The femur, the thigh bone, is the longest bone in the body, in an adult measuring 40-50 cm. Fortunately, femoral fractures are quite rare because the femur is a strong bone and to fracture it requires a lot of strength. A car accident is generally one of the main causes of a femoral fracture. Also, elderly people are more likely to fracture the femur bone due to osteoporosis (decreased bone mass).

The "ruptured hip" could also be a femoral fracture, located in the upper part of the bone.

The femur is the bone that forms the skeleton of the thigh, being the largest bone in the body. At its upper extremity (upper epiphysis) there is the femoral head that is connected to the body of the femur (also called the femoral diaphysis or femoral shaft) through the femoral gap. The lower extremity (lower epiphysis) consists of two strong articular protrusions, called condyles, lateral and medial

The femur bone can fracture (break) in three different places:

➢ At the level of the femoral head resulting in the fracture of the femoral head (stress fractures of the femoral head are a frequent cause of hip pain in certain people being caused mainly by repetitive movements, as in the case of runners, for example)

➢ At the level of the femoral gap, called femoral gap fracture, specific to elderly people due to osteoporosis

➢ At the level of the femoral tree (the long part of the femoral bone is also called a femoral shaft and a fracture located along the length of the bone is known as a femoral tree fracture). Fractures of the femoral shaft occur most often in young men after severe trauma

➢ At the level of the distal part of the femur, the femoral condyle. Fracture of the femoral condyle sometimes occurs after a medial reconstruction of the tendon of the muscular group located on the posterior part of the thigh (hamstring).

During the procedure, a specially designed metal rod will be inserted into the narrow femoral canal. The rod passes along the fracture to ensure that the femur bone is fixed in the correct position. Or metal plates and screws can be used. In this situation, all the bone fragments are repositioned back and are held in position with specialized screws of metal plates that apply the outer part of the bone. Screws and plates are generally used in the case of fractures that extend into the knee and/or hip joints.

The movement of the foot is encouraged from the first part of the post-operative recovery period. Under the supervision of a physical therapist, immediately after surgery, an exercise program is started to regain muscle strength and joint mobility, with gradual loading of the affected lower limb. Initially, walking will be done with the help of a walking frame or crutches in order not to leave body weight on the affected lower limb.

➢ Preventing a fracture is essential. For this it is recommended to regularly practice physical exercises that, in addition to toning the muscles, also contribute to strengthening the bones and improving balance, as well as a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D3 that have the role of strengthening the bones.

➢ Fall prevention programs are important for the elderly who have already suffered from a femoral fracture. These programs include exercises for balance and for improving walking, adapting the home with non-slip surfaces, support bars, etc.