Distal Femur Fracture
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What is a Distal Femur Fracture?
A distal femur fracture is a fracture that occurs at the distal end of the femur bone, which specifically includes the femoral condyles and the metaphysis. Femur is the name of the thigh bone.
Distal Femur Fracture
What are Some Common Symptoms of a Distal Femur Fracture?
Common symptoms of a distal femur fracture include pain in the distal femur that is made worse with movement and the inability to weight-bear.
What is the Most Common Type of Distal Femur Fracture?
The most common type of distal femur fracture is a transverse fracture. A transverse fracture is a straight line fracture across the shaft of the femur. An oblique fracture is an angled line or break, a spiral fracture is a fracture that encircles the femur shaft, and a comminuted fracture occurs when the femur bone has broken into several pieces.
How Long Does it Take for a Distal Femur Fracture to Heal?
Depending on an individual’s health, age, and injury pattern a distal femur fracture can typically take approximately 3-4 months to heal without surgery. Typically, physical therapy for knee range of motion is started around 6 weeks out from the initial fracture, once the bone has healed enough to prevent displacement with motion.
Can a Distal Femur Fracture Heal Without Surgery?
The vast majority of people with a fractured distal femur need some sort of surgery, usually Open Reduction Internal Fixation (ORIF). Unfortunately, without the surgery, your broken femur may not heal properly. ORIF can place your bones back into their proper position and alignment, which especially increases the chance that your bone will heal properly.
Why is the Femur Often Considered One of the Worst Bones in the Body to Break?
Your thighbone, or femur is the longest and strongest bone in your body. Because the femur is so strong, it usually takes a tremendous amount of force to break it. Motor vehicle collisions, for example, are the number one cause of femur fractures. The long, straight part of the femur is called the femoral shaft.
Click to learn more about Femoral Shaft Fractures.
Can You Walk with a Fractured Femur Bone?
Full recovery from a femur fracture can take anywhere from 12 weeks to 12 months. However, a vast majority of 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.
Incidence of Distal Femur Fractures
Distal femur fractures are relatively uncommon and account for less than 1% of all fractures. Distal femur fractures account for approximately 3%-6% of all femur fractures.
Distal Femur Fracture Demographics
Distal femur fractures are most commonly experienced by young healthy males and elderly females with Osteoporosis.
How does a Distal Femur Fracture Happen?
For younger patients, a distal femur fracture typically involves a high energy/velocity impact with significant displacement of the distal femur. For older patients, a distal femur fracture injury typically involves a low energy/force to an osteoporotic bone. This may come from a fall.
Related Links:
If you have an injury, the Jacksonville Orthopaedic Institute can help. To schedule to see a JOI Orthopedic Doctor, call (904)JOI-2000, schedule online, or click the link below. To see a JOI Rehab Therapist in 1 of our 12 locations, call (904)858-7045.
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