Most femoral shaft fractures take 3 to 6 months to completely heal. Some take even longer, especially if the fracture was open or broken into several pieces or if the patient uses tobacco products.

How long does it take for a femur to heal in the elderly?

Most femoral fractures take about 4 to 6 months to heal completely, but you should be able to resume many activities before this time.

What happens when an old person breaks their femur?

Complications can arise with femur breaks. Proper setting. If the femur is not set properly, there’s a chance the leg will become shorter than the other one and may cause hip or knee pain many years later. Poor alignment of the femur bone may also be painful.

How serious is a broken femur in an elderly person?

A femur break is a serious break at any age but it can be deadly to seniors that are 65 years and older. The femur is the longest bone in the body. Femur breaks/fractures are most likely at the hip but in some cases can be at the lower extremities.

Can a 90 year old survive a broken femur?

Conclusion: Surgery is the treatment of choice for patients aged 90 years and older with proximal femoral fracture. However, they have a lower rate of regaining pre-injury walking ability and a higher in-hospital death rate than younger patients.

Can you fully recover from a broken femur?

Full recovery from a femur fracture can take anywhere from 12 weeks to 12 months. But you are not alone. Most 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.

How long do you stay in the hospital with a broken femur?

Treatment methods included intramedullary nailing, open reduction and internal fixation, arthroplasty or other definitive fixation of femur fracture. Investigators used hospital length of stay as the primary outcome measure. Results showed patients had a median length of stay of 6.43 days.

What is the fastest way to heal a broken femur?

Home remedies to speed up repair

1. Take protein supplements. As a large part of a bone is composed of protein, taking protein supplements can help the bone to rebuild and heal itself.
2. Take antioxidants.
3. Take mineral supplements.
4. Take vitamin supplements.
5. Take herbal supplements.
6. Exercise.
7. Avoid smoking.

Can a 90 year old survive hip surgery?

Experts say total hip replacement is safe for 90-plus seniors in reasonably good health, and they deserve the same chance at pain relief and restored mobility as younger patients. Somebody over 90 would have the same reasons as others to consider hip replacement, says Dr.

Is breaking your femur the worst pain?

Your femur is located in your thigh, running from your hip to your knee. It’s long and strong and hurts like heck when you break it. In addition to being one of the most painful breaks, a broken femur can damage the large arteries in the leg and cause severe bleeding.

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 are the long term effects of a broken femur?

Long-term symptoms after fracture include muscular weakness, limited standing and walking, gait abnormalities, some intermittent pain, and inability to return to preinjury work. Surgical management is rarely needed to treat femoral stress fractures; however, surgical stabilization is recommended for recalcitrant cases.

Can a broken femur cause death?

A femoral shaft fracture in isolation should not cause death. Yet a patient with a femoral fracture can die from this injury. Recall that bone is vascular and fractures let marrow contents (fat especially) out into the circulation. Fat could embolize to the brain or the lungs.

How serious is a femur fracture?

A fractured femur is an emergency that can in some cases be life threatening. Seek immediate medical care (call 911) if you, or someone you are with, have any of these life-threatening symptoms including: Confusion or loss of consciousness for even a brief moment. Heavy or uncontrollable bleeding.

How long is a broken femur surgery?

Timing of surgery. Most femur fractures are fixed within 24 to 48 hours. On occasion, fixation will be delayed until other life-threatening injuries or unstable medical conditions are stabilized.