Dr. Mark will be fixing an old non-union in my left clavicle next Tuesday using a hook plate and upper tibial bone grafts. I've been through two such surgeries in the past that both failed (one traumatically) but they never used a plate or took any autologous bone before. My question is to all of you who have been through this particular grafting:

How long does it take to recover from the tibial donor site pain so that you can go back to running or at least a brisk walk?

I don't expect the shoulder will be too happy with me trying that for the first two weeks, but once I'm off pain meds, I'd like to know how soon I can get on the treadmill.

Also, what did you do to relieve discomfort at the donor site - ice? heat? elevation? meds?

Thanks in advance.

For the first week or so I iced the tibial site as much as possible. It also helped alot to put an ace bandage on it (not too tight) for some compression. I don't much care for pain meds, so i only used a very very small amount at night to sleep.

I was able to do non-impact exercise immediately (bicycling, elliptical, etc...). I don't much care for running, so I didn't even try to do that, but I was pedaling my bike to work again within a week or so (16 miles each way).

Dr mark had me on the stationary bike the morning after surgery.

Dr Mark will tell you this varies considerably from patient to patient. My experience is that the tibia pain makes you forget all about the clavicle. :eek:

Dr Mark did my right clavicle in 3/08 and my left in 9/09.

The tibia pain was not constant, but more shooting at somewhat unpredictable times. It was only painful when walking or cycling. The 2nd one was worse than the 1st, I think because he took a little extra material out on that one. That one was excruciating for a couple days!

After a few days it was not bad. In about a week I was swapping my platforms back to clipless on the cycle in my trainer. I was permitted to cycle on-road after 11 days on the 1st one and there was no significant discomfort.

Since I don't run anymore, I can't say on that, but I seem to recall just some dull aching at times after less than week and no worries about walking.

Dr Mark and Ed will give you all the info you will need and promptly answer all of your questions before and after your surgery. The Sanders Clinic is a well-oiled machine.

I remember when we harvested those iliac crest grafts. I knew that the patient was going to have pain from that site. Make the incision, dissect down to the iliac crest, take a hammer and a chisel and ensure that you're lined up at the proper angle and swing away.

I've conversed with Dr Mark on this forum before and he's amazed me with how far the technology has come but more importantly how far the knowledge base of these leading edge docs has come since I worked in the OR back in the early and mid '70s.

I'd love to stand outside the sterile field and watch a few procedures these days. Arthroscopy to repair meniscal tears instead of an open knee...

:ride: