Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSymptomsCausesTypesTreatmentsComplications
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Causes
Types
Treatments
Complications
The femur, also known as the thigh bone, is one of the largest and strongest bones in the body extending from the hip joint all the way down to the knee joint. Because it is so strong, it requires a significant force to break it.
What Are the Symptoms of a Broken Femur?
After a fall or blow that caused the fracture, immediate severe pain is the most common symptom, including severe pain when you put weight on the leg. You may feel it in the following:
You may also notice:
In most cases, you’ll be unable to:
What Causes a Broken Femur?
For a femur to break, excessive force needs to be applied to it. This can happen during a fall, direct blow, car accident, or other traumatic event.Older people may get a broken femur with less force applied, as bones weaken with age.
That being said, certain medical conditions can weaken the bone and make it more vulnerable to fracture. These include osteoporosis, tumors, infection, and even certain bisphosphonate medications used to treat osteoporosis. Breaks of these sorts are referred to aspathologic femur fractures. Pathological fracture of the femur is a debilitating complication in patients with advanced stages of cancer.
Types of Femur Fractures
Femur fractures are generally separated into three broad categories based on the location where they occur: proximal, shaft, or supracondylar. They can also be split into categories based on the pattern of the break.
Acompoundfracture leaves the bone exposed as the skin is torn. In anopenfemur fracture, bone fragments may stick out through the skin, as the deep wound has torn through the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. This type of break involves more damage and brings a higher risk of complications.
Proximal Femur Fractures
Proximal femur fractures, or hip fractures, involve the uppermost portion of the thigh bone just adjacent to the hip joint. These fractures are further subdivided into the following:
Femoral Shaft Fractures
A femoral shaft fracture is also called a fracture of the main body or middle of the femur.It is a severe injury that usually occurs as a result of a high-speed car collision or a fall from a great height. The treatment almost always requires surgery.
External Fixation for Fractures
Supracondylar Femur Fractures
Asupracondylarfemur fracture, also called a distal femur, is a break in the bone that occurs just above the knee joint.These fractures often involve the cartilage surface of the knee joint and are most commonly seen in people with severe osteoporosis or those who have previously undergone total knee replacement surgery.
A supracondylar femur fracture is a problematic condition as it can increase the risk of developing knee arthritis later in life.
Femar Fracture Timeline and Exercises to Speed Up Recovery
How Is a Broken Femur Treated?
A femur fracture is always considered a medical emergency requiring immediate evaluation and treatment in a hospital. The treatment is largely dependent on the location of the fracture and the pattern and extent of the break.
Full recovery from a broken femur after surgery takes anywhere from three to four months to a year.Open fractures and fractures in people who use tobacco products may take longer to heal.
During the recovery period, you will be able to meet many milestones: You’ll likely be advised to start walking and doing physical therapy as early as the day after surgery. You may be able to put your full weight on the hip several weeks after an internal fixation surgery.
Surgery
Femoral shaft and proximal femur fractures almost always require surgery, which typically occurs within 24 to 48 hours of the injury.
The most common procedure for femoral shaft fractures involves the insertion of a metal pole (known as an intramedullary rod) into the center of the thigh bone.This helps reconnect the two ends which are then secured with screws above and below the fracture. The intramedullary rod almost always remains in the bone but can be removed if needed.
Casts
The treatment of a supracondylar femur fracture is highly variable and may involve a cast or brace, an external fixator, an intramedullary rod, or the use of plates and screws. Non-surgical treatments are less common than surgery, however, because they prevent the knee from moving—and this can lead to knee stiffness and other complications.
In very young children, healthcare providers may choose to use a cast to treat a femoral shaft fracture instead of traditional surgery.
Physical Therapy
It’s important to start moving and walking after hip fracture surgery as soon as you can—you’ll likely be encouraged to start walking in the hospital on the first day after the surgery. In some cases, you may need to spend some time in a rehabilitation center after you’re discharged from the hospital.
A physical therapist will recommend the right exercises for you. They will also provide guidance on setting up a hazard-free home environment and using crutches or a walker for some time. They may recommend using a stationary bicycle or swimming in addition to your prescribed exercise routine.
What Are the Complications of a Broken Femur?
Open fractures—those where the bone gets exposed—carry a higher risk of complications.Infection is a possible complication of any femur fracture. Other possible complications include:
Femoral fracture surgery can also come with some risks. Infection is, as with the fracture itself, one of them. As with any surgery, you may also experience blood loss or a bad anesthesia reaction. Other possible complications of femoral fracture surgery include:
Summary
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Hip fractures.Boston Children’s Hospital.Broken femur (thighbone).Baptist Health.Femur fracture.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Femur shaft fractures (broken thighbone).Choy WS, Kim KJ, Lee SK, et al.Surgical treatment of pathological fractures occurring at the proximal femur. Yonsei Med J. 2015;56(2):460-5. doi:10.3349/ymj.2015.56.2.460American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Distal femur (thighbone) fractures of the knee.MedlinePlus.Hip fracture surgery.MedlinePlus.Hip fracture - discharge.Additional ReadingVon Keudell, A.; Shoji, K.; Nasr, M. et al. “Treatment Options for Distal Femur Fractures.“J Ortho Trauma.2016; 30:S25-27. DOI:10.1097/BOT.0000000000000621.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Hip fractures.Boston Children’s Hospital.Broken femur (thighbone).Baptist Health.Femur fracture.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Femur shaft fractures (broken thighbone).Choy WS, Kim KJ, Lee SK, et al.Surgical treatment of pathological fractures occurring at the proximal femur. Yonsei Med J. 2015;56(2):460-5. doi:10.3349/ymj.2015.56.2.460American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Distal femur (thighbone) fractures of the knee.MedlinePlus.Hip fracture surgery.MedlinePlus.Hip fracture - discharge.Additional ReadingVon Keudell, A.; Shoji, K.; Nasr, M. et al. “Treatment Options for Distal Femur Fractures.“J Ortho Trauma.2016; 30:S25-27. DOI:10.1097/BOT.0000000000000621.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Hip fractures.Boston Children’s Hospital.Broken femur (thighbone).Baptist Health.Femur fracture.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Femur shaft fractures (broken thighbone).Choy WS, Kim KJ, Lee SK, et al.Surgical treatment of pathological fractures occurring at the proximal femur. Yonsei Med J. 2015;56(2):460-5. doi:10.3349/ymj.2015.56.2.460American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Distal femur (thighbone) fractures of the knee.MedlinePlus.Hip fracture surgery.MedlinePlus.Hip fracture - discharge.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Hip fractures.
Boston Children’s Hospital.Broken femur (thighbone).
Baptist Health.Femur fracture.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Femur shaft fractures (broken thighbone).
Choy WS, Kim KJ, Lee SK, et al.Surgical treatment of pathological fractures occurring at the proximal femur. Yonsei Med J. 2015;56(2):460-5. doi:10.3349/ymj.2015.56.2.460
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. OrthoInfo.Distal femur (thighbone) fractures of the knee.
MedlinePlus.Hip fracture surgery.
MedlinePlus.Hip fracture - discharge.
Von Keudell, A.; Shoji, K.; Nasr, M. et al. “Treatment Options for Distal Femur Fractures.“J Ortho Trauma.2016; 30:S25-27. DOI:10.1097/BOT.0000000000000621.
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