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Femur break elderly recovery8/8/2023 ![]() ![]() Some people may be allowed to put a small amount of weight on the leg. Many femur fractures require patients to avoid putting any weight on the broken leg to allow time for the bone to heal. At first, your physical therapist may prescribe the use of an assistive device, such as a walker or crutches, and teach you how to use it. Your treatment program, based on your unique condition and goals, will be designed to help you return to your regular activities and may include: This may include a return to sports like tennis, golf, or bike riding for people who were living a physically active lifestyle. Return to the level of activity that you enjoyed before the break.Improve your standing balance and ability to walk.Improve the movement in your leg, hip, and back.Physical therapists support your recovery by helping you: Your physical therapist will design a specific treatment program to restore function and help you return to activities of daily living. The doctor in charge of your care will determine when the time is right for you to see a physical therapist to assist you with further recovery. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 to seek urgent medical attention. ![]() ![]() A bone fragment protruding through the skin.Chest pain and/or difficulty breathing.Fever, sweats, chills, or excessive fatigue.Localized swelling in the legs or groin, with redness and tenderness to touch.Symptoms of life-threatening injury include: Death can occur following a femur fracture due to complications such as blood clots, pneumonia, or infection. Bleeding, if the bone breaks through the skin.Ĭaution: A fractured femur may be life-threatening.Change in the shape of the thigh bone (deformity).Numbness and tingling in the thigh or leg.Severe bruising in the area of the fracture, or a change in the color of the skin.Difficulty walking, or inability to walk, move the leg, or stand.It also may cause lesser pain in the buttocks, knee, thigh, groin, or back. Every patient with a fall-related hip fracture should get it fixed within 24-48 hours.A femur fracture may cause extreme pain in the upper leg area or hip area. Too often, patients try to “wait out” the pain instead of seeking immediate treatment – even if they can’t bear weight.ĭelaying treatment can lead to serious, even fatal complications. Many hip fractures occur in the upper end of the thigh, or femur bone, and require surgery. Phones haven’t helped matters, either, as more people trip while walking and looking at their smart phone. Curbs, steps, and throw rugs: Our stride tends to shorten as we get older, making it easier to trip over small, stationary obstacles.Walking in the dark or when sleepy: To avoid waking their partner, some patients try to navigate to the bathroom in the middle of the night without a light and trip over items on the floor.Pets: Patients trip over the family cat they didn’t realize was underfoot, or they fall while walking their dog.In most cases, fractures are caused by a ground-level fall, meaning the person was standing with both feet on the ground before falling. Hip fractures in adults over 60 are often associated with bones weakened by osteoporosis, smoking, or chronic use of steroid medications or alcohol. ![]() Increased awareness and conversations about healthy aging are key to reducing these painful, potentially fatal injuries. But members of this older patient population face specific – and often preventable – health risks such as falls resulting in hip fractures. Ironically, many people aren’t keen on talking about aging. We live in an aging society every day, 10,000 people in the U.S. ![]()
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