take the plates and screws out. Just before the op he said it was 50:50 whether people left it in or not. Last week he was saying that some people want the metalwork out because they don’t like having it in and it can cause some discomfort.
I’m generally confused. As I’ve said before, I wasn’t thrilled about the idea of the first op, so I’m in no hurry to have a 2nd one if I don’t have to.
I got talking to an orthopaedic surgeon who was riding the HotChillee Alpine event last month. His specialism was ankles, so shoulders weren’t really his thing, but he couldn’t see any reason why you would need to take the plates out if the operation was successful ![]()
Mine ended up staying in for 4 years. It was wearing the skin and tissue so thin that you could see the shape of the bolt heads and plate.
I was under for a few hours as it took some major chiselling to get it out and then had quite a long rehab. I don’t recommend leaving it too long.
Broke my elbow once and it got wired back together. Had the metal work removed as soon as possible, because it was pressing on a nerve and causing considerable pain down my arm, also couldn’t straighten my arm. As soon as it was removed, pain was gone and I could straighten my arm again. I think if you don’t have any discomfort then it can probably stay in, but obviously if it’s causing you pain then you’ll want it to be removed.
I had some plates put in my maxilla (upper jaw) after a skiing accident and was happy for them to remain in as I didn’t fancy the op to remove them. But a few years after the accident I started to get tooth infections and the metal plates were thought to be the focus so after some discussion with dentist and medics I had them removed - no more infections. Wasn’t a nice op to get them out as the surgeon didn’t have the right screw bits to hand so had to despatch someone to stores to get some different ones (they were put in in France and the Brits use different screws!).
I have however kept some wire used to pin my zygomatic arch in place. No issues with that.
Yeah, if it’s causing me any bother I’ll have it straight out, but if it isn’t I’d rather not have the 2nd op.
The op was done on my work BUPA. My exit package from my current employer includes an extension on my BUPA cover through to November 2023, so I’ll need to get it done by then if I did decide to have it done privately.
If I get private medical from a new employer it’s unlikely to cover it as a pre-existing medical condition, so I’d be reliant on the NHS after that.
None of us are getting any younger & our powers of recovery are waning. Can you get a few opinions & if they need to come out I’d get them out soonest.
Perhaps run a poll here
.
I’ve got a metal plate done my thigh bone, attached to a hip screw - had a thing called a unicameral bone cyst. Almost snapped my bone from my hip it was so big. More common in the shoulder apparently. Surgeon told me a story about a climber, whom it happened to mid climb. His shoulder went!
Was told at the time that I’d eventually have an op to get it all removed - it was all inserted as structural support while the bone graft took and bone healed. But at last consultation he seemed happy that it just stayed in - more the inconvenience having it out would mean I’d be on crutches again for a month or so.
Mad time that was
Well, after 4 months out with this fibula stress fracture, I took my first very tentative steps back today. 2 miles of two minutes jogging, one minute walking. Felt ok, although any tiny feeling in my leg I got a bit anxious
Was more of a shuffle than anything else but trying to force myself to be patient and not make mistakes that set me back.
No noticeable flare up, so hopefully fine in the morning too. Going to wait 2 days then bring the walk down to 30 seconds. If that’s ok I’ll maybe take the run to 3 minutes and slowly add in an extra mile and build up to 5k jog/walk by the end of the month. Seems a sensible target?
Got to start somewhere!
Excellent news. Take it easy now and don’t get carried away!
Slowly slowly catchy monkey.
Great news, and what @gingerbongo said.
New to this thread, but I used to be an orthopod. I was going to say leave the plate, but just looked back at your Xray and it’s a hook plate. The hook is likely to cause irritation or rotator cuff damage in the medium/long term, so it should almost certainly come out - sorry!
Congrats to whoever had two weeks before the race in the sweepstake for my 2022 race curse to continue.
No obvious ‘thing’ that caused it but my left foot has decided at certain angles to not like bearing weight at the moment. I’m guessing it’s the peroneal tendon which is the bit that’s not working properly.
Pissed off doesn’t begin to tell you how I feel right now.
for you mate