broken leg
DEFINITION
A broken leg (leg fracture) is a break or crack in one of the bones in your leg. Common causes include falls, motor vehicle accidents and sports injuries.
Treatment of a broken leg depends on the location and severity of the injury. A severely broken leg may require surgery to implant devices into the broken bone to maintain proper alignment during healing. Other injuries may be treated with a cast or splint. In all cases, prompt diagnosis and treatment of a broken leg is critical to complete healing.
CAUSES
There are a number of ways you can break a leg, including:
- Falls. A simple fall can fracture one or both of the lower leg bones. However, the thighbone is unlikely to be broken without more significant trauma.
- Motor vehicle accidents. All three leg bones can break during a motor vehicle accident. Fractures can occur when your knees become jammed against the dashboard during a collision.
- Sports injuries. Hyperextending your leg during contact sports can cause a broken leg. So can a direct blow — such as from a hockey stick or an opponent’s body.
- Child abuse. In children, a broken leg may be the result of child abuse, especially when such an injury occurs before the child can walk.
- Overuse. Stress fractures are tiny cracks that develop in the weight-bearing bones of your body, including your shinbone. Stress fractures are usually caused by repetitive force or overuse, such as running long distances. But they can also occur with normal use of a bone that’s been weakened by a condition such as osteoporosis.
SYMPTOMS
A broken thighbone (femur) — the strongest bone in your body — usually is obvious because it takes so much force to break. But fractures of your shinbone (tibia) — the major weight-bearing bone in your lower leg — and the bone that runs alongside your tibia below your knee (fibula) may be more subtle.
Signs and symptoms of a broken leg may include:
- Severe pain, which may worsen with movement
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Bruising
- Obvious deformity or shortening of the affected leg
- Inability to walk
- Toddlers or young children who break a leg may simply stop walking, even if they can’t explain why. Unexplained crying may be a symptom of a toddler who has a fracture.
When to see a doctor
- If you or your child has any signs or symptoms of a broken leg, see a doctor right away. Delays in diagnosis and treatment can result in problems later, including poor healing.
- Seek emergency medical attention for any leg fracture from a high-impact trauma, such as a car or motorcycle accident. Fractures of the thighbone are severe, potentially life-threatening injuries that require emergency medical services to help protect the area from further damage and to transfer you safely to your local hospital.
