Why is a femur fracture so obvious?
Because it takes so much force to break it , a femur fracture is usually obvious. Fractures to the other two bones in your leg can be less obvious. Symptoms of breaks in all three might include:
What is a broken leg?
Overview. A broken leg is a break or crack in one of the bones in your leg. It’s also referred to as a leg fracture. A fracture may occur in the: Femur. The femur is the bone above your knee. It’s also called the thigh bone. Tibia. Also called the shin bone, the tibia is the larger of the two bones below your knee.
How to heal a broken bone?
The primary treatment for a broken bone is to make sure the ends of the bone are properly aligned and then to immobilize the bone so it can properly heal. This starts with setting the leg. If it’s a displaced fracture, your doctor may need to maneuver the pieces of bone into the correct position.
Which bones are the longest?
Fibula. The fibula is the smaller of the two bones below your knee. It’s also called the calf bone. Your three leg bones are the longest bones in your body. The femur is the longest and strongest.
What causes a broken leg?
Causes of a broken leg. The three most common causes of a broken leg are: Trauma. A leg break could be the result of a fall, a vehicle accident, or an impact while playing sports. Overuse. Repetitive force or overuse can result in stress fractures. Osteoporosis.
How long does it take for a broken leg to heal?
What to expect during recovery from a broken leg. It could take several weeks to several months for your broken leg to heal. Your recovery time will depend on the severity of the injury and how you follow your doctor’s directions.
What is a spiral fracture?
Spiral fracture. The bone breaks a line encircling the bone, like the stripes on a barber pole. It’s usually caused by a twisting force. Comminuted fracture. The bone is broken into three or more pieces. Stable fracture. The damaged ends of the bone line up close to the position before the break.
What imaging is used to determine the extent of a fracture?
Occasionally, your doctor may also recommend more-detailed images using computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
How to treat a broken leg?
Here, doctors typically evaluate your injury and immobilize your leg with a splint. If you have a displaced fracture, your doctor may need to manipulate the pieces back into their proper positions before applying a splint — a process called reduction. Some fractures are splinted for a day to allow swelling to subside before they are casted.
Does immobilization heal broken bones?
Immobilization heals most broken bone s. However, you may need surgery to implant internal fixation devices, such as plates, rods or screws, to maintain proper position of your bones during healing. These internal fixation devices may be necessary if you have the following injuries:
What is an open fracture?
Open (compound) fracture. In this type of fracture, the skin is pierced by the broken bone. This is a serious condition that requires immediate, aggressive treatment to decrease your chance of an infection. Closed fracture. In closed fractures, the surrounding skin remains intact. Incomplete fracture.
How long does it take for a fractured leg to heal?
This device provides stability during the healing process and is usually removed after about six to eight weeks.
What is a green stick fracture?
Greenstick fracture. In this type of fracture, the bone cracks but doesn't break all the way through — like when you try to break a green stick of wood. Most broken bones in children are greenstick fractures, because a child's bones are softer and more flexible than those of an adult.
What is the best medicine for a swollen thigh?
To reduce pain and inflammation, your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or a combination of the two. If you're experiencing severe pain, your doctor might prescribe stronger pain medications.
What are the different types of fractures?
Several types of fractures can occur in your leg: 1 Stable fracture: The bone pieces are close together and not out of place. Splinting and casting is the usual treatment. 2 Displaced fracture: The bone pieces are out of position. If they can be put back into place, splinting and casting is the usual treatment. 3 Comminuted fracture: This type of fracture involves several pieces of broken bones. These pieces are hard to get back into place, so surgery is the usual treatment. 4 Open fracture: Another name for this is compound fracture. A piece of broken bone has pierced the skin, or a cut in the skin goes down to the bone. Immediate surgery is necessary.
What is the longest bone in your body?
The first is the femur, the bone in your upper leg, which is the longest bone in your body. People who fracture this bone usually need surgery. The other two bones are in your lower leg—the shinbone, or tibia, and a smaller bone, the fibula. These two bones often fracture together.
How to heal a fractured bone?
Instead, you may start with a splint to keep your fracture in the right position for the bone to heal. The splint allows some room for swelling. Loosen the splint if it gets too tight and be sure to keep it dry. After several days, your doctor may replace your splint with a cast.
What is the treatment for a fractured leg?
Several types of fractures can occur in your leg: Stable fracture: The bone pieces are close together and not out of place. Splinting and casting is the usual treatment. Displaced fracture: The bone pieces are out of position. If they can be put back into place, splinting and casting is the usual treatment.
What is compound fracture?
Open fracture: Another name for this is compound fracture. A piece of broken bone has pierced the skin, or a cut in the skin goes down to the bone.
What to do if you have a fractured leg?
Warmth, redness and tenderness in your leg. Call 911 if you have chest pain or trouble breathing. Recovery After a Lower Leg Fracture. You may need surgery if you have a fracture of your lower leg that is open, very displaced, or comminuted. The surgery usually involves metal plates or a rod placed through the bone.
What causes a numbness in the leg?
This includes infection, damage to nerves or blood vessels, and blood clots that can form in your leg and travel to your heart. Let your doctor know right away if you experience any of the following: Coldness or numbness in your leg. Fever or chills. Pain that is not controlled by your pain medication.
What are the bones that run parallel to each other?
The lower leg houses two long bones that run parallel to each other. The tibia is your large shinbone and runs on the inside of your lower leg. The fibula is a smaller bone that runs along the outside of the lower leg. The ends of these two bones form the bony bumps on either side of your ankle. Advertisement.
How to recover from a broken leg?
A broken leg can significantly impact your ability to perform daily tasks, such as walking and driving. Rehab is often performed through physical therapy for a broken tibia and fibula to restore range of motion, strength and functional mobility.
Who is Andra Picincu?
Andra Picincu is a certified nutritionist and personal trainer with more than 10 years of experience. She holds a BA in Psychology and a BA in Marketing and International Business. Her mission is to help people live healthier lives by making smarter food choices and staying active. In her daily life, Ms. Picincu provides digital marketing consulting and copywriting services as well as nutrition counseling. She owns ShapeYourEnergy, a popular health and fitness website. In 2014, she launched a local nutrition office and partnered up with local gyms to help their clients take the steps needed to better health. Current and former clients include The HOTH, Nutracelle, CLICK - The Coffee Lover's Protein Drink, InstaCuppa, GritWell, Old School Labs, and more. Mr. Picincu is a regular contributor to these platforms where she provides either health-related content or coaching to those who are interested in achieving a balanced lifestyle.
Can you cast a fractured fibula?
Fractures of the tibia or fibula require a period of immobilization to allow the bone to heal. This can be accomplished with a cast or removable brace, depending on the severity of your injury.
What nerves are in the lower leg?
The lower leg also contains important nerves and blood vessels. The common peroneal nerve wraps around the top end of the fibula and can be damaged with fibula fractures. If your lower leg fracture breaks the skin, damage to large arteries in the area can also cause significant blood loss. Advertisement.
How long does it take to recover from a broken tibia?
Most of the time, you won't be able to apply weight to the injured leg for at least four weeks.
What nerve runs along the back of the leg?
The common peroneal nerve is a branch of the large sciatic nerve that runs along the back of your leg. Fibula fractures that occur close to the knee joint can also damage this nerve. Nerve injuries are diagnosed with electromyography, or measuring electrical signals in a muscle, and with nerve conduction tests, which assess how long it takes for electrical messages to travel along a nerve.
What can a physical therapist do for a broken bone?
Your physical therapist can help you regain normal range of motion, strength, and functional mobility after a fracture. So what do physical therapy and rehab entail after a fracture?
How long does it take for a fracture to heal?
In general, a fracture should be healed by about eight weeks. 8  Your rehab timeline will depend on the type of fracture, your age, and other factors. Your physical therapist should be able to give you an idea of how long your rehab program is expected to last.
Can you put weight on your leg after a fracture?
After a lower extremity fracture, your doctor may limit the amount of weight you can put on your leg.
What happens after a broken bone?
After a fracture, your bone will be set, or reduced, by a doctor. Reduction of the bone can be done manually.
Can you travel after a fracture?
When you have recovered enough to travel from your home, your doctor may refer you to a physical therapy clinic to help with restoring normal function after your fracture. Usually, this occurs after the cast has been removed and you can start mobilizing the area around the fracture. You may still have to follow weight-bearing precautions or lifting restrictions at this point, so be sure to consult with your doctor so you understand what your limitations are. 6 
What is the procedure called when you have a fractured bone?
For more serious fractures, a surgical procedure called an open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) may be necessary to make sure that all the bone pieces are in the correct place and healing can occur. 1 . Often after fracture, the bone needs to be stabilized or immobilized to ensure proper healing. This is usually accomplished using a cast.
Is a fracture permanent?
A fracture can be painful and can lead to significant functional loss and disability. Depending on the severity of the injury, the loss may be temporary or permanent. Working to gain mobility and strength after a fracture should be your main goal after a fracture.
How to treat a hip injury?
Physical therapy can be helpful by addressing the following issues after injury or surgery: 1 Reduction in pain levels by using heat or ice therapy 2 Resuming motion in the hip, leg and back with exercise and stretching 3 Improving strength with exercise to tone and firm muscles 4 Stabilizing balance using weights, resistance bands or other devices 5 Regaining walking ability 6 Speed up healing 7 Return to daily activities by deciding on recovery goals and the safest methods to achieve them 8 Prevent future re-injury by engineering a home exercise program to strengthen and stretch muscles around the injured area
Why does my femur break?
Because the femur is so strong, it often takes a lot of force to break it. The cause is usually some type of high energy collisions such as a car or motorcycle accident. A severe sports injury could also have the effect for athletes of young people.
How long does it take to recover from a femur fracture?
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.
What is external fixation?
External fixation requires metal screws or pins to be placed into the bone. For patients who need temporary stability before the final surgery, this can add to the recovery times. Intramedullary nailing means inserting a specially designed metal rod to keep the nail and bone in proper position during healing.
How to treat a broken leg?
While you make your way to A&E or wait for an ambulance: 1 avoid moving the injured leg as much as possible – keep it straight and put a cushion or clothing underneath to support it 2 do not try to realign any bones that are out of place 3 cover any open wounds with a sterile dressing, a clean cloth or a clean item of clothing – maintain direct pressure on the wound if it keeps bleeding
What is the purpose of an external fixator?
Sometimes an external frame (external fixator) is attached to the broken bones with metal pins to help keep them in place. This is removed once the fracture has healed. After surgery, a plaster cast may be applied to protect the leg.
How long does it take for a broken leg to heal?
You'll be given advice by your doctor about how much you should move your leg and when you can put weight on it. It takes around 6 to 8 weeks for a minor fracture to heal. You'll probably need to use crutches or a wheelchair during this time, until it's possible to put weight on the leg again.
Can you drive while in a cast?
Follow the advice of your doctor, who'll probably recommend gradually increasing how much you use your leg over time. You should not drive while in a cast.
What is compartment syndrome?
Compartment syndrome is a painful and potentially serious condition caused by bleeding or swelling within a bundle of muscles. This can occur soon after a fracture, after the plaster cast has been applied, or after surgery. Emergency surgery will usually be needed to relieve the build-up of pressure in your leg.
How long does it take for a fractured bone to heal?
More severe fractures can take between 3 and 6 months to fully heal. Some can take even longer. The hospital may recommend regular physiotherapy appointments to help you maintain or regain muscle strength, movement and flexibility. This will include specific exercises to do before and after the cast is removed.
Is it more serious to break a bone than to break it?
Some broken bones are more serious than others – it depends on the location of the fracture, how the bone has broken, and whether there's any damage to the surrounding tissue.
What is a broken ankle?
A broken ankle, also known as an ankle fracture, is one of the most common lower leg injuries. It can be very painful and needs to be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible because it may need treatment to heal properly. Walking on a broken ankle can make the injury worse so if in doubt, get it checked out.
Can you walk on a broken ankle?
Walking on a broken ankle can make the injury worse so if in doubt, get it checked out. Our guide covers the main causes and symptoms of a broken ankle, treatment options and recovery tips, and when to start walking after a broken ankle. It also answers some of the most commonly asked questions about this injury.
What is the most common fracture of the ankle?
Any one of these bones can break. However, the most common ankle fracture is known as lateral malleolus, which occurs in the fibula, just above the ankle joint. This accounts for around 55% of all ankle fractures (2). Any one of these bones can break.
How to tell if your ankle is broken?
The most common symptom of a broken ankle is pain, which is usually immediate and intense. The pain may radiate up and down your leg and even down into your foot. Other symptoms of an ankle fracture or break are: Swelling at the ankle joint. Bruising, redness, or discoloration of any part of your lower leg.
Which bone is the thickest?
The tibia and fibula are the two long bones that run from your knee down to your ankle. The tibia, also known as the shinbone, is the weight-bearing bone and is the thicker and larger of the two. The fibula, or calf-bone, runs parallel and helps to stabilize the tibia.
Can you use crutches after ankle surgery?
Traditional crutches are easy to get hold of and relatively inexpensive. Many people use crutches after ankle surgery or while recovering from an ankle fracture. However, they are tiring to use and can cause pain in other parts of your body, particularly your arms and hands.
What is the best way to diagnose ankle fractures?
The most commonly used imaging technique, X-rays can diagnose most ankle fractures. They will also determine the severity of the ankle fracture and whether there are any additional fractures in your leg or foot.
