Symptoms

Patients who have a fractured thigh usually complain of severe pain that increases in intensity under every load. In addition, the fracture often causes a significant reduction in movement. Both the mobility of the hip joint and the range of motion of the knee joint can be severely restricted at times.

The affected leg is no longer stable, making walking and standing almost impossible for the patient. In addition to the pain, swelling and extensive bruising are among the most common symptoms of a thigh fracture. In a displaced femur fracture (so-called “dislocated fracture”), the affected leg shows a clearly visible deformation at the fracture site.

A noticeable shortening of the leg can also be interpreted as an indication of the presence of a thigh fracture. If the fracture occurs in the area of the bone shaft, many of the affected patients experience a passage of the fracture ends through the skin surface. In medical terminology, this is known as an “open bone fracture”.

This form of bone fracture is particularly dangerous because of the impaired soft tissue structures. Damage can be observed at the level of fatty tissue, muscles, tendons and ligaments. The prognosis of an open fracture of the femur depends largely on the extent of this soft tissue injury.

In the presence of a femoral neck fracture, a rotation of the regular leg axis can often be observed. The axis of the affected leg usually deviates significantly outwards. In addition, sensory disturbances can be caused by an injury to the smallest nerve structures.However, depending on the extent of this nerve injury, these sensory disturbances can rapidly decrease.

In the case of extensive nerve injuries, however, it is also possible that the complaints will persist permanently. Paralysis may also occur in the course of a fracture of the thigh. Patients who suffer a thigh fracture are almost always in severe pain.

Often the pain is so severe and impairing that it overshadows any other symptoms. Depending on the exact location of the femur fracture, so-called compression pain, pain in the groin area or pain directly in the area of the thigh may be predominant. The physician refers to pain that occurs when a part of the body is compressed – in this case when the thigh is moved.

However, some patients also report unbearable knee pain after a fracture of the thigh. These patients most likely suffer from a fracture that is closer to the knee. But no matter where they occur – there is one thing that all pain from thigh fractures has in common: the pain that the affected person has to suffer is so strong that independent movements, for example when walking, are impossible. For this reason, sufficiently strong and efficient pain therapy should be started before the final therapy is started so that the patient does not suffer longer than necessary.