A leg fracture is one of the most common injuries of the skeletal system, occurring in people of all ages. Those most susceptible are the elderly, children and those who lead an active lifestyle, such as athletes. When the injury occurs, the bone and soft tissue receive significant impact, which can result in an open wound or a closed compression injury. A broken leg takes the patient out of the usual rhythm of life for a long time, as it requires long-term treatment.
Violation of bone integrity most often occurs as a result of an impact whose force exceeds the tensile strength of bone tissue. In young people with a healthy skeletal system, leg fractures occur as a result of falls from a height, car accidents, or work-related injuries. However, in addition to a direct blow, the bone can be damaged by the slightest bruise. The following factors contribute to this:
Obstetric injuries are included in a separate group. The causes of such damage can be: incorrect presentation of the fetus, narrow pelvis of the woman in labor, unprofessional actions of medical personnel, congenital pathologies of the newborn.
There are several typical symptoms that may indicate a broken leg in a person. These include:
Note that some symptoms of a broken leg are relative. For example, if the integrity of the patella is violated and the bones diverge by less than five millimeters, a person can lean on a limb and even walk. But if the foot is injured, then swelling may practically not occur, but the victim complains of pain and the inability to step on the limb. Therefore, if a person has suffered a leg fracture, the symptoms of this condition must be assessed by a traumatologist in order to correctly diagnose and prescribe treatment.
Doctors distinguish several classifications of leg fractures, which are based on various features of the injury. So, depending on the cause that caused the damage to the leg bone, the following types of fractures are distinguished:
Depending on the orientation of bone fragments relative to the plane, the following types of damage are distinguished:
In order to make a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to undergo an x-ray examination in a clinic. Without viewing the image by a specialist, it is impossible to reject damage to the integrity of the bone with one hundred percent certainty, even if the victim can walk. Usually, an x-ray picture brings final clarity to the situation - it reveals the injury, the type of damage, complications. For example, a compression fracture is very difficult to determine without an x-ray. X-rays will also help monitor the progress of treatment of the damaged limb.
When diagnosing a closed leg fracture, it is necessary to know about the condition of the great vessels and whether the arteries are damaged. This is important, since a hematoma is not always accompanied by damage to a large vessel, but the stretching and rupture of the artery itself threatens the formation of a blood clot.
Typically, arteries are damaged by knee injury, low femoral fracture and tibia fracture. Particular attention is paid to the condition of the blood vessels if a leg is broken in elderly people, since the formation of a blood clot in this category of patients occurs even when the blood vessels are compressed.
Providing first aid largely depends on which part of the leg is broken. The general rule for all injuries to the integrity of the bone is to immobilize the limb and do not try to set the fracture yourself. You can make a splint from available materials and tie your leg to it, which will immobilize the limb. It is better if you can apply something cold to the injury - this will delay the development of swelling and slightly numb the injury site.
For open fractures, a hemostatic tourniquet is applied above the wound. The wound surface is treated with hydrogen peroxide and covered with sterile material. In case of severe pain shock, an analgesic can be given. Then the victim is transported to the nearest medical facility, where he will undergo all the necessary diagnostic tests.
A broken leg can be treated conservatively and surgically. Conservative treatment involves applying a cast and wearing it for a long time - this is the most common way to treat a broken leg without surgery. The minimum period of plaster placement is one month, after which a control X-ray examination is carried out, and the doctor, if necessary, can extend the wearing of the plaster. In this way, closed uncomplicated fractures can be cured. After this, the person can walk fully, but at the same time he must not overload the leg.
If an open leg fracture is diagnosed, then therapy is predominantly conservative. A mandatory stage of treatment is antibiotic therapy, since there is a high risk of infection in the wound. At the second stage, the bone fragments are repositioned, during which their normal position is restored. Treatment for a broken leg can be performed by a surgeon under local anesthesia and without surgery.
Bone fragments are fixed using special surgical devices - loops, knitting needles, bolts or plates. In some cases, the patient is given an Ilizarov or Kostyuk apparatus, but the question of which treatment method to choose depends on the doctor. For subsequent immobilization of the limb, doctors resort to applying a plaster splint, they can place the victim’s leg in a special “boot” or install it in a compression-distraction device until a bone callus forms.
Auxiliary methods of recovery for a broken leg include: mud therapy, electrophoresis, massage, therapeutic baths and gymnastics. In combination, the use of these physiotherapeutic procedures significantly speeds up the recovery process, and the patient will be able to fully walk after a broken leg.
Diet is no less important during the recovery stage, since when a leg is broken, a person loses calcium. For rehabilitation to be successful, the diet is adjusted and foods rich in calcium are included. You can also take calcium in tablet form.
The ischium, together with the pubic and ilium bones, participates in the formation of the bony base of the pelvis.
When injured, it is damaged more often than other pelvic bones . This fact is associated with the peculiarities of its anatomical structure.
In an adult, the ischium is quite thin. It consists of two main parts - the body and branches slightly bending at an angle. The body and branches form the posterior and partially lower sections of the acetabulum.
In case of severe injuries, not only the sit bones may break, but also the pelvic organs (uterus, vagina, urethra, bladder and rectum) may be damaged.
Trauma to the pelvic bones is considered a serious injury, because very often the victim develops internal bleeding into the retroperitoneal space with the formation of a hematoma. In some patients, fractures of the ischial bones are complicated by the development of shock and intestinal paresis.
For injuries to the ischium, the doctor should perform a digital examination of the rectum. In women with injuries, the vagina is additionally examined, and in men, the prostate gland is examined. The main purpose of these examinations is to exclude the fact of rupture . If there is damage to the rectum or vagina, the doctor will have blood on the rubber glove.
In a victim after an injury, it is necessary to examine the function of urination. One of the signs of damage to the bladder wall due to a fracture of the pelvic bones is the appearance of scarlet blood when urinating. Some patients experience anuria after injury, so it is necessary to catheterize the bladder with a soft sterile catheter.
If the urethra is ruptured due to a fracture of the ischium, then a bloody discharge without urine impurities can be seen from the patient’s external urethra. In men, urethrorrhagia is usually accompanied by the appearance of a hematoma in the prostate gland.
However, the above signs of a fracture of the ischial bones do not appear in all victims, so it is necessary to conduct a number of instrumental studies.
In case of severe injuries, the following diagnostic methods are recommended to the victim:
Urological examinations should be carried out in a stable condition after the victim has recovered from shock.
Treatment tactics for fractures of the ischial bones depend on the type and severity of the injury. When the clinical picture of shock develops, the patient is advised to replenish the blood volume, transfusion of plasma and red blood cells. Great importance in the fight against shock is given to local anesthesia of the fracture (intrapelvic anesthesia is used). If internal bleeding continues, urgent surgery and ligation of the arteries are indicated.
After anesthesia, the patient is placed on a special orthopedic bed in the “frog” position. In this case, the patient's legs are slightly bent at the hips and knees. The knees should be spread apart, the feet should be located fairly close to each other, the hips should turn outward. It is necessary to place small cushions under the knees and hips.
The duration of bed rest, as a rule, depends on the complexity of the fracture, but not less than one month. 1.5 - 2 months after the injury, the patient is allowed physical activity. The patient’s ability to work is restored after 3-5 months, in case of very severe injuries - after 1-1.5 years.
The choice of surgical treatment for a patient with a fracture of the ischium depends not only on the type of injury, but also on the general condition of the patient and the time that has passed since the period of injury.
Very often, fractures of the pelvic bones are combined with fractures of the femur and tibia. In this case, the victim is placed on a hard bed, and the injured lower limbs are placed on functional splints.
The consequences of a fracture of the ischium of the pelvis are given in the list:
The following types of rehabilitation are possible after a fracture of the ischium of the pelvis:
How long does it take for a leg fracture to heal? How long to walk with a cast?
It also depends on the fracture itself; there are open, closed and varying degrees of severity. I broke my leg as a child, as I remember now, I walked in a cast for a very long time, almost 3 months. Moreover, at first the cast was up to the knee, and then it was made larger, above the knee, and I couldn’t bend my leg at all. And after the cast was removed, she limped for a long time. And my friend’s dad managed to walk with a fracture for a few more days, and it healed in about a month. I think everything is very individual.
Bones heal through the periosteum, which nourishes and repairs bone damage.
Our son spent a long time in orthopedics and, according to the traumatologist, with a simple fracture, the bones heal in:
Children under 12 years old - 10 - 14 days;
Under 18 years old - from 14 to 20 days;
An adult from 20 to 30 years old - from 20 to 45 days;
For a person over 45 years old - from 2 to 4 months.
And this despite the fact that the patient’s calcium level in the body is normal.
Good afternoon ! Who knows, tell me if it’s possible to lower your leg if your ankle is broken or keep it horizontal all the time (on a bed, sofa, etc.) Thanks for the answer
Depends on many factors. The femur takes 2.5 to three months to heal. On average, about a month, and sometimes even two months pass; for some, the bone is broken again so that the bone eventually heals without consequences.
This is influenced by the general well-being of the patient; with a weakened body, fractures heal poorly. If ligaments and muscles have been torn, the healing period also increases and age plays an important role.
During the healing period, the less you load your leg, the easier the healing process will be. Bone fractures in adulthood make themselves felt later throughout life when the weather changes.
It depends on age. In children, a fracture can heal in 10 days, in an adult on average a month, and in old people there are generally problems with bone healing. My husband walked with a cast for 30 days.
Typically, the minimum period for which a cast is applied for a broken leg is 4 weeks. And you will need to wear a plaster for such a period of time in case of an uncomplicated fracture, that is, in case of a fracture without displacement.
In children, as the bones heal, a cast can be applied for a period of 3 weeks. And the younger the person who breaks his leg, the less time he will have to walk with a plaster, and the older he is, the longer the period for which the plaster is applied increases and can be 3 months.
I actually have a fracture of my little finger, but I’ve been walking for two months now, I still feel a little pain, but it’s getting better. Everyone is surprised. but because of the little toe, they put a cast on the whole leg. I'm tired of sitting at home; I wish everything was overgrown by now. I drink Mumiyo, they say it helps for faster healing.
After a minor fracture, a plaster cast is applied for at least 10 days, then watch how the healing progresses!
It all depends on your body, if you are young and have a lot of calcium in your body, then even with a complex fracture, for example an ankle, you will have to walk for a maximum of 5-6 months!
In general, according to statistics:
In children, bone heals much faster. In approximately 10-30 days.
In young people, approximately 20-60 days.
In adults, from about 2 months to a year.
Once again, everyone’s body is different. The most important thing is the degree of fracture. If quot;Сquot; it will take a very long time to grow together. Maximum 1.5 years (this is if you are over 30 and have little calcium).
After a fracture, you need to eat calcium-containing foods. Well, you can quot;Calcium D3quot; drink.
A year ago I had a displaced ankle fracture. They performed surgery and fixed the broken bones with bioimplants. This is a new modern method of treating fractures. A biodegradable material is an analogue of bone tissue; over time, having fulfilled its fixing function, it is absorbed in the body. There is no risk of rejection and subsequently there are no foreign elements in the body. A day after the operation, he was discharged home. No plaster was applied, no bed rest was prescribed. Almost immediately I began to lead a normal lifestyle. Antibiotics were not prescribed. Bioimplants contain antibiotics and you do not need to drink them additionally. I recently had an x-ray and everything was fine. It is very nice that medicine does not stand still.
Bone fusion during fractures occurs differently, it all depends on age, in young people fusion occurs faster than in older people, sometimes 3-4 weeks, and sometimes 1.5 months, but fusion is individual for each organism, your chronic diseases are also taken into account here , and what condition your joints and blood vessels are in, and the plaster is removed only when the surgeon fully examines your leg and decides that you can continue treatment without plaster.
It all depends on what kind of fracture you have, and on your age; as a child, I once broke my collarbone in a cast; I was just under a month old. But a friend broke his leg for 27 years, he was jumping on crutches for about 1.5 months, since his bones were trying for a very long time.
I completely agree that everything depends on the degree of the so-called fracture. There is an open fracture, and there is a closed one. But I think that on average doctors recommend not removing the cast for about a month, after which it is worth visiting the doctor again.
According to the classification, a fracture has three degrees of severity: A, B, C (professionals will correct me if anything is wrong). C is the heaviest.
Simple fracture 4-5 weeks. I had a C fracture - 2 ankle fractures, 2 bones with 6mm displacement and a tendon ligament failure - 12 weeks in a cast mainly because of the tendon ligament, which heals much slower than bones.
The pelvis is one of the most important parts of the body, because it allows the lower limbs to be attached to the spine, providing a person with a vertical position and normal movement. When the pelvic bones are injured, a person is unable to walk or sit normally, and experiences severe pain.
One of the serious injuries to the pelvis is a fracture of the pubic or pubic bone. This pathology is extremely dangerous, since the genitourinary system is located next to the pubic bone, and with such an injury, damage to the vagina, urinary tract and bladder is possible. Therefore, at the first sign of injury to the pubic bone, you should immediately go to the hospital.
The pubic bone consists of two parts connected by cartilage tissue. The bone is formed by 3 parts, these are the upper and lower branches, and the body. With a normal physique, the pubic bone looks like a curved ridge, which forms the pubic eminence. But in some cases, deformation of the pubic bone may occur.
When deformed, the pubic bone becomes wide and flat, for this reason some women may have problems with sexual activity and childbirth later, since the pubic bone blocks the entrance to the vagina and interferes with the natural passage of the child through the birth canal.
Especially the structure of the pubic bone leads to serious disruptions in the functioning of the body when it is injured. The fact is that during a fracture, especially when fragments form, the soft tissues located around suffer. The patient experiences painful shock, severe bleeding, and sometimes a retroperitoneal hematoma occurs. Injuries and ruptures of the bladder, rectum and vagina often occur.
A fracture of the pubic bone usually occurs as a result of severe trauma, for example, in a traffic accident, when there is a strong blow to the pelvic area. When falling from a height, falling into a mine, playing sports, even during childbirth and a strong blow to the groin, injury to the pelvic bones can occur.
But they say that there are a number of individuals who are more prone to such injuries:
It is worth understanding that the pelvic bones are very strong, because they perform a very important function in the body. Therefore, if the injury is not associated with a strong blow, you must tell the doctor about this and undergo an examination to identify problems with the bones, since a fracture without a reason almost always indicates severe pathology of bone tissue, for example, osteoporosis.
A fracture of the pubic bone can occur in different parts of it, but with any injury a person experiences pain in the groin area. It is usually sharp, worsens with movement, coughing, and it is very painful for the patient to sit. There is also pathological movement in the area of the pubic bone, and upon palpation you can feel its fragments.
The following types of pubic bone fractures are distinguished:
Also, after an injury, post-traumatic shock often develops, the skin around the affected area turns red and blue, and a hematoma forms. The process of defecation is disrupted due to severe pain. If organs are damaged, bleeding from the vagina, rectum or urethra may occur, and bleeding also occurs with an open fracture.
Every person should be fully aware of the danger of such an injury as a fracture of the pubic bone. Only doctors can make a correct diagnosis, identify all complications and cure them, since it is necessary to first undergo tests and studies, such as radiography.
First of all, in case of such an injury, doctors treat traumatic shock, administer painkillers, then the doctor examines the patient and prescribes blood tests and x-rays. For a more accurate location of bone fragments, computed tomography or MRI may be needed.
To determine the condition of the bladder, radiography with a contrast agent is often prescribed, a study called cystography. In this case, the bladder is filled with a special agent, which is highlighted in the image, which allows you to see the condition of the organ. If injuries to the uterus and ovaries are suspected in women, an ultrasound examination of the pelvic organs is indicated.
The process of treating a fracture of the pubic bone is usually long and complex, various specialists take part in it, these are surgeons, urologists, gynecologists, vascular surgeons, resuscitators, physiotherapists, and sometimes neurologists. The sooner the patient is taken to the hospital, the easier the recovery course will be and the fewer complications there will be.
Transport position
An important role in the treatment of any fracture, especially the pelvic bones, is played by quick and correct first aid to the victim. Therefore, every person needs to know how to act if there is an individual nearby who has been injured. To provide proper first aid, you need to follow these recommendations:
Sometimes there are situations when it is impossible to call an ambulance, for example, if the scene of the incident is in the forest or in the mountains. No matter what the reason, the patient has to be taken to the hospital himself. It is very important to do this correctly to reduce the risk of dislodging bone fragments, increasing bleeding and damaging internal organs.
The patient is transported according to the following rules:
When a patient is admitted to the hospital, doctors first relieve traumatic shock by injecting the required amount of 1% novocaine solution into the area of injury, which quickly and effectively relieves pain. If there is a large loss of blood, it is replaced.
Next, the pelvic bones are returned to their place using surgical methods, if necessary. If internal organs are damaged, manipulations may be needed to restore them. The patient is then given a fixation bandage and immobilized for at least a week.
For therapeutic immobilization, the patient is placed on a special bed, with a pillow placed under his feet. This position does not allow the patient to move or the bones to move, and they fuse safely in the desired position.
It is prohibited to treat a fracture, especially a pelvic fracture, with folk remedies without consulting a doctor. Even in the absence of bleeding, refusing medical help can be dangerous, since the bones will most likely heal incorrectly, and the person will ultimately remain disabled.
If you want to speed up your recovery, you can use the following tips in complex treatment, but after consulting with your doctor:
If the patient was given normal first aid, if he was promptly brought to the hospital and treated correctly and on time, then the prognosis is usually favorable. Only a doctor can tell you the exact outcome of a fracture, since the severity of the injury plays an important role.
Most often, after a fracture of the pubic bone, women cannot give birth naturally; they undergo a cesarean section so as not to provoke a new fracture. This problem is considered not serious and generally does not interfere with childbearing; caesarean section is now considered the norm and almost always occurs without complications.
In the absence of timely treatment, circulatory problems may occur in the lower part of the body, which leads to amputation of the limbs. With large blood loss, even death is possible. When internal organs are damaged, their functioning is disrupted; the hip joints can also be affected. Any complication of a fracture is dangerous; they all lead to disability and sometimes death.
A leg fracture can safely be classified as a common injury; most people susceptible to fractures belong to the group of athletes, children and people over the age of 60. In our article we will talk in detail about a broken leg, teach you how to recognize a fracture and how to provide first aid to the victim, and also talk about the treatment of a broken leg.
To live fully, we need healthy legs and arms. When a limb injury occurs, your life changes dramatically for a certain time. When a leg is broken, a person falls to the ground, he is unable to move normally and perform his usual actions. You cannot do household chores, do necessary work, sometimes you even need help with self-care. Modern medicine does not stand still and is constantly coming up with new and more advanced methods of treating fractures. But it is best to prevent a fracture than to treat it, because... The recovery period for a broken leg is quite long.
First of all, when a leg is broken, the human bones break, which means nearby ligaments, joints and soft tissues suffer. A fracture can occur in any part of the leg , it depends only on the load that exceeded the strength of any bone and caused the fracture. Children suffer from a broken leg a little less often than older people, despite greater activity in movements, the amount of calcium in the body of children is much greater than in adults, and, therefore, children's bones are much stronger.
External signs of a leg fracture depend only on the location of the fracture itself; it is not immediately possible to determine the fracture by eye. Since our leg is divided into several main parts, we will consider the fracture of each part separately.
With a fracture of tubular bones , which include the fibula, tibia and femur, pathological mobility will be observed at the fracture site. You may also observe a decrease in size or shortening of any part of the limb; when you try to put weight on the leg, you will feel an unbearable sharp pain.
Relative signs include: changes in the shape of the leg in the area of injury, a feeling of constant aching pain, lack of support function, the presence of bruises in the form of subcutaneous hemorrhages, hence swelling and blue color of the skin.
When the patella is fractured, swelling and an increase in size of the area in which the injury is located are immediately observed. This occurs due to bleeding in the leg joint. You may feel pain in your knee joint and may not be able to bend or lift your leg. You will lose your supporting function completely only if the fracture is accompanied by a divergence of the fragments by more than 0.5 cm.
If the bones of the foot are fractured, you will feel severe pain in the foot area, which will intensify when you try to move your leg or when you feel your leg. Hemorrhage at the fracture site will be evident, weight bearing will be impaired, and swelling of the foot will be noticeable.
Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis; the patient himself can easily confuse a broken leg with a torn ligament, with a severe bruise or with a dislocation of the leg, because The symptoms for all these injuries will be very similar.
If you are faced with a broken leg, you should definitely know what to do in such a situation. The future health of the limb may depend on your first actions. Following medical practice, we can confidently say that further success in treating a fracture directly depends on the quality of first aid provided directly at the scene of the incident.
All fractures are divided into open and closed.
In case of a closed leg fracture, the use of painkillers is allowed in order to reduce the pain syndrome in the victim. It is very important to correctly fix the injured limb; for these purposes, various types of splints are used, such as the Kramer splint and the Dichters splint, and plaster splints can be used. If professional splints are not at hand, then use improvised means, these include: tree bark, stick, board, umbrella, piece of cardboard and much more that can well fix the damaged limb.
Once you have found the fixing material, you need to apply the splint correctly. Carefully wrap the injured leg with a soft cloth so that the splint does not put pressure on the patient’s joints. The leg should be relaxed and in a comfortable position. Then place your foot on the splint and secure it, i.e. tie to the splint with gauze bandages, scarves, pieces of clothing or any belts.
If the victim has an open leg fracture , which can be identified by heavy bleeding and parts of the bone protruding outward, then in such cases, first of all, you need to apply a tourniquet above the site of injury. As a tourniquet, you can use the same belt or a twist made using a stick and rope. To avoid infection, it is advisable to sprinkle the wound with crushed streptocide tablets and pour alcohol. Do not try to set protruding bones yourself, because you can only make things worse, because... you do not have special knowledge in the field of medicine.
If a victim's leg fracture is accompanied by bone displacement, then be very careful when transporting the patient so as not to provoke an open fracture, which will complicate further treatment.
First of all, treatment depends on the degree and type of fracture . An x-ray allows you to most accurately determine the type and extent of the fracture. If the diagnosis is confirmed by a fracture of the tubular bones, in which there are no signs of bone displacement, then the doctor recommends skeletal retraction. A tibial fracture accompanied by bone displacement requires closed reduction with the application of a plaster cast.
If the victim has a broken femur and there is a clear displacement, then such a fracture requires surgical intervention. During this operation, the victim's bones are held together using special metal plates and nails.
A fracture of the patella when the fragments diverge by 0.5 cm is accompanied by conservative treatment. Immobilization is carried out for one month, while the patient can walk using crutches. Surgical treatment is carried out using the Berger method, in which the fragments are brought together and the torn muscles, skin and ligaments are sutured.
Carefully selected and competently carried out rehabilitation and care for the patient after a hip fracture will allow the patient to begin to move actively in the shortest possible time and will avoid a number of serious complications. Reconstruction is extremely important for children and the elderly, who are often susceptible to hip fractures.
The need for comprehensive rehabilitation is unanimously confirmed by luminaries in the field of traumatology, orthopedics and rehabilitation medicine. The thoroughness of the care and treatment after a hip fracture determines whether a person will be able to sit and walk independently after an injury, and how effective radical measures will be - a pin or titanium plates. Otherwise, a person, especially an elderly person, will not be able to sit or walk for life. The situation is caused by a long stay in bed after a fracture, atrophy of the quadriceps femoris muscle and a number of muscles of the lower limb, and improper healing of the neck fracture.
Caring for a patient with a hip fracture includes physical training aimed at rehabilitation and proper nutrition. In order for recovery after injury or surgery on the femur to be successful and allow the person to move in full in the future, the listed measures are included in the treatment complex.
For people who have suffered a femoral neck injury, individual complexes are selected taking into account the severity of the disorder, age and general condition. Special treatment complexes are selected for children.
Physical therapy is prescribed to all patients when the cast is removed or skeletal traction is performed. When an orthosis or a special bandage is put on, the patient begins to learn to sit up in bed. It is important to take a sitting position very carefully. In order for older people to sit down independently, especially if the patient has a pin or titanium plates installed, the bed will need to be equipped with a special belt loop. Holding the loop with his hands, the patient will be able to independently rise and sit down in bed. To make the task easier, a special orthosis or bandage is used on the hip joint area. Not every elderly person can cope with the task on their own, especially if there is a titanium plate in the femur, and therefore needs the help of relatives or specially trained medical personnel.
After skeletal traction is removed and the plate is removed, the person will gradually learn to sit in bed independently. Then it is quite possible to supplement the set of exercises with active movements of the upper body. Gymnastics in a playful form is acceptable for children. It is important to ensure that the training does not cause physical overload and does not end in displacement of fragments.
If pain occurs, you will need to stop exercising, lie down on the bed, and take painkillers. If after exercise swelling and pain develop in the quadriceps femoris muscle, it is recommended to stop gymnastics and consult with your doctor.
Any fracture of the femoral shaft with displacement of the fragments is considered a common injury and is more common in older people. In ICD 10, the injury is coded S72. In young and healthy people, a displaced fracture of the femur develops as a result of significant mechanical impact, for example, as a result of a car accident or a fall from a great height. In this case, skeletal traction is certainly performed or a titanium plate is applied.
For children, the damage is typically less severe than lower leg injuries. In older people, the cause of a femur fracture is osteoporosis, when the bone tissue becomes thinner. Elderly people get a leg fracture due to osteoporosis when they move inaccurately, even when trying to stand up or sit on the bed. Such patients are not given a plaster cast, using a special bandage. Patients are transported exclusively in a supine position.
If it is not possible to reposition the fragments in a displaced fracture, treatment is carried out surgically. Skeletal traction, titanium plate application, or pin treatment are used.
It is possible to sit on the bed when the primary fusion of the fragments occurs and there are no signs of damage to the quadriceps femoris and calf muscles (swelling, pain or inflammation). The cause of the described injury to the quadriceps muscle is a bruise of soft tissues, which does not allow a sitting position in the first days. Then an orthosis is applied to the thigh and lower leg area.
When the swelling in the leg subsides, the inserted pin does not cause any discomfort and does not require pain medication, and you can gradually try to sit up on the bed. It is recommended to start with outside help, especially with osteoporosis.
Due to the anatomical features of the upper third and middle third of the femur and femoral neck, the likelihood of spontaneous fusion in the leg is extremely low.
The statement is associated with the characteristics of blood circulation in the area of the hip joint and quadriceps femoris and calf muscles. The blood supply mechanism causes a number of difficulties in treatment and rehabilitation after a broken leg in elderly people and children. In some cases, the issue is resolved by removing the damaged joint head and replacing it with titanium endoprostheses.
For various types of fractures, which have a separate code in ICD 10, treatment is performed surgically. A pin or titanium plates are used to ensure the immobility of the fragments. This allows you to avoid complications and begin rehabilitation as soon as possible. After surgery on the middle third of the femoral neck, the patient can be transported in a sitting position in a special chair. To alleviate the condition and speed up rehabilitation, it is possible to use a special orthosis or bandage.
When surgery is performed on the middle third of the neck of the hip joint, traction is used, titanium plates or a pin are used. If the devices are removed, they begin to sit up after a few weeks, and move independently after four months. In some cases, unsuccessful results are found after skeletal traction. The fibers of the quadriceps femoris muscle have a strong pull, the bone does not heal correctly, and a false joint is formed. To ensure normal functioning, a pin is sometimes inserted. The described type of pathology in the hip joint has a separate code in ICD 10 and is regarded as a separate disease.
If the head of the hip joint is removed and replaced with a prosthesis, the operation allows the patient to sit down several months after the procedure. Necessary transportation of the patient is carried out in a chair.
Often, elderly patients are told that it is not a fracture that has occurred, but a bruise of the soft tissues of the hip. Reassurance is accompanied by swelling in the area of the quadriceps femoris muscle. The patient is informed that there is a bruise and is prescribed an anesthetic to relieve swelling and inflammation. In such a case, the rehabilitation period is much faster and more effective than when the patient is given a pin or undergoes skeletal traction. You are prescribed to wear a special bandage or corset. Transportation is carried out with extreme care.
In children, bone tissue is plastic; fractures are rarely complicated by displacement. In a child under 6 years of age, the periosteum is still thick; fractures of the femur and tibia in children are rarely complete. According to ICD 10, fractures in children show a similar code as in adults. In a child, it is often necessary to differentiate between a bruise and a fracture.
Such injuries in children are less likely to be complicated by displacement. Often a bruise or fracture occurs in the upper or middle third of the femoral neck. Healing and recovery in a child occurs much faster and more efficiently. If a displaced injury is not corrected in time, delay will lead to permanent deformity of the femur due to traction of the quadriceps femoris muscle.
To carry out skeletal traction on the leg of children, special devices with lacing are used. Often, instead of a cast, the child is put on a special bandage or orthosis to perform skeletal traction. The child is placed on the bed and allowed to sit up no earlier than 4-5 weeks after the injury. For children, transportation is carried out on stretchers.
To stretch the skeletal frame, ensure proper fusion of the femur and relieve the load on the quadriceps muscle, a small load is suspended from the leg. A metal pin and titanium plates are used much less frequently to treat a child’s leg.
The use of special orthopedic devices (orthosis, special bandage) after surgery to restore the integrity of the femur greatly alleviates the patient’s condition and speeds up the rehabilitation process. The bandage and orthosis allow the patient to sit down early after injury. This is especially true in older people with osteoporosis.
A soft elastic orthosis for complete fixation of the femur and head of the hip joint has an adjustable range of motion, allowing the patient to sit down on the bed after a short period of time.
A special abduction orthosis for the hip joint has been developed, which reduces the load on the head of the femur and the quadriceps femoris muscle area. The action allows you to relieve pain and swelling from the thigh area without taking painkillers.
In the postoperative period, a special bandage will significantly speed up the restoration of the functions of the hip and lower leg. In selected cases, a bandage or corset is prescribed for the formation of a false joint in elderly people.
When a fracture of the 5th metatarsal bone of the foot occurs, how long each victim wants to walk in a cast, because no one wants to be deprived of an active lifestyle for a long time.
Fracture of the 5th metatarsal bone occurs in three percent of violations of the integrity of other bones of the human skeleton, and if we take the foot separately, then the fifth metatarsal bone breaks most often in it, since it is located on the edge of the foot.
A fracture of the metatarsal bone of the foot can be traumatic or fatigue in nature. In a traumatic fracture, the injury occurs due to direct mechanical force on the bone. This could be a blow to the foot, a heavy object falling on the foot, or the back of the foot hitting something hard.
The causes of stress fractures lie in long-term wearing of uncomfortable, often tight shoes, constant hitting of the ball by football players, and axial load on the metatarsal bones of ballerinas. Also, athletes who run many kilometers per day are susceptible to the fatigue type of fracture. With the fatigue type of injury, an incomplete fracture of the base of the 5th metatarsal bone occurs, that is, a crack.
In the direction of the fault line, when the 5th metatarsal bone of the foot breaks, the fracture can be:
Bone fragments at the time of injury can move from their place, or they can remain in place, so there is a fracture of the metatarsal bone with and without displacement. Injury to the metatarsal bones of the foot without displacement is more favorable and heals faster. If, at the time of injury, bone fragments damage the skin, an open fracture occurs. Closed types of damage mainly occur if fractures of the 5th metatarsal bone occur without displacement. The type of injury largely determines how long it takes for a fracture of the fifth metatarsal bone of the foot to heal.
If a person breaks the fifth metatarsal bone, the symptoms will depend on the reason for the injury and what type it is. With a traumatic type of injury, the clinical picture is more pronounced. With a stress fracture, a person may not even suspect the presence of a crack and treat it as a sprain or bruise.
If bone damage occurs due to injury, for example, a person drops something heavy on his leg, this can cause a fracture of the head or base of the bone, as well as displacement of bone fragments. In this case, the victim experiences the following signs of injury:
If the fracture is open, then damage to the skin occurs. A bone fragment is visible from the wound and bleeding is present. Displaced open fractures take longer to heal and are more difficult to treat. Such injuries are considered complicated. During them, blood vessels and nerve endings can suffer greatly, as evidenced by numbness of the finger near which the bone is broken.
If the injury occurs due to constant stress on the fifth metatarsal bone, the victim may think that he has a sprained ligament. In this case, the patient often does not go to the doctor, but tries to cope with the problem using traditional methods and continues to put stress on the limb. Such actions can lead to a complete fracture or the growth of a callus that impairs the functionality of the foot. Therefore, it is very important to distinguish between the symptoms of a stress fracture. Signs of this injury include:
A victim with a stress fracture does not lose the supporting function of the limb and can continue to walk and even run, which over time leads to complications. If you pay attention to the symptoms of damage in time and consult a doctor, the crack in the bone will heal very quickly and the person will return to an active lifestyle.
Sometimes complications arise after a fracture; the likelihood of their occurrence depends on how quickly first aid and treatment are provided. The sooner a victim is taken to a trauma center, the less likely he is to experience the following:
If the patient contacts the doctor late, the bone does not heal properly, the resulting callus interferes with wearing shoes, and the foot constantly hurts. This state of affairs can only be corrected through surgery, so if the slightest symptoms of injury occur, you should immediately consult a doctor.
When a person receives a fracture, it is necessary to provide him with first aid, which will alleviate the victim’s condition and allow him to wait for an ambulance or get to a trauma center with virtually no pain. To reduce swelling, apply something cold to the injury site. This could be ice wrapped in a cloth, a plastic bottle with cold water, or a towel soaked in it.
Under no circumstances should you warm up the injury site, as this will lead to vasodilation and increased subcutaneous bleeding.
In case of a traumatic fracture, it is necessary to apply a splint of three sticks to the foot, one of which runs along the sole, the second along the back of the foot, and the third along the edge of the toe. The tire should extend a couple of centimeters beyond the toes and heel.
If there is displacement of fragments, it is unacceptable to move them into place on your own.
In case of a stress fracture, apply a pressure bandage made of an elastic bandage, while monitoring the color of the skin on the fingers. If they begin to turn pale and become cold, this indicates a circulatory problem, in which case the bandage needs to be loosened.
If the fracture is open, then no cooling compresses can be applied. You should stop the bleeding by placing a clean bandage on the wound and pressing with your fingers. You should not try to insert fragments protruding from it into the wound. To prevent infection, it is necessary to treat the edges of the wound with an antiseptic solution, preventing it from getting into the wound itself. After antiseptic treatment, it is necessary to cover the wound with a sterile napkin and apply a dry bandage.
In case of severe pain, it is necessary to give the victim a painkiller. After providing first aid, the victim should be taken to the nearest trauma center. You can do this in a personal car or call an ambulance, but under no circumstances should a person with an injury to the fifth metatarsal bone drive themselves.
In order for the treatment to be effective and the injury site to heal quickly, it is necessary to make a correct diagnosis. Upon arrival of the patient to the traumatology department, the doctor collects an anamnesis and examines the injured limb. After this, the patient is sent for an X-ray examination. In the image, the doctor sees the location of the fault line and the location of the injury. For intra-articular fractures, magnetic resonance imaging and arthroscopy are performed. After the examination, the doctor decides what treatment will be prescribed and whether it is possible to do without plaster.
How long a fracture takes to heal depends on several factors. Among them:
Treatment can be carried out conservatively or surgically. Conservative treatment involves closed reposition of fragments and taking anti-inflammatory and painkillers. For slightly displaced fractures, the victim is given a plaster cast. If you have an injury without complications, you will have to wear a cast for approximately two months.
For complicated fractures with severe displacement or an open wound, surgical treatment is performed. During the operation, the doctor compares bone fragments and fastens them with knitting needles or special screws. After the operation, a plaster cast may not be applied, but provided that the patient protects the limb from stress.
The patient is allowed to get out of bed on the second day after the start of treatment, but when walking, be sure to use crutches or a special walker. You should not lean on your injured leg until the doctor gives permission. The fusion of fragments is controlled by periodic x-rays. When the bone has completely fused, the plaster cast is removed and the patient begins rehabilitation.
After the cast is removed, the patient is prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures aimed at restoring muscle strength, as well as physical therapy, thanks to which the patient will be able to develop a foot that has been immobile for a long period. Massage and, in some cases, manual therapy are also prescribed. Within four months after the end of treatment, the person returns to an active lifestyle and can resume sports activities.