About this topic
The femur bone is the bone from the hip to the knee. It is the longest and strongest bone in the body. It is also known as the thigh bone. A femur fracture is a break in the thigh bone. ‚
Treatment will depend on where the break is. It also depends on the type of break and whether or not other tissue is injured. Sometimes, a femur fracture can be treated with a cast or brace. Other times, you may need surgery. The doctor may need to place metal rods, screws, or plates to make your bone stable. ‚
Sometimes, your femur may break up near your hip. Other times, it breaks lower in your leg. There are different kinds of breaks that may happen: ‚
- The broken bones are lined up like they should be and stay in place. This is a nondisplaced or stable fracture.
- The broken bones are apart and do not line up like they should. This is a displaced fracture. This type often needs surgery.
- The bone is broken straight across. This is a transverse fracture.
- The bone is broken at an angle. This is an oblique fracture.
- This break happens when the bone is twisted. This is a spiral fracture.
- The broken bone is broken into 3 or more pieces. This is called a comminuted fracture.
- The broken bone is poking through the skin. This is an open fracture.
- The broken bone does not go through the skin. This is a closed fracture.
- This type of fracture is a tiny crack in the bone most often caused by repeat use. This is a stress fracture.
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What are the causes?
You may have a direct blow to the upper leg from a car crash or fall. Other times, this injury is caused by something hitting your leg. Some breaks are caused by a sports injury like running into another player. Stress fractures can be caused by doing repeat impact activities such as distance running. Falling can also cause a break, especially if you are older or have weak bones. ‚
What can make this more likely to happen?
- Playing contact sports
- Older age
- A health problem where your bones become weak called osteoporosis
- Health problems such as infection or cancer in the bones
What are the main signs?
- Very bad pain
- Thigh may look deformed
- Not able to stand on the leg or move it
- Bone may be sticking out under or through the skin
- Bruising or bleeding
- Numbness or tingling down the leg
- Swelling
- Muscle spasms in the thigh
How does the doctor diagnose this health problem?
Your doctor will feel around your leg. Your doctor may also have you move your leg and foot in certain ways to check your motion and strength. Your doctor may also check to see if there is any numbness in the leg or foot. The doctor may order: ‚
How does the doctor treat this health problem?
The doctor will look at a few things to decide if you need surgery: ‚
- Type of break
- Overall health
- Your age
- How active you are
- How much other damage has been done
There are two types of surgery to fix a broken bone: ‚
- Using rods, nails, plates, wires, pins, or screws to put the bone back together. This is called internal fixation.
- Using a metal frame outside the skin. The frame is attached to plates and screws above and below the break. This is called external fixation.
Whether or not you have surgery, the doctor may suggest: ‚
- Rest
- Ice
- Cast, splint, or brace
- Keeping the leg raised
- Crutches or walker to take the pressure off your injured leg
- Exercises
- Physical therapy (PT)
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Help with pain and swelling
- Fight an infection
- Ease muscle spasms
- Prevent blood clots
Will there be any other care needed?
There are a few nerves and blood vessels around the femur. If these are damaged when the femur breaks, they will also need to be fixed. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Damage to nerves and blood vessels
- Bleeding
- Weakness in the leg
- Pain
- Bone does not heal well
- Infection
- Blood clots
What can be done to prevent this health problem?
- Always wear a seat belt. Drive safely. Obey speed limits. Do not drink and drive.
- Stay active and work out to keep your muscles strong and flexible.
- Warm up slowly and stretch before you work out. Use good ways to train, such as slowly adding to how far you run. Do not work out if you are overly tired. Take extra care if working out in cold weather.
- Keep a healthy weight so there is not extra stress on your joints. Eat a healthy diet with calcium and vitamin D to keep your bones healthy.
- Wear the right equipment when playing sports.
- Be careful when doing activities that may put you at risk for bone injury. These may include sports, falls, or accidents.
- Prevent falls by not standing on chairs or other unstable things. Remove throw rugs and electric cords from floor areas.
- If you have osteoporosis, talk to your doctor about the drugs you may be able to take.
Where can I learn more?
American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons ‚
http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00521 ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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