
A femur fracture is a crack, break or crush injury to the thigh bone. Smaller, simpler fractures of the femur do not typically require surgery. However, others that completely break the bone, cause the bone to be crushed or displaced need immediate surgery.
Symptoms of a femur fracture
A fracture in the thigh bone can bring about the following symptoms:
Diagnosing the condition
This is a serious injury that is usually diagnosed by a physician. The physician will look for symptoms of a fracture mentioned above along with the help of an X-ray or CT scan.
Based on the nature of the injury, treatment may involve immediate admission to the hospital for surgery or extensive treatment in a rehabilitation facility.
Recovery times
Because the femur is so strong, it often takes a lot of force to break it.
Most people who receive specialized treatment for a femur fracture are admitted in a long-term nursing or rehabilitation facility.
Full recovery can take anywhere from 12 weeks to 12 months. Yet, many patients can start walking much earlier with the help of a physical therapist.
In case of surgery, recovery times can vary based on the following considerations:
How is physical therapy helpful?
Physical therapists design individual treatment plans for every patient. The program is devised to limit broken femur complications and includes exercises that help the patients resume a normal level of activity.
Physical therapy can be helpful by addressing the following issues after injury or surgery: