There is no exact time limit for how soon a tibia fracture can cause traumatic arthritis, it is related to the prognosis after the fracture and it is possible to avoid traumatic arthritis with relatively good post-fracture management.
Traumatic arthritis is caused by trauma to the articular cartilage from a variety of causes. After a tibial plateau fracture, if the fracture is well aligned and the articular surface is flat, traumatic arthritis does not occur.
If the articular surface of the tibial plateau fracture is uneven and there is no effective recovery, cartilage degradation will occur after the fracture heals, and damage to the cartilage will result in traumatic arthritis of the joint.
Traumatic arthritis causes pain, stiffness and enlargement of the diseased joint. If in the acute stage, need to prevent the displacement of the fracture and soft tissue damage aggravation, can be through the brace, plaster and other braking, to reduce the joint swelling, the more serious injuries must be surgical treatment when necessary. Therefore, it is recommended that patients undergo standardized treatment as soon as possible after the fracture, in order to reduce the adverse effects of the disease.