Can you walk with a distal femur fracture?

Distal femur fractures hurt a lot when you try to move your leg or your knee joint. You usually can’t walk on the leg. You may see or feel a bump where the bone is broken, and your injured leg may appear shorter than the other. When you see a doctor, they will take x-rays to see if your bone is broken.

How can you tell if you fractured your femur?

Symptoms of a fractured femur can include severe pain, bleeding, deformity of the leg, tissue swelling, and being unable to move your leg. Blood loss can be severe and may lead to hypovolemic shock. In some cases, bone fragments may protrude from the skin.

Does a fractured femur hurt?

A femoral shaft fracture usually causes immediate, severe pain. You will not be able to put weight on the injured leg, and it may look deformed—shorter than the other leg and no longer straight.

How long does it take for a broken femur to stop hurting?

At some point, you may need physical therapy to restore strength and flexibility to your muscles. Doing your exercises as prescribed can improve your chances for a full recovery. Most femoral fractures take about 4 to 6 months to heal completely, but you should be able to resume many activities before this time.

How do you walk after a broken femur?

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. A physical therapist will help the patient to walk safely using crutches or a walker, or other assistive device.

What does a hairline fracture femur feel like?

What are the symptoms of a hairline fracture? The most common symptom of a hairline fracture is pain. This pain can gradually get worse over time, especially if you don’t stop weight-bearing activity. Pain is usually worse during activity and lessens during rest.

How do you sleep with a broken femur?

Invest in a specialized pillow, like a body pillow, for elevation—keeping the broken bone above your heart prevents blood from pooling and causing swelling. Try sleeping on your back first while propped up on a few pillows.

How much force does it take to break a femur?

One cubic inch of bone can withstand the weight of five standard pickup trucks, give or take a few pounds. If you’re looking for the specifics to snap a piece of your skeleton, it takes about 4,000 newtons of force to break the typical human femur.

Can you break your femur and not know?

A broken thighbone (femur) — the strongest bone in your body — usually is obvious because it takes so much force to break. But fractures of your shinbone (tibia) — the major weight-bearing bone in your lower leg — and the bone that runs alongside your tibia below your knee (fibula) may be more subtle.

Can you walk with a femoral neck stress fracture?

Regardless of the grading all patients with a FNSF should cease all impact activities (running and jumping sports) for a minimum of 6 weeks. If there is any pain with walking, standing or the development of night pain, crutches will be required for a minimum of 3 weeks.

Can you have a stress fracture in your femur?

Stress Fractures of the Femur can be caused by disease, poor nutrition, osteoporosis and overuse. If you have a Stress Fracture of the Femur, the common symptoms can include: Deep thigh or groin pain.

Can you walk on a hairline fracture?

Doctors do not recommend walking when you have a stress fracture because it may reopen the partially healed fracture, and you may have to begin the recovery process again. Although you can walk, doctors would recommend staying away from hard surfaces and not walking long distances.

How do you tell if a bone is fractured or sprained?

If you can walk with soreness, it is unlikely that it is broken. Is there significant swelling? If the injured area experiences immediate and severe swelling, that could be a sign of a broken bone or fracture. However, if the swelling is mild and develops gradually, it is likely a sprain or strain.

What does a cracked bone feel like?

If you’ve broken a bone: you may hear or feel a snap or a grinding noise as the injury happens. there may be swelling, bruising or tenderness around the injured area. you may feel pain when you put weight on the injury, touch it, press it, or move it.

How does a walking boot help a stress fracture?

Using a stress fracture foot treatment boot can reduce stress on the foot and ankle and lower the chance of additional injury setting back one’s recovery. A period of rest and orthotic usage can give the weight bearing bones and their supporting tissues a chance to heal.

Do you need a cast for a stress fracture?

Sometimes a stress fracture will need a cast, splint, or brace. Rarely, surgery is needed. If you have pain from a stress fracture, you can: Place a cold compress or ice wrapped in a towel on the area for about 15 minutes three times a day.

Do you need a cast for a hairline fracture?

Treatment for a hairline fracture looks different than that of a more severe fracture. You likely won’t need a cast, but the doctor may recommend that you wear a brace to keep your arm immobile. You should also rest your arm and use ice to control the pain.

Does walking on a stress fracture make it worse?

A stress fracture typically feels like an aching or burning localized pain somewhere along a bone. Usually, it will hurt to press on it, and the pain will get progressively worse as you run on it, eventually hurting while walking or even when you’re not putting any weight on it at all.