The healing time for a femoral stress fracture can vary depending on the individual patient, but it usually takes several months to fully heal. With appropriate physiotherapy management, most patients can make a full recovery and return to normal activities.
Femoral stress fractures are a common type of thigh bone injury that can occur to individuals who increase their exercise level too quickly or have medical conditions which weaken bone strength or density, like osteoporosis.
Physiotherapy treatment can provide relief from symptoms and help prevent future episodes. Unfortunately, some individuals do not respond to treatment.
What is a Femoral Stress Fracture?
Causes
Femoral stress fractures can be caused by running or other activities that put repetitive, strenuous strain on the femur. They also occur when people who haven’t worked out in a while return to exercise too quickly.
Symptoms may begin with a deep, dull gnawing pain that radiates down into your groin or front of hip. Usually, this pain gets worse when walking or placing weight on one leg.
A stress fracture is a warning sign, so make an appointment with your doctor right away. Otherwise, the fracture could deteriorate and require surgery to repair.
Treatment typically begins with a period of rest from activity, followed by a gradual return to activity under the guidance of your doctor or physiotherapist.
Symptoms
A femoral stress fracture often begins as a deep, dull ache in the front of your hip or groin area. The discomfort increases when walking or bearing weight on that leg.
Your doctor may want to take an X-ray of your leg to detect a stress fracture, and they may also perform an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan.
Femoral stress fractures are extremely rare but may occur in young female endurance athletes who lack body fat (which helps build strong bones).
They’re also possible in people with low bone turnover due to illness or inadequate nutrition, or from military service training.
Symptoms include a dull aching or gnawing pain in the groin and/or front of your hip that gets worse when you walk, run, or put weight on your leg. The discomfort may be more acute when ascending stairs or lifting your leg to get in or out of a car.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing a femoral stress fracture typically requires a detailed history and physical examination of the injured limb by either a physiotherapist or doctor. This includes an assessment of training volume, progress, as well as subjective reports of pain.
Treatment of a femoral stress fracture typically begins with rest from weight bearing activity or crutches. After this period has elapsed, patients can gradually increase their activity level as tolerated and under the supervision of their treating physiotherapist.
Even with appropriate physiotherapy management, some patients with a femoral stress fracture do not improve and require further investigation to determine the optimal course of action.
This could include additional X-rays, CT scan, MRI or bone scan images, extended crutches use, review with a podiatrist regarding possible orthotics or referral to appropriate medical authorities who can advise on any interventions necessary to stabilize the fracture and aid its healing process.
Treatment
A femoral stress fracture typically presents as a dull gnawing pain on the inside of the leg or in front of the hip. With increased activity or weight bearing, this pain may become stronger and sharper, radiating down into the knee.
Acute femoral stress fractures are typically treated with ice, elevation and rest from excessive exercise. If the fracture progresses to a full fracture, surgery may be required to stabilize the bone and promote healing.
Female runners, endurance athletes and military recruits tend to experience more femoral neck stress fractures (FNSFs) than their male counterparts due to physiological and biochemical differences.
These athletes are at increased risk for developing a stress fracture in the affected region due to physiological and biochemical differences.
Women can reduce the likelihood of developing femoral neck stress fractures by eating healthily and engaging in regular physical activity.
Femoral neck stress fractures (FNSF) are rare, representing 5% of all stress fractures, and most prevalent among runners and military recruits. Women are at higher risk in both populations with an overall incidence of stress fractures of 9.2% (vs. 3% for males) in the military and 9.7% (vs. 6.5% for males) in athletes.
Unfortunately, eating disorders during adolescence and reduced body fat may contribute to an increased likelihood of developing these fractures.
Can You Walk With a Femoral Fracture?
If you have a femoral fracture, you won’t be able to put weight on your injured leg. Walking with a femoral fracture is not recommended as it can cause further damage and delay the healing process.
Most people with a femoral fracture require medical intervention, including medications, immobilization, and repair surgery. A femoral fracture usually requires three to six months of recovery time.
After the initial treatment for the fracture, rehabilitation is always necessary to restore full movement and mobility to the ankle and help the patient return to all usual activities. Following femur fracture surgery, rehabilitation is frequently a careful and slow process.
The limb is placed in a cast or brace following surgery for about 8 weeks. A physical therapist will work with the patient to make sure that they are using crutches safely. It can take anywhere between 12 weeks and 12 months to fully heal from a femur fracture.
Most individuals who have a femur fracture can start walking with the assistance of a physical therapist within the first couple of days following an accident or surgery.
Your physical therapist might initially advise you to use an assistive device, like a wheelchair or crutches, and show you how to use it.
In summary, walking with a femoral fracture is not recommended as it can cause further damage. Most people require medical intervention and rehabilitation after treatment for full recovery which can take anywhere from 12 weeks to 12 months.
