Tibial Plateau Fracture?

A tibial plateau fracture occurs at the top of the shin bone, and involves the cartilage surface of the knee joint. Because these fractures occur around the knee joint, they must be treated differently than the tibial shaft fractures discussed previously.

When a fracture occurs into or around a joint surface, that joint is at high risk of developing arthritis due to the injury. Unfortunately, even if the bone and cartilage surfaces are lined up perfectly, there is still a risk of developing arthritis due to injury to the cartilage cells.

Treatment:

Non-displaced fractures are cracks in the bone seen on x-ray, but with the bones remaining in their proper position and alignment. Most non-displaced fractures of the tibial plateau can be treated without surgery, but they usually require an extended period (about 3 months) of protection from walking.

Recovery:

Recovery from a tibial plateau fracture can take several months. Because the cartilage surface of the joint is involved, the knee must be protected from weight until the fracture has healed. Most commonly patients will be allowed to move the knee joint, but not put weight on the leg for about three months. The exact length of time of limitations will vary on the fracture type and the amount of healing that takes place.

Sounds like his season’s over (as if we didn’t really know) and it looks like he might have some issues starting next season on time. Especially if there’s any setbacks at all.