After a hard fall or serious accident, the upper leg can be broken. The patient may be in shock and lose a lot of blood. However, there are other symptoms and causes of a broken femur. The patient usually requires surgical treatment and a long rehabilitation process.

Upper leg anatomy

The thigh is the highest part of the leg that starts above the knee. The upper leg consists of different bones and muscles. The most important muscles are the quadriceps, which make up most of the size of the thigh. The femur is the bone that, like the quadriceps, covers the entire upper leg. The femur is the longest, strongest and largest bone in the human body. A femur is on average 43 centimeters in size and is circular over almost its entire length.

A broken thigh

The upper leg can break in various places. However, a fracture to the thigh is not common. This is because the strong quadriceps form a shield around the thigh. The causes of a fracture of the femur are serious in nature:

• A traffic accident.
• A very hard blow or punch.
• One from a great height on a hard surface.

The consequences of a fracture in the thigh are usually serious. This is because the patient can lose a lot of blood and lose consciousness. After all, the thigh is a part of the body where a lot of blood flows.Older people, people with bone abnormalities and people with reduced coordination are particularly at risk of a bone fracture.

Symptoms

The symptoms of a broken thigh are very clearly recognisable. The most obvious symptom is severe pain in the thigh. This pain is almost always accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Swollen thigh. Can occur in several places.
• Twisting of the thigh outward or inward.
• Patient is in shock.
• One can hardly stand or walk.
• People usually also experience significant pain in the groin.

Therapy

Before treatment can be started, it must be determined with certainty that the femur is broken. This can be done with the help of an MRI scan. This also provides an idea of the severity of the fracture and also provides insight into the exact next steps that need to be taken. Almost always one of those next steps is surgical intervention. This should be done as quickly as possible to prevent serious damage. Implants are usually placed in the leg during this operation. These are metal objects that provide stability and allow the leg to recover properly. Reinforcement of the outside of the leg can also be applied. The entire recovery process can certainly take more than a year. Also because it takes a long time to recuperate before you can be mobile again.