Looking for help/advice on IM Nail recovery

[Harleywood]

Hi Everyone,
I'm not sure if I'm posting in the correct forum or not but am hoping y'all will tell me if I need to move this.

I'm hoping to get some guidance on an injury I've been dealing with for a while. Feb 4/06 a horse stepped on my right leg, snapping my tib & fib in half. After waiting at home in a plaster cast for 8 days, they finally put an IM nail in the tibia. I was 9 (0r 14 can't remember) weeks non-weight bearing, then on a cane for 6 weeks, and did physio etc for several months.

I have been getting weekly acupuncture and massage treatments since as well as ultrasound when needed.

My problem is that I'm still in quite a lot of pain both from around the break, up my shin, and the lower "hemisphere" (don't know the proper term) of my knee, especially on the inside. I have tried to take it easy in terms of riding but am tired of being in pain all the time. I really want to get back to riding and would like to train to barrel race competitively this year, but right now (even with a very light riding winter) I am so uncomfortable when I ride serious training is out of the question.

Various things still aggravate my leg - walking in snow, mud or on sand is painful. A 'jar', trip or stumble are still incredibly painful. Sometimes I get a "vice-like" feeling around the break that will actually wake me up at night.

It's been two years now and I really thought I would be pain-free (or closer) by now. I have pretty much plateaued in terms of my progress with the occasional back-slide due to an incident or something.

I don't know if I should go back & see my orthopeadic surgeon, or who I should see, or a co-worker today suggested the Sports Injury hospital in Hamilton, ON had helped him.

Any ideas about where to go, who to ask & what to expect? I don't want to live my life in this much pain - I'm miserable.
Thanks so much for any input/help!
Erica

[Heidi]

Hi, I would recommend going back to your Dr, at least as your first point of call to see what he/she can do for you. If no luck then yes, somewhere like a sports injury hospital should be able to help also.
2 years following a break it shouldn't still be painful on a daily basis especially sharp sudden pains.

Good luck

Heidi

[Harleywood]

thanks Heidi - the call has been made! Hopefully I'll get somewhere.
Erica