Thigh Fractures
The thighbone (femur) is your longest and strongest bone – so durable that a thigh fracture it is typically the result of an extreme impact because it usually takes a tremendous amount of force to fracture it. Causes may include falling from a dangerous height, receiving a gunshot wound or being involved in a car or motorcycle accident. The severity of the fracture differs significantly depending upon the accident.
Doctors medically classify femoral fractures with these criteria:
- Fracture location (with the femoral shaft divided into thirds: distal, middle, proximal)
- Fracture pattern (in what direction did the bone break: cross-wise, length-wise, or in the middle)
- Did the skin and muscle above the bone get torn by the injury?

Most Common Types of Thigh Fractures:
- Transverse fracture. A break in a straight horizontal line going across the femoral shaft.
- Oblique fracture. A fracture in an angled line across the shaft.
- Spiral fracture. A twisting force to the thigh causes the fracture line to encircle the shaft like the stripes on a candy cane.
- Comminuted fracture. When the bone is broken into three or more pieces. The number of bone fragments usually corresponds with the amount of force required to break the bone.
- Open fracture. An open (or compound) fracture is when the bone fragments stick out through the skin, or a wound penetrates down to the broken bone. Open fractures often involved much more damage to the surrounding muscles, tendons, and ligaments. Open fractures have a higher risk for complications, greater risk of infections, and take longer to heal.


Highly-Skilled. Fellowship Trained.
Florida Orthopaedic Institute boasts a team of highly-skilled and fellowship trained surgeons to care for femoral (thigh) fractures, regardless of the injury’s extent. Our doctors will confer with you regarding the cause of the accident, the extent and areas of your pain, your medical history and any current medical conditions that should take into consideration (e.g. allergies, diabetes, blood pressure, asthma, etc.). The doctor then performs a complete examination with an emphasis on your thigh injury. As necessary for a precise diagnosis of the damage, the doctor may order tests, such as an x-ray or a CT scan.
Surgery & Recovery
Most thigh fractures require surgery to heal properly and it’s unusual for them to be treated without surgery. Very young children are sometimes treated with a cast and not surgery. If the skin is not ruptured, the doctor may postpone the surgery until you are in a more stable condition depending on any other injuries and conditions. In the meantime, the affected leg is placed in a splint or traction device. If the skin is torn, surgery is performed immediately since the risk of infection is a serious concern. There are various methods of surgery that will be considered based on your injury and conditions.
Recovery typically occurs within 4 to 6 months. Your doctor will encourage movement of the leg during your recovery and prescribe physical therapy once recovered. As with any surgery, the talented team of Florida Orthopaedic Institute’s surgeons who specialize in this area will have a detailed discussion with you and encourage your questions.
Areas of Focus
- Hip & Thigh
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Groin Strains and Pulls
- Hamstring Injuries
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Impingement Labral Tears
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hip Pointers and Trochanteric Bursitis
- Iliopsoas Tenotomy
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Bone Health Clinic
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
The following Florida Orthopaedic Institute physicians specialize in Thigh Fractures:
Specialties
- AC Joint Injuries
- Achilles Tendinitis - Achilles Insertional Calcific Tendinopathy (ACIT)
- Achilles Tendon Rupture
- Achilles Tendonitis
- ACL Injuries
- Ankle Fracture Surgery
- Ankle Fractures (Broken Ankle)
- Ankle Fusion Surgery
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- Arthroscopic Chondroplasty
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- Arthroscopy Of the Ankle
- Articular Cartilage Restoration
- Artificial Disk Replacement (ADR)
- Aspiration of the Olecranon Bursa
- Atraumatic Shoulder Instability
- Avascular Necrosis (Osteonecrosis)
- Bankart Repair
- Basal Joint Surgery
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- Bicep Tenodesis
- Bioinductive Implant
- Bone Cement Injection
- Bone Growth Stimulation
- Bone Health Clinic
- Broken Collarbone
- Bunions
- Bursitis of the Shoulder (Subacromial Bursitis)
- Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Charcot Joint
- Chiropractic
- Clavicle Fractures
- Colles’ Fractures (Broken Wrist)
- Common Foot Fractures in Athletes
- Community Outreach
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- De Quervain's Tenosynovitis
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- Elbow
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- Epidural Injections for Spinal Pain
- Finger Dislocation
- Flexor Tendonitis
- Foot Stress Fractures
- Foot, Ankle & Lower Leg
- Foraminotomy
- Fractured Fingers
- Fractures Of The Shoulder Blade (Scapula)
- Fractures Of The Tibial Spine
- Functional Nerve Transfers of The Hand
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- High Ankle Sprain (Syndesmosis Ligament Injury)
- Hip & Thigh
- Hip Arthroscopy
- Hip Dislocation
- Hip Flexor Strains
- Hip Fractures
- Hip Hemiarthroplasty
- Hip Impingement Labral Tears
- Hip Muscle Strains
- Hip Pointers and Trochanteric Bursitis
- Hyperextension Injury of the Elbow
- Iliopsoas Tenotomy
- Iliotibial Band Syndrome
- Impingement Syndrome of the Shoulder
- Interlaminar Implants
- Interlaminar Lumbar Instrumental Fusion: ILIF
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- Interventional Spine
- Intraarticular Calcaneal Fracture
- Knee & Leg
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- Kyphosis
- Labral Tears Of The Hip (Acetabular Labrum Tears)
- Laminectomy: Decompression Surgery
- Lateral Collateral Ligament (LCL) Injuries
- Lisfranc Injuries
- Little League Shoulder
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- Lumbar Epidural Steroid Injection
- Lumbar Interbody Fusion (IBF)
- MACI
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- Meniscus Tears
- Metatarsalgia
- Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery
- Morton’s Neuroma
- Muscle Spasms
- Nerve Pain
- Neuromas (Foot)
- Neurosurgery
- Olecranon Stress Fractures
- Orthopaedic Total Wellness
- Orthopedic Physician Or A Podiatrist?
- Orthopedic Trauma
- Osteoarthritis of the Hip
- Osteoporosis
- Outpatient Spine Surgery
- Partial Knee Replacement
- Patellar Fracture
- Pelvic Ring Fractures
- Peripheral Nerve Surgery (Hand) Revision
- Pinched Nerve
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Piriformis Syndrome
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Podiatry
- Primary Care Sports Medicine
- Quadriceps Tendon Tear
- Radial Tunnel Syndrome (Entrapment of the Radial Nerve)
- Revascularization of the Hand
- Reverse Total Shoulder Replacement
- Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) of the Shoulder
- Rheumatoid Arthritis Of The Hand
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- Shoulder Separations
- Shoulder Socket Fracture (Glenoid Fracture)
- SLAP Tears & Repairs
- Spinal Fusion
- Spine
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- Sports Foot Injuries
- Sports Hernias (Athletic Pubalgia)
- Sports Medicine
- Sports Wrist and Hand Injuries
- Sprained Ankle
- Sprained Wrist Symptoms and Treatment
- Subacromial Decompression
- Sudden (Acute) Finger, Hand & Wrist Injuries
- Targeted Muscle Reinnervation (TMR)
- Tendon Transfers of The Hand
- Tennis Elbow
- Thigh Fractures
- Thigh Muscle Strains
- Thumb Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries
- Total Ankle Replacement
- Total Hip Arthroplasty
- Total Hip Replacement - Anterior Approach
- Total Knee Replacement Surgery
- Trapezius Strain (Muscle Strain of The Upper Back)
- Traumatic Shoulder Instability
- Triceps Tendonitis
- Trigger Finger
- Turf Toe
- UCL (Ulnar Collateral Ligament) Injuries
- Ulnar Neuritis
- Valgus Extension Overload
- Vertebroplasty
- WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet)
- Whiplash and Whiplash Associated Disorder (WAD)
- Wound Care
- Wrist Arthroscopy
- Wrist Fractures
- Wrist Tendonitis
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