When the femur breaks, it takes a long time to heal. You have to repeat 10 times on each leg. It is also called the thigh bone. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Hold for one second, then return to the starting position and rest. In most cases, you will need to attend physical therapy visits two to three times per week for up to three months. Healing takes some time soon after a femur surgery and the normal time taken for healing could extend up to one year or for some cases it could be more than one year. Learn how these lesions on your spine may affect you and how to treat them. Most femoral fractures take four to six months to completely heal. If you have a broken femur, you need to have surgery within 24 to 48 hours to realign it. During your recovery, walking and standing for long periods of time will be difficult at first. It is normal to have some pain for 2 to 3 weeks after surgery and mild pain for up to 6 weeks. Remove loose cords, wires, and rugs from the areas where you usually walk. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. The one-time Calvin Klein jeans model, who broke her femur in February, opened up about her struggle to walk . Which usually takes around 3 weeks to 2 two months. The femur bone is also known as the thighbone located in your thighs and it is one of the largest bones inside the human body. Hip replacements are treated with physical therapy and surgery. Running can be done after 3 weeks then gradual return to usual training regimen. During this procedure, the broken bones are placed into place and are left to heal. During recovery from a femur fracture, you will need crutches or a walker to help support your body weight and limit the pressure on your leg when walking. Femur shaft fractures (broken thighbone). ", Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow, http://www.childrenshospital.org/conditions-and-treatments/conditions/b/broken-femur-thigh-bone, https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/broken-leg/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20370416, https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/tibiafibula-fracture-open-reduction-and-internal-fixation, https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/managing-pain-with-medications/, https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000166.htm, https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/aftercareinformation/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=zy1646, https://www.choosept.com/guide/physical-therapy-guide-femur-fracture, https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/recovery/total-hip-replacement-exercise-guide/, https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/5-ways-to-boost-bone-strength-early, https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/bone-health/exercise/exercise-your-bone-health, http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=A00521, http://orthopedics.about.com/od/brokenbones/a/femur.htm, http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/90779-followup#a2650, http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248423.php, http://blog.gameready.com/blog/bid/292749/Recovering-from-an-Injury-Five-Ways-Compression-Therapy-Can-Help, Einen gebrochenen Oberschenkelknochen behandeln. What Causes Inflammation? (Answer Inside!). Health care practitioners do not encourage intake of this drug for the first 48 hours of injury, to let the body follow its natural course of healing. You can use a walker within the first 48 hours after surgery to speed up the healing of your leg. The most common types are: Because the femur is such a strong bone, a broken femur (excluding hip fractures) is rare. This will make sure that proper tightening is accomplished. For stress fractures of the femur, bone healing usually takes up to six weeks before the patient is allowed to resume activities. Surgery is a major cause for blood clots (" deep vein thrombosis "). Muscles that move the leg. A physical therapist can help the patient walk using crutches or a walker, or they may be able to use a wheelchair. Rest, then repeat for a total of three sets of 10 repetitions. In this surgery, your surgeon made a cut to the skin to align your broken bone. Pins are generally used when joints are not involved. Your pain levels and ability to walk will typically improve well after one month of being able to put weight on your leg after surgery. By Kristen Gasnick, PT, DPT Physical therapy treatments focus on improving range of motion without putting excessive strain on the healing bone or ligaments. If you have broken your femur, there are few things you can do to get yourself on the road to recovery, starting with surgery. However, most people will fully recover in three to 12 months. Repeat this 10 to 20 times provided that there is no pain increase. If surgery is required, the surgeon will remove the damaged bone and replace it with bone from another part of the body. How long after femur surgery can I bend my knee? During this time, the body develops cartilage and . Then step down backward with the uninjured leg first, followed by the injured leg. Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates. How Long After Femur Surgery Can You Walk? Causes of groin pain after surgery include Inguinal hernias, low back nerve irritation, infection, loose implant, pelvic fracture, and Iliopsoas Tendonitis. Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is usually the drug of choice. 12 hours after the accident which left me with a 11x420mm Stryker titanium rod inside the right femur. Dr. Leonardo Interactive Webservices, LLC. Knee bending will increase with time and exercises. The most important phase of healing is the maturation process. The postoperative rehabilitation is as important as the initial surgery. In most cases, the orthopedic surgeon realigns the fracture using fluoroscopy or X-ray imaging as a guide and immobilizes the leg in a type of cast called spica cast. A femur fracture is a crack, break or crush injury to the thigh bone. (2014, May 16). Antibiotics are a prophylactic therapy done for as long as pins and rods are inside your body. Proper setting is required and if the femur bone is not set properly then there could be a chance that the leg could become shorter than the other one. A narrow locking compression plate was fixed after contouring according to the shape of the proximal femur. Injury can happen due to several types of trauma and there could be two or more than two pieces. How Long After Femur Surgery Can You Walk? Rehabilitation after femur fracture surgery is often a slow and cautious process. All Rights Reserved. Your doctors may see signs of healing on x-rays about 6 weeks after surgery, but it normally takes 3 months or more for the femur to fully heal. You will be instructed how to get in and out of chairs and on and off the toilet without standing on your injured leg. Before starting any exercise routine, consult with your healthcare provider and/or physical therapist first, especially if you're recovering from surgery. Hold for three seconds, then bring your knees back together. Are there any complications with broken femurs? These muscles support and stabilize your legs when walking, climbing stairs, and standing up. For patients who are unable to stand or walk after a femoral stress fracture, surgical stabilization is recommended. I was not limping and now every time I get up to walk, I limp for the first few steps. Surgery for a broken femur can last up to three or four hours. Healthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical associations. Other things like physical fitness and your age will also have some effect on the healing process. A broken femur is a serious injury that requires immediate medical care. A physical therapist will help the patient to walk safely using crutches or a walker, or other assistive device. "Patients with severe hip osteoarthritis may develop a gait abnormality, known as Trendelenburg gait, due to weakness in the hip abductor muscles. Place your foot up the bed towards you. "I fell at home and broke my femur 5 weeks ago. What are the long-term effects of a broken femur? Treatment is available and with the help of bed rest for about 12 weeks one will be able to heal themselves and then they could indulge in physical activities. The most common surgery for a broken femur is called intramedullary nailing. Femoral fractures can occur at any time in your life, but they are most common in the first few years after menopause. This holds it together while the fracture heals. Lean your body forward, so your nose is aligned with your toes. Then, 2 weeks hospital care, then home recovery. Progressive strengthening of all lower extremity musculature is. Your knee should completely straighten/extend by the end of 7-10 days post-surgery. A femur break can make your leg shorter if your femur heals in a shortened position, especially if it was broken in several places. Long-term symptoms after fracture include muscular weakness, limited standing and walking, gait abnormalities, some intermittent pain, and inability to return to preinjury work. If the femur fracture does not require surgery, it is often treated with a cast or removable brace, and patients are typically advised not to put any weight on the leg for about 8 weeks. The cost of your physical therapy visits will depend on your individual coverage. Slowly lower back to the starting position after holding this for 5 seconds. 3 How many hours does femur surgery take? Metal plates and screws will reduce the risk of further complications from occurring due to displacement. The patient may not be able to bear weight on the leg for up to 12 weeks. These fractures are often associated with polytrauma and can be life-threatening. Most people have a busy life and this is one of the reasons why they cannot stay inside their house not more than a single day. Inter-medullary nailing is the treatment of choice. Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals, {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/d\/d0\/Treat-a-Broken-Femur-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Treat-a-Broken-Femur-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/d\/d0\/Treat-a-Broken-Femur-Step-1.jpg\/aid4829464-v4-728px-Treat-a-Broken-Femur-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":546,"licensing":"