Most distal femur fractures are treated with surgery. The broken bone will take
a minimum of 2 months
to heal. Some can take more than 6 months to heal.
Can a distal femur fracture heal without surgery?
Very few distal femur fracture patterns and types do not need surgery for the bone to heal
. This is because the strength of muscles that pull on the bones trying to pull them apart. Small breaks or those with good overall alignment often can be treated without an operation.
How long before you can walk after broken femur?
Full recovery from a femur fracture can take anywhere from
12 weeks to 12 months
. But you are not alone. Most people experiencing a femur fracture can begin walking with the help of a physical therapist in the first day or two after injury and/or surgery.
Can a femur fracture heal in 4 weeks?
Most femoral fractures take about
4 to 6 months
to heal completely, but you should be able to resume many activities before this time.
What is the recovery time of the femur bone?
Most femoral shaft fractures take
3 to 6 months
to completely heal. Some take even longer, especially if the fracture was open or broken into several pieces or if the patient uses tobacco products.
What is the fastest way to heal a broken femur?
- Fracture management – Including closed reduction (bone alignment through manipulation or traction), immobilization (using a splint or cast) and rehabilitation (physical therapy)
- Physical therapy – To regain strength and normal function in the affected area.
How do you fix a distal femur fracture?
- Skeletal traction. Skeletal traction is a pulley system of weights and counterweights that holds the broken pieces of bone together. …
- Casting and bracing. Casts and braces hold the bones in place while they heal.
Can I sit after femur surgery?
You will probably have to use crutches or a walker for at least 4 to 6 weeks. After that, you may need to use a cane to help you walk.
Do not sit for longer than 30 to 45 minutes at a time
. When you sit, use chairs with arms, and don’t sit in low chairs.
Is breaking your femur the worst pain?
1. Broken Femur. The femur is considered the longest, largest and strongest bone in the human body. So, when a bone of this size and strength is literally snapped in two, the
pain is not only immediately agonizing
, but also prolonged over a long period of time.
What are the long term effects of a broken femur?
Long-term symptoms after fracture include
muscular weakness, limited standing and walking, gait abnormalities, some intermittent pain, and inability to return to preinjury work
. Surgical management is rarely needed to treat femoral stress fractures; however, surgical stabilization is recommended for recalcitrant cases.
What slows down bone healing?
A wide variety of factors can slow down the healing process. These include:
Movement of the bone fragments
; weightbearing too soon. Smoking, which constricts the blood vessels and decreases circulation.
How serious is a femur fracture?
A fractured femur is an emergency that
can in some cases be life threatening
. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms including: Confusion or loss of consciousness for even a brief moment.
How long do you stay in the hospital after femur surgery?
Treatment methods included intramedullary nailing, open reduction and internal fixation, arthroplasty or other definitive fixation of femur fracture. Investigators used hospital length of stay as the primary outcome measure. Results showed patients had a median length of stay
of 6.43 days
.
Can you walk on a fractured femur?
Sometimes, a really bad complete fracture will not be able to carry weight or otherwise function properly. Most of the time, however, fractures can indeed support weight.
The patient can probably even walk on a broken leg
—it just hurts like the dickens.
How do you sleep with a broken femur?
Avoid sleeping on the fractured hip or on your stomach. We recommend that you sleep on your back with your legs slightly apart or on your side
(the uninjured side) with a pillow between your knees
. We usually recommend you do this for about 6 weeks. Ask your doctor when it is safe for you to stop using a pillow.
