After a year, still with constant pain under knee and on side where plate was, whenever I walked or put pressure on - I had hardware removed. It has been one month and the pain under knee and on side of leg are totally gone. There is a very slight (not constant) pain where fracture was, but I am doing lite strengthening exercises every day and it is better every day. I do recommend getting the hardware removed. The screws move around eventually and cause a lot of pain. If I had to do this over again, I would never put hardware in - never. It is better to do it the old fashioned way and keep leg in traction or even possibly in a cast. This hardware procedure is NOT the answer.