Femur Fracture

Femur is the strongest and the longest bone located in thigh region. It has a long shaft, neck and a head that gets fixed in hip bone. The parts of bone are important in fractures.

The shaft is most commonly fractured because of its length and is more vulnerable to external forces and collisions during accidents. The neck of femur is also another weak point of femur, and in case of any blow to the hip region, it can be fractured.

 

CAUSES

• The most common reason for broken femurs is vehicular accidents that cause a high energy collision.

• Falling from some height is also an important cause of fractures.

• Age is also another risk factor as older people are at risk for fractures as their bones are weak. Children have soft bones and have a tendency to fractures as compared with adults.

• Falling of some object on femur, like a stone, can also result in fracture of femur.

 

DIAGNOSIS

After having some trauma, people usually know about the fracture. A complete medical history and physical examination of thigh region can help to locate the fracture. Imaging techniques such as x-rays are used to confirm the diagnosis. MRI and CT scan may be needed in case of complicated fractures.

 

SYMPTOMS

Symptoms are pain in thigh region along with inability to walk properly. There is swelling, tenderness and redness at the fracture site usually. Pain is severe and patient is unable to stand owing to femur fracture.

 

TREATMENT

Hair line or minor fractures usually get healed automatically without requiring medical assistance.

Cast can be applied in cases of moderately severe fractures when there is some considerable break in bone.

However, surgical procedure is usually needed to fix the femur in correct position because the femur fractures are severe most commonly.