Riding after femur fracture?

[SamOS]

Hi everyone I am i new poster but have enjoyed following threads for a long time. On 10th March my young horse spooked as I was mounting and I landed on my left side. I sustained a nasty proximal fracture to my left femur. I had surgery 2 days later to insert a rod the length of my femur with screws at the hip and just above the knee. I am almost 6 weeks post op and am partially weight bearing with 2 crutches. I am struggling with pain in the hip and knee and if i stand for longer than 15min my hip & knee swell badly. I am slowly cracking up! Has anyone experienced a similar injury and if so how long was it before you could ride? My surgeon laughed when I asked about when I could ride....I suggested September and he just said let's see how it goes . I appreciate any information/positive stories?

 

[SpotsandBays]

No advice or experience but sending you lots of healing vibes. Hope the pain and swelling subside soon!

 

[palo1]

Sorry to hear about your injury. My son had a complete break to his femur with rod and screws from hip to knee (but inside the bone). He is 7 months post injury and is pretty mobile and independent without crutches though there is pain, obvious limping and tiredness. He has just started to drive short distances again but that is still uncomfortable. Wrt riding, my lad rode bareback for 10 mins in walk last week. He doesn't think stirrups would be comfortable at all but he hasn't tried that. Getting off was difficult but possible with a bit of help.

The main difficulty actually, is the loss of balance and muscle tone - he is terribly lop-sided and once on a horse, feels ridiculously wobbly. He has been actively working on his recovery but he is also 6'5" with a rugby player's build which cannot help sadly. I think he could start to ride by July, with stirrups and quietly but everyone is different. Son was told his recovery would likely take a year but most functionality has now returned, albeit with discomfort. It is a huge injury even when quite straightforward.

I hope you recover well and keep working on reaching those key recovery milestones: it's definitely a marathon not a sprint!

ETA: progress in recovery is not linear so keep heart and keep working at it; things will quite quickly change and youay be able to ride much quicker than you or anyone else might imagine!

 

[sport horse]

I fractured my mid shaft femur backin the early 1980's. I had a (badly fitted) Kuntschener nail inserted down the centre of the bone. It was too long and too narrow so did not stablilise the fracture. I hobbled around and tried to ride for 15 months. At that point I went privately to a London based surgeon who reoperated and fitted an inter medullary nail. I went into hospital on crutches and walked out 3 dyas later with no aids. I was riding a few weeks later . I was in my 20's at that time. I am now in my 70's, still have the nail in my leg and I have ridden, show jumped and skiied happily since. I have no pain now, but regular chiropracter to keep my spine straight as the leg shortened by half an inch.

In my time I was told that it would take at least 3 months for a femur to heal so six weeks is pretty soon. As you have screws it sounds as though the pin is outside the bone not within the bone as mine is and screws can cause pain if they become loose. I think you have to give it time, physio and rest. Good luck.

 

[misst]

Hi everyone I am i new poster but have enjoyed following threads for a long time. On 10th March my young horse spooked as I was mounting and I landed on my left side. I sustained a nasty proximal fracture to my left femur. I had surgery 2 days later to insert a rod the length of my femur with screws at the hip and just above the knee. I am almost 6 weeks post op and am partially weight bearing with 2 crutches. I am struggling with pain in the hip and knee and if i stand for longer than 15min my hip & knee swell badly. I am slowly cracking up! Has anyone experienced a similar injury and if so how long was it before you could ride? My surgeon laughed when I asked about when I could ride....I suggested September and he just said let's see how it goes . I appreciate any information/positive stories?

You don't say if you're in your 20s or 50s etc so that can make a difference as can the method of fixation. Have you seen anyone since your op?
Yes it is a long road to recovery and expectations need to be managed but a good physio (NHS don't offer a lot . Not the physios fault just funding issues) specialising in rehab for sport should be helpful and offer realistic advice regarding what to expect pain wise and advise if you need to go back to your surgeon. Some surgeons just want to fix it others are more understanding of individual requirements.

 

[SamOS]

Sorry to hear about your injury. My son had a complete break to his femur with rod and screws from hip to knee (but inside the bone). He is 7 months post injury and is pretty mobile and independent without crutches though there is pain, obvious limping and tiredness. He has just started to drive short distances again but that is still uncomfortable. Wrt riding, my lad rode bareback for 10 mins in walk last week. He doesn't think stirrups would be comfortable at all but he hasn't tried that. Getting off was difficult but possible with a bit of help.

The main difficulty actually, is the loss of balance and muscle tone - he is terribly lop-sided and once on a horse, feels ridiculously wobbly. He has been actively working on his recovery but he is also 6'5" with a rugby player's build which cannot help sadly. I think he could start to ride by July, with stirrups and quietly but everyone is different. Son was told his recovery would likely take a year but most functionality has now returned, albeit with discomfort. It is a huge injury even when quite straightforward.

I hope you recover well and keep working on reaching those key recovery milestones: it's definitely a marathon not a sprint!

ETA: progress in recovery is not linear so keep heart and keep working at it; things will quite quickly change and youay be able to ride much quicker than you or anyone else might imagine!

Thank u ...I have had the same fixation with a rod down the middle of my femur with screws at the hip and knee. I have had so many different timeliness...one physio said I would be driving at 6 weeks! Hopefully my recovery will be speedy and straightforward

 

[SamOS]

You don't say if you're in your 20s or 50s etc so that can make a difference as can the method of fixation. Have you seen anyone since your op?
Yes it is a long road to recovery and expectations need to be managed but a good physio (NHS don't offer a lot . Not the physios fault just funding issues) specialising in rehab for sport should be helpful and offer realistic advice regarding what to expect pain wise and advise if you need to go back to your surgeon. Some surgeons just want to fix it others are more understanding of individual requirements.

Hi I am 46 and had the fracture fixed with a gamma nail the full length of my femur (inside the bone) with screws at the hip and 2 bolts at the knee. I had physio while in hospital and i had one session with a private physio as I was not even referred for outpatient PT. I saw the surgeon at 5 weeks post op due to sensory loss in my foot and the fracture showed no signs of healing on the xray. I am not very patient when it comes to these things and like to know what to expect and when!

 

[misst]

If you possibly can do get private physio follow up - the NHS is so hit and miss. I would have expected signs of healing at 5 weeks - what did the surgeon say? Don't be afraid to push for 2nd opinions etc if you aren't happy. Make sure they understand your goals. Orthopaedic surgeons can be very dismissive and uninterested in your preferred outcomes. Often they just sort of say "well don't do it if it hurts" etc. Some are amazing but if you were treated as an emergency rather than elective surgery you may be unlucky that this is not your surgeons speciality. There are fantastic surgeons out there and there are some okish ones. Push for answers as your bone should be showing some healing by now.

 

[sport horse]

Hi I am 46 and had the fracture fixed with a gamma nail the full length of my femur (inside the bone) with screws at the hip and 2 bolts at the knee. I had physio while in hospital and i had one session with a private physio as I was not even referred for outpatient PT. I saw the surgeon at 5 weeks post op due to sensory loss in my foot and the fracture showed no signs of healing on the xray. I am not very patient when it comes to these things and like to know what to expect and when!

Do not leave it too long without either going privately if you have that option or else asking for a second opinion. Certainly by 12 weeks it should show signs of healing. You will know when it is healing as the pain will diminish.

 

[misst]

Bone should show the start of callus formation by 5 weeks. It does take longer in femurs than a wrist for instance but I would be concerned at no signs. It can mean things are not stable etc and I would have expected the surgeons to give an explanation. Definitely don't wait too long.

 

[SamOS]

Bone should show the start of callus formation by 5 weeks. It does take longer in femurs than a wrist for instance but I would be concerned at no signs. It can mean things are not stable etc and I would have expected the surgeons to give an explanation. Definitely don't wait too long.

my surgeon is very good . There was no callus formed on my xray at 5 weeks...tho I am type 1 diabetic so healing can be slower than normal. I am seeing him again in 6 weeks. I will see what the physio recommends next week. Thanks again. I am still going to remain optimistic about getting back in the saddle

 

[asmp]

I can’t comment on a femur fracture but I broke my ankle last October and now have several screws in it. I’m still hobbling a bit and haven’t ridden since apart from sitting on my horse around the yard. Getting off was the worst bit.

However, at Xmas I got a DVT because of the break so please, please keep an eye out for one. My NHS physio dismissed the idea of one as the pain was in the thigh instead of the calf but I took myself to A&E a few days later. The blood clot is in the groin and 4 months on isn’t shifting and now I’m wary of riding because I’m on blood thinners.

 

[palo1]

My poor lad hasn't had any physio but has had follow up x-rays & appointments with a consultant to check on healing. Knee pain has been significant but now he is getting to the point where he has some really good days, the knee pain is only after a really tough day and he has even been able to 'run' when trying to catch a ewe (we are sheep farmers ) ! Today, actually he was walking normally but he has been determined to take proper steps rather than allowing his bad leg to just follow along iykwim. He said to me this very afternoon that he thinks his movement is good with lessening discomfort so that is reasonably rapid change from, say, 8 weeks ago.

 

[Britestar]

Not me, but a friend broke her femur.
Sadly she wasn't able to ride again, as the discomfort was too much.

 

[misst]

I'm so sorry your son wasn't given physio. It's never too late to start. A good one would be able to help him with "normal" steps and he would probably make good progress sooner. The NHS is very bad at fixing the initial problem and then leaving patients to get on with it. People make compensatory movements and develop damaging patterns (like horses!). It's probably worth looking for areally good rehab physio for a few sessions. The difference may amaze him.

 

[misst]

my surgeon is very good . There was no callus formed on my xray at 5 weeks...tho I am type 1 diabetic so healing can be slower than normal. I am seeing him again in 6 weeks. I will see what the physio recommends next week. Thanks again. I am still going to remain optimistic about getting back in the saddle

Physio is the way forwards. Again make sure they know your long term goals. Being a diabetic does slow things sometimes but you'll get there I'm sure x

 

[palo1]

I'm so sorry your son wasn't given physio. It's never too late to start. A good one would be able to help him with "normal" steps and he would probably make good progress sooner. The NHS is very bad at fixing the initial problem and then leaving patients to get on with it. People make compensatory movements and develop damaging patterns (like horses!). It's probably worth looking for areally good rehab physio for a few sessions. The difference may amaze him.

Judging from some conversations with my lad, and his improvement recently, I suspect he may have been doing some research as he is now taking normal steps and the compensatory pronation of one ankle is improving no end. We would happily pay for him to have physio if he wants and could find a decent local therapist.

 

[misst]

Judging from some conversations with my lad, and his improvement recently, I suspect he may have been doing some research as he is now taking normal steps and the compensatory pronation of one ankle is improving no end. We would happily pay for him to have physio if he wants and could find a decent local therapist.

It need not cost the earth. An initial assessment and then commitment to do as advised with even 2 to 4 weekly follow up for a month or two could be transforming. It's really hard to see/know exactly what is going right/wrong yourself. Building correct muscle and flexibility is important - like horses again

 

[Exasperated]

Hi everyone I am i new poster but have enjoyed following threads for a long time. On 10th March my young horse spooked as I was mounting and I landed on my left side. I sustained a nasty proximal fracture to my left femur. I had surgery 2 days later to insert a rod the length of my femur with screws at the hip and just above the knee. I am almost 6 weeks post op and am partially weight bearing with 2 crutches. I am struggling with pain in the hip and knee and if i stand for longer than 15min my hip & knee swell badly. I am slowly cracking up! Has anyone experienced a similar injury and if so how long was it before you could ride? My surgeon laughed when I asked about when I could ride....I suggested September and he just said let's see how it goes . I appreciate any information/positive stories?

Does this pain ‘burn’?
Research: Complex Regional Pain Syndrome.
If your nerves have been dislocated and thoroughly confused by your surgery, and/or if your body is reacting against the implanted metalwork (surgical steel 36 1L contains c.12+% nickel and bad reactions DO occur), there is only c.3 months before a permanent issue.
Should see start of bone healing by now, whatever may be wrong, but IF you suspect CRPS and/ or possible intolerance of your implant - do NOT accept blandishments and platitudes from your orthopaedic surgeon - pay privately for metal allergy blood tests (may have to send by courier to a European lab), and be very proactive indeed.
All the luck in the world with this.