What are the treatment options for tibial plateau fracture?

The tibial plateau is the upper surface of the shin bone that helps form the knee joint. A break here can affect the smooth joint surface and the way the leg carries weight. An orthopaedic assessment and imaging help determine whether the pieces remain suitably aligned. A stable injury may be managed with a brace, restricted weight-bearing, and repeat checks. A displaced or joint-involving injury may need fixation with plates, screws, or other hardware.

Keep weight off the injured leg as instructed and use crutches or a frame safely. Elevation and cold packs wrapped in cloth can help with swelling. Pain medicines should be selected with a clinician, especially if you have kidney, stomach, bleeding, or pregnancy concerns. If surgery is advised, [Fracture Fixation Surgery](/treatments/trauma-and-fracture-care/fracture-fixation-surgery/) stabilises the bone so the knee can be aligned while it heals. [Post-Operative Rehabilitation](/treatments/physiotherapy-and-rehabilitation/post-operative-rehabilitation/) then works on movement, strength, walking, and a gradual return to activity.

Seek urgent help for a foot that becomes cold, pale, blue, numb, or increasingly weak; severe pain that is not settling; rapidly increasing swelling; or an open wound near the fracture. Sudden calf swelling, chest pain, or breathlessness also needs immediate assessment.

Ask whether the fracture enters the knee joint, how long weight-bearing will be restricted, what signs should prompt an earlier review, and when knee movement and physiotherapy can begin.