What are the common symptoms of a broken leg. How is a broken leg diagnosed. What treatment options are available for a broken leg. What complications can arise from a broken leg. How long does it take to recover from a broken leg.

Understanding the Anatomy of Leg Bones

The human leg consists of four main bones, each playing a crucial role in mobility and support. Understanding these bones is essential for comprehending the nature of leg fractures:

• Femur: The thighbone, longest and strongest in the body
• Patella: The kneecap, connecting thigh muscle to tibia
• Tibia: The shinbone, primary weight-bearing bone
• Fibula: The calf bone, running alongside the tibia

How does the femur contribute to hip and knee function? The upper part of the femur forms the hip joint, allowing for a wide range of motion, while its lower end connects to the tibia to form the knee joint. This arrangement enables various leg movements, including forward, backward, and rotational motions.

Types of Leg Fractures: From Simple to Complex

Leg fractures can vary significantly in severity and complexity. Common types include:

1. Comminuted: Bone breaks into three or more pieces
2. Compression: Bone is crushed
3. Greenstick: Incomplete fracture, bone not fully separated
4. Oblique: Diagonal break across the bone
5. Segmental: Bone broken in two places, creating a “floating” segment
6. Spiral: Fracture spirals around the bone, often due to twisting

Can a broken bone be visible through the skin? Yes, in some cases. When a fractured bone is visible either through an open wound or protruding through the skin, it’s called an open or compound fracture. These fractures require immediate medical attention due to the risk of infection and complications.

Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of a Broken Leg

Identifying a broken leg promptly is crucial for proper treatment. Key symptoms include:

• Intense pain, worsening with movement
• Swelling and tenderness around the affected area
• Bruising and discoloration
• Inability to bear weight or walk
• Visible deformity of the leg

How can you distinguish between a broken leg and a severe sprain? While both conditions can cause pain and swelling, a broken leg often results in more severe pain, inability to bear weight, and visible deformity. However, definitive diagnosis requires medical examination and imaging.

Deformity Indicators in Leg Fractures

Leg fractures can cause noticeable changes in the leg’s appearance:

• Rotation: The leg below the fracture site may appear twisted
• Angulation: An unusual bend at the fracture site
• Shortening: The affected leg may appear shorter than the uninjured one

Why do these deformities occur? These changes result from the misalignment of bone fragments at the fracture site, altering the leg’s normal structure and appearance.

Common Causes of Leg Fractures: From Accidents to Underlying Conditions

Leg fractures typically result from significant force applied to the bone. Common causes include:

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Falls, especially from heights
• Sports injuries
• Direct blows to the leg

Do some people have a higher risk of leg fractures? Yes, individuals with weakened bones due to conditions like osteoporosis, bone cancer, or certain metabolic disorders may be more susceptible to fractures, even from relatively minor impacts.

The Role of Force in Leg Fractures

The type and severity of a leg fracture often correlate with the amount and direction of force applied. For instance, high-impact collisions are more likely to result in comminuted fractures, while twisting injuries might lead to spiral fractures.

Is it possible to break a leg without significant trauma? While rare, stress fractures can occur in leg bones due to repetitive force or overuse, particularly in athletes or individuals with weakened bones.

Diagnostic Procedures for Confirming Leg Fractures

Accurate diagnosis of a leg fracture involves several steps:

1. Physical examination
2. Medical history review
3. Imaging studies

Which imaging techniques are most commonly used for diagnosing leg fractures? X-rays are typically the first-line imaging tool, providing clear views of bone alignment and fracture patterns. In more complex cases, CT scans or MRI may be necessary for detailed evaluation of bone and soft tissue damage.

The Importance of Prompt Diagnosis

Early and accurate diagnosis is crucial for several reasons:

• Guides appropriate treatment selection
• Prevents potential complications
• Improves long-term outcomes
• Aids in pain management

How quickly should a suspected leg fracture be evaluated? Ideally, medical evaluation should occur as soon as possible after the injury to ensure proper care and prevent further damage.

Treatment Approaches for Leg Fractures: From Conservative to Surgical

Treatment for leg fractures varies based on the type, location, and severity of the break. Common approaches include:

1. Immobilization: Using casts, splints, or braces
2. Traction: Aligning bones using weights or pulleys
3. Surgical intervention: Internal or external fixation
4. Pain management: Medications and other therapies
5. Physical therapy: Rehabilitation exercises

When is surgery necessary for a leg fracture? Surgery is often required for complex fractures, open fractures, or when bones cannot be properly aligned through non-surgical methods. The goal is to restore proper bone alignment and promote optimal healing.

Innovations in Fracture Treatment

Advancements in medical technology have introduced new treatment options:

• Minimally invasive surgical techniques
• 3D-printed casts and braces
• Ultrasound bone stimulation
• Biodegradable implants

How do these innovations benefit patients? These advancements often lead to faster recovery times, reduced pain, and improved functional outcomes compared to traditional treatment methods.

Potential Complications of Leg Fractures: What to Watch For

While most leg fractures heal without incident, complications can occur:

• Compartment syndrome: Dangerous pressure build-up in muscle compartments
• Infection: Particularly in open fractures
• Malunion: Improper bone alignment during healing
• Nonunion: Failure of the bone to heal
• Post-traumatic arthritis: Joint damage leading to arthritis

What are the signs of compartment syndrome? Symptoms include severe pain, numbness, and muscle weakness. This condition requires immediate medical attention to prevent permanent tissue damage.

Long-term Impact of Leg Fractures

Some leg fractures can have lasting effects:

• Chronic pain
• Reduced range of motion
• Muscle weakness
• Leg length discrepancy

Can these long-term effects be mitigated? Many long-term complications can be minimized through proper initial treatment, diligent follow-up care, and comprehensive rehabilitation programs.

Recovery and Rehabilitation After a Leg Fracture

The recovery process for a leg fracture involves several stages:

1. Initial healing and bone union
2. Gradual weight-bearing exercises
3. Muscle strengthening and flexibility training
4. Gait training and balance exercises
5. Return to normal activities

How long does it typically take to recover from a leg fracture? Recovery time varies greatly depending on the fracture’s severity, the patient’s overall health, and adherence to treatment plans. Simple fractures may heal in 6-8 weeks, while complex fractures can take several months or longer.

The Role of Physical Therapy in Recovery

Physical therapy plays a crucial role in leg fracture recovery:

• Restores range of motion
• Improves muscle strength and endurance
• Enhances balance and coordination
• Prevents complications like joint stiffness

When should physical therapy begin after a leg fracture? The timing depends on the fracture type and treatment method. In some cases, gentle exercises may begin soon after injury, while in others, therapy starts after the bone has initially healed.

Recovering from a leg fracture requires patience, dedication, and professional guidance. By following medical advice, engaging in appropriate rehabilitation exercises, and gradually increasing activity levels, most individuals can regain full function and return to their normal activities. Remember, each recovery journey is unique, and it’s essential to work closely with healthcare providers to achieve the best possible outcome.

Broken Leg: Symptoms, Causes, Diagnosis, Treatment

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Is a Broken Leg?
• Types of Leg Breaks
• Broken Leg Symptoms
• Broken Leg Causes
• Broken Leg Diagnosis
• Broken Leg Treatment
• Broken Leg Complications
• Follow-Up
• Broken Leg Prevention
• Broken Leg Recovery
• More

A broken leg is when you break one of the bones in your leg. It can happen lots of ways, like falling or getting into a car accident.

Your leg has four bones (the femur, the patella, the tibia, and the fibula). If there’s an accident, any one of these bones may break (fracture) into two or more pieces.

• Femur. This is the bone in your thigh. It’s the longest and strongest bone in your body. The upper part of the femur fits into the pelvis (the bone that supports your spinal column) to form the hip joint. At this joint, it can move frontward, backward, sideways, and even rotate in and out. When people speak of a “broken hip,” it’s this upper part of the femur that’s broken. The lower end of the femur rests on top of the tibia, forming the knee joint. At the knee, the leg can swing frontward, backward, and even rotate slightly.
• Patella. The kneecap (patella) glides back and forth in front of the knee joint. The kneecap connects your thigh muscle to the tibia. It also helps protect your knee.
• Tibia. This is the shinbone. It supports your body’s weight.
• Fibula. The bone runs alongside the tibia below your knee. It’s on the outside part of the leg and is smaller than the tibia.

The ankle is made up of the bottom ends of the tibia and fibula, the connecting foot bones, and the ligaments and tendons. Serious twisting injuries to the ankle can result in fractures of the tibia or fibula near or within the ankle joint.

There are many types of breaks. What type you have depends on the force it takes to break and the way it breaks.

Types of breaks include:

• Comminuted, when the bone breaks in three or more pieces and there are fragments where the bone broke
• Compression, when the bone is crushed
• Greenstick, when the broken bone isn’t completely separated (an incomplete fracture)
• Oblique, when the bone break is diagonal
• Segmental, when the bone is broken in two pieces (meaning there’s a “floating” part of bone)
• Spiral, when the bone break is spiraled, usually because of a twisting injury

If you can see the bone when it’s broken — either because there’s a cut over the fracture or the bone is sticking out through the skin — it’s called an open fracture. This is sometimes called a compound fracture.

Breaking your femur takes a lot of force, so it’ll probably be obvious if you break it. The major symptoms of a broken leg are pain, swelling, and deformity. Less obvious breaks might need an X-ray to diagnose.

Signs you might have a broken leg are:

• Bruising
• Not being able to walk
• Serious pain that gets worse when you move and gets better when you’re still
• Swelling
• Tenderness
• A change in the form of your leg

If a leg is broken, it can change form in the following ways:

• Rotation: The leg below the break is twisted.
• Angulation: The leg bends at the break instead of at the joint.
• Shortening: The broken leg appears shorter than the unaffected leg.

If you think your child or toddler might have a broken leg, they might cry or stop walking on it without saying why.

When to seek medical care

Some parts of your leg may be broken and still seem like a bad strain. This happens a lot with injuries around the ankle, or sometimes with the fibula, the little bone next to the shinbone.

Call your doctor if:

• You can’t walk without being in a lot of pain
• It hurts when you push on the bony parts of the leg
• You’re worried you might have a broken leg, even if you’re unsure

If you think you or someone else has a broken leg, go to an emergency room for further evaluation. If you can’t walk, you should call 911 for an ambulance.

If you’ve recently had surgery, or had a splint or cast placed already, return to the hospital right away if you have these problems:

• Loss of muscle strength or numbness in the leg or foot. Some loss of strength is common because of the pain of the fracture, but if you notice you’re quickly losing strength, having numbness, or suddenly have a lot of pain that doesn’t go away with your pain medication, it could be a sign of a “compartment syndrome.” Compartment syndrome happens when swelling gets so serious in your leg that it cuts off blood flow to it. This can cause damage to the muscles and nerves in your leg.
• Redness, fever, lots of swelling or pain, and pus draining from a surgical cut are all signs of possible wound infection.

It usually takes quite a bit of force to break bones in your leg. If your bones have been weakened somehow, they can be broken more easily. If the amount of force put on a bone is greater than the amount it can handle, the bone will break.

Some of the ways your leg may break include:

• Car or motorcycle accidents. You can break the bones in your leg when your knee hits the dashboard during a car crash. It’s possible to break all three of the bones in your leg when you get into an accident.
• Falls. Falling, especially from somewhere high, can break one or both of the bones in your lower leg, but falling usually won’t break your thighbone (femur).
• Overuse. It’s possible to get stress fractures — tiny cracks in your bones — when you put pressure on them often, like with long-distance running. Stress fractures can also happen with activities like ballet and basketball.
• Sports injuries. Getting hit during contact sports, like martial arts or football, can cause broken bones, too. So can hyperextending your leg.

In children, child abuse can break leg bones. If a child can’t walk and has a broken leg, that could be a sign of child abuse.

An injury can also cause a bone to break if your bones are weakened by diseases or conditions, including:

• Bone cysts
• Cancer
• Diabetes
• Osteoporosis
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• Tumors

The doctor will check your leg for signs of a break (fracture). If the doctor thinks a bone has been broken, they’ll order X-rays.

The doctor also will look for signs that an artery or nerve was damaged or injured. To do this, they’ll feel for pulses and test your strength and sense of touch below the injury.

If the doctor suspects some other medical condition has weakened the bone, leading to the fracture, other lab tests may be ordered.

It’s often tough to diagnose stress fractures, and special studies beyond X-rays may be needed.

If you have a broken leg, you’ll need to take care of it right away when you’re at home.

Treating a broken leg at home

If an injury happens and you suspect a break, remember the following:

• Keep your leg as still as possible until help arrives.
• Rest. Try to keep from making the injury worse.
• Put an ice pack wrapped in a pillowcase or towel on your leg to ease swelling.
• If possible, keep your leg raised with pillows or cushions to reduce swelling.
• Often with a broken leg, surgery is necessary. For this reason, don’t let someone with a broken leg eat or drink anything until seen by the doctor. Always ask the doctor if it would be OK to eat before doing so.

Medical treatment for a broken leg

The type and location of a break in a leg bone will determine what treatment is needed.

• If the bones have become displaced or out of alignment, they’ll need to be put back into alignment. This procedure is called “reduction.” To do this, you’ll be given medications for pain before the procedure.
• An emergency doctor will be able to treat many types of fractures with a temporary brace or plaster splint and will tell you to follow up with an orthopedic doctor (bone specialist). Fractures of the thigh bone or the shinbone typically will need further care by an orthopedist right away. This may mean a cast or even an operation.
• Your bones will be kept from moving so they can heal using several methods:
  • Setting your leg: When you first get diagnosed, a doctor will keep your leg still with a splint. Your doctor might keep the splint on for a day to let the swelling go down.
  • Immobilization: Next, your doctor might use a splint or cast to stop your bones from moving around. You might also need crutches or a cane to get around easier. If that’s the case, you’ll probably use your crutches or cane for about 6-8 weeks.
  • Medications and treatment: Your doctor might suggest you take over-the-counter pain medication (like acetaminophen or ibuprofen) to help with the pain and swelling. But if your pain is severe, they might give you stronger painkillers.
  • Therapy: Once your leg heals and the doctor takes off your cast or splint, you’ll probably need some sort of therapy. Therapy will help your leg get back to normal, since your muscles will have weakened. It can take a few months or longer for your leg to heal completely.
  • Surgery: Although a cast or splint is usually all most broken bones need, you could need surgery, depending on your break. If you need surgery, pins, screws, and metal plates or wires are usually used to hold together the broken ends of a bone. For fractures in the middle part of the thigh bone (femur) or the shinbone (tibia), a metal rod sometimes is placed down through the center of the bone. This is done in the operating room.

Although not everyone will have other problems that stem from breaking their leg, some complications are possible, including:

• Arthritis. Your break can cause arthritis to pop up years later.
• Blood vessel or nerve damage. When you break your leg, you could also damage the blood vessels or nerves that are nearby.
• Bone infection (osteomyelitis). If you had an open fracture, that means the bone was exposed to the outside air, including germs and fungi. Those could give you an infection in your bone.
• Compartment syndrome. Swelling, pain, and sometimes disability in the muscle near the break can happen with this rare condition. It’s more common with car accidents because it’s considered a “high-impact” injury.
• Delayed or poor healing. A serious broken leg might not heal quickly. It also might never fully heal, depending on the break. This is more common if you have an open fracture involving your tibia, since there’s less blood flow to the bone.
• Legs that are different sizes. If your child breaks a leg, one leg could end up shorter than the other. This is because children’s bones are still growing. But this is rare, especially with the right treatment
• Pain in your ankle or knee. Your ankles or knees could hurt because of your break.

From the emergency department, you will usually need to follow up with an orthopedic doctor. This bone specialist will guide you in further appointments and rehabilitation as necessary.

To lessen your risk of injury from a car accident, use a seat belt. For children, use a safety seat appropriate for the child’s age and weight.

• If you play sports that involve high speeds or heights, play only at your experience level and use the right protective gear.
• Use assistance, like a walker or cane, as instructed by your doctor, if you are at risk for falling or have an unsteady walk.
• Talk to your doctor about screening for diseases that may weaken bones.

If treated promptly and properly, a broken leg usually will regain normal function. How severe the injury is and your age will play roles in how you recover. For instance, an elderly person with a hip fracture may have a hard time getting their strength and mobility back.

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Broken leg – NHS

A broken leg (leg fracture) will be severely painful and may be swollen or bruised. You usually will not be able to walk on it.

If it’s a severe fracture, the leg may be an odd shape and the bone may even be poking out of the skin.

There may have been a “crack” sound when the leg was broken, and the shock and pain of breaking your leg may cause you to feel faint, dizzy or sick.

What to do

If you think you or someone else has broken their leg, go immediately to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department.

Call 999 for an ambulance if the injury seems severe or you’re not able to get to A&E quickly.

While you make your way to A&E or wait for an ambulance:

• avoid moving the injured leg as much as possible – keep it straight and put a cushion or clothing underneath to support it
• do not try to realign any bones that are out of place
• cover any open wounds with a sterile dressing, a clean cloth or a clean item of clothing – maintain direct pressure on the wound if it is bleeding

If the person is pale, cold and sweaty (in shock), lie them down and keep them warm and calm until you can get medical help.

How a broken leg is treated

Immobilisation

First, a healthcare professional will give you painkillers and may fix a splint to your leg to secure it in position and prevent further damage.

For severe pain, you may be given painkilling gas through a face mask or medicine through a drip into a vein.

An X-ray will be done to assess the fracture.

If the broken bone is still in position, you’ll usually just need a plaster cast. This holds the bone in place so it can heal.

If there’s a lot of swelling, you may just have a splint or cast around the back half of your leg until the swelling goes down. A full cast can be fitted a few days later.

You may be provided with painkillers to take home and information on how to look after your cast.

Read more about how to care for your plaster cast.

Reduction

If the bones are misaligned, a doctor or surgeon may need to put them back into place. This is known as reduction.

Sedatives are sometimes provided before the procedure and local or regional anaesthetic is used to numb the site of the break.

In some cases a general anaesthetic is needed, which means you’ll be asleep during the procedure.

Once the bones are in the correct position, a plaster cast can be applied.

Surgery

Severe fractures are often treated with surgery to realign and fix the broken bones. Surgeons can fix bones with metal wires, plates, screws or rods.

Plates, screws and rods will usually be left in place permanently unless they become a problem, whereas wires will be removed 4 to 6 weeks after the operation.

Sometimes an external frame (external fixator) is attached to the broken bones with metal pins to help keep them in place. This is removed once the fracture has healed.

After surgery, a plaster cast may be applied to protect the leg.

Follow-up appointments

An appointment will be made for you to attend a fracture clinic so specialist orthopaedic doctors can monitor your fracture.

The first appointment is usually booked for a week or 2 after you’re discharged from hospital.

Severe fractures will usually heal within 3 to 6 months, but may require follow-up appointments every few months for a year or more afterwards.

Further X-rays are often necessary to check how well your leg is healing.

Recovering from a broken leg

You’ll be given advice by your doctor about how much you should move your leg and when you can put weight on it.

It takes around 6 to 8 weeks for a minor fracture to heal. You’ll probably need to use crutches or a wheelchair during this time, until it’s possible to put weight on the leg again.

You’ll be shown how to safely use any mobility equipment you’re provided with.

More severe fractures can take between 3 and 6 months to fully heal. Some can take even longer.

The hospital may recommend regular physiotherapy appointments to help you maintain or regain muscle strength, movement and flexibility.

This will include specific exercises to do before and after the cast is removed.

Do not try to rush your recovery by returning to your normal activities too quickly, as the broken bone may not be fully healed even when the pain has gone.

Follow the advice of your doctor, who’ll probably recommend gradually increasing how much you use your leg over time.

You should not drive while in a cast. Seek advice from your doctor about when you can drive again.

Possible complications

For most people, a broken bone will heal within a few months and there will not be any further problems.

But complications can sometimes occur.

Damaged muscle, nerves or blood vessels

Damage around the fracture can occur during the initial injury or during surgery. 

It may lead to loss of movement or feeling, or may affect the blood supply to the limb.

Bone infection

This is more likely if surgery is performed or the broken bone stuck out of the skin. 

It can significantly delay healing and will often require treatment with antibiotics, surgery, or both.

Compartment syndrome

Compartment syndrome is a painful and potentially serious condition caused by bleeding or swelling within a bundle of muscles.

This can occur soon after a fracture, after the plaster cast has been applied, or after surgery.

Emergency surgery will usually be needed to relieve the build-up of pressure in your leg.

Other complications

Occasionally, a further operation may be needed if the bone does not heal properly.

This can happen if the bone doesn’t align properly during surgery, you put too much weight on the bone before it heals, the fracture is severe, you have diabetes, or you smoke during your recovery.

Types of fracture

Some broken bones are more serious than others – it depends on the location of the fracture, how the bone has broken, and whether there’s any damage to the surrounding tissue.

The most common types of fracture are:

• stress fractures – tiny cracks in the bone caused by overuse, common in athletes
• undisplaced or hairline fracture – a fracture through the bone with little damage to the surrounding tissue
• displaced fracture – the 2 parts of the broken bone have moved apart (misaligned)
• comminuted fracture – the bone has broken (shattered) into several pieces
• open or compound fracture – a complicated break where the bone has broken through the skin, or the initial injury has exposed the broken bone

Page last reviewed: 15 September 2021
Next review due: 15 September 2024

90,000 possible causes, therapy. Rehabilitation medicine

Why does leg swelling occur after a leg fracture? The reasons for this phenomenon will be discussed in the materials of this article. We will also tell you how to properly treat this pathological condition.

Basic information

Swelling of the leg after a leg fracture occurs quite often. Before telling how to get rid of such a phenomenon, you should find out what it is.

Edema is the accumulation of a certain amount of fluid in the soft tissues of the body. Very often, such a pathological condition develops after injury to the limb. Experts explain this phenomenon by disturbed blood flow in the damaged area of ​​the body.

Swelling of the leg after a leg fracture may appear immediately after the injury, and also develop after some time, including after the fracture has completely healed.

Peculiarities of edema

Swelling of the leg after a leg fracture may be a long-term and persistent phenomenon. Very often, the cause of such consequences is not only poor blood flow, but also damage or violation of the integrity of the ligaments or muscle tissue, as well as failures in their normal operation.

Foot fracture: therapy, photos, symptoms and signs. Signs of a fracture…

When a tumor appears on an injured limb, the patient may experience severe and aching pain. Also in this place the color of the skin changes.

In the event that the fracture was open or intra-articular, comminuted or displaced, then swelling can be observed not only on the injured part of the leg, but also over its entire surface.

It should also be noted that sometimes with such injuries, patients lose skin sensitivity and experience constant pain, which ultimately leads to a decrease in human motor activity. Because of this, the patient may develop serious complications.

Main causes

A cast on a broken leg is a completely normal situation. In this case, very often there are such cases when, after prolonged immobilization of the limb, the bones grow well and quickly, and after removing the bandage, during the rehabilitation of the patient, edema forms on the leg. In this case, the skin remains without visible damage. In medical practice, this problem is called “lymphostasis”.

Ankle fracture: signs, first aid and features…

According to experts, lymphatic edema may occur due to a violation of the outflow and production of lymph. In this case, as a result of a fracture in the victim, not only the bones can be damaged, but also the vessels, nearby tissues, nerves, muscles, lymph nodes, ligaments, and so on.

With the appearance of lymphostasis, the patient may experience complications such as elephantiasis, cysts, ulcers, fibrosis, and others. There are also cases when, with swelling of the injured area, it not only thickens, but also thickens the skin.

Other reasons

Why does the leg swell after a fracture (what to do in this situation, we will tell further)? As a rule, in violation of the integrity of the ligaments, the joints are limited in movement. Also, they may appear excessive mobility. Such phenomena contribute to the development of severe puffiness, which is the cause of the appearance of “ivory” or growths of bone tissue.

Fracture temperature. The reaction of the body to a fracture

Plaster cast on the leg does not cause swelling. This pathological condition is caused by completely different reasons. But in any case, if such symptoms appear, you should immediately consult a doctor, since ignoring them entails very serious consequences.

How to relieve swelling after a broken leg?

There are many ways to eliminate swelling that has developed after an injury. However, to choose the most suitable method, you should always consult a doctor. This is due to the fact that any medicine for edema has its own side reactions and contraindications.

By the way, not only modern preparations can eliminate the swelling of the lower extremities after a serious injury, but also special procedures, which should also be recommended by an experienced doctor.

So how do you relieve swelling after a broken leg? There are several methods for eliminating such a pathological condition. These include folk, traditional and alternative.

Conventional edema treatment

Restorative medicine requires various creams, gels and ointments to relieve swelling in the lower extremity. Such local preparations help to improve not only lymph flow, but also blood flow.

According to experts, the medicine for edema should contain heparin. This substance belongs to the group of direct anticoagulants, which prevents blood clotting and quickly eliminates any swelling.

Also, after a fracture of a limb, doctors very often prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs and ketoprofen-containing drugs for topical use to their patients. In addition, to improve blood flow and lymph outflow, some experts recommend using ketoprofen or ichthyol ointment. “These products produce a warming effect and have an antitumor effect. Such ointments should be applied no more than three times a day, intensively rubbing them into the skin area until completely absorbed .

Alternative methods

In addition to traditional methods in the form of drugs and ointments, restorative medicine recommends removing limb edema after a fracture through various physiotherapy procedures, including UV irradiation, electrophoresis, electrical stimulation, and others. However, it should be remembered that such methods do not always make it possible to see the result of treatment immediately after it has begun.

So, to relieve swelling of the lower limb after a fracture, doctors recommend:

• Electrical muscle stimulation. This procedure has a beneficial effect on tissue after damage.
• Hydromassage or regular massage that improves blood supply to damaged tissues, as well as the production and flow of lymph. You can do this massage yourself or entrust this procedure to a specialist.
• UV irradiation of the damaged area.
• Electrophoresis.
• Phonophoresis.

Folk remedies

Swelling of the leg after an ankle fracture can occur in any person. Most often, with this problem, the patient turns to the doctor. But if traditional methods of therapy do not help, then you should turn your attention to already proven folk remedies.

In order to eliminate swelling of the legs, alternative medicine suggests the use of a variety of oils, which must be gently rubbed into the injury site.

As such folk remedies, experts recommend using cedar, fir or other oils that promote tissue regeneration and have a warming effect. In addition, in alternative medicine, many people use compresses with special clay or tincture. By the way, some of them can even be taken orally.

Consider the most effective and popular remedies that are most effective in eliminating edema:

• Pharmacy blue clay. The powder is diluted with a small amount of water, and then a cake is made from the resulting mass, which should completely cover the damaged area. It is applied to the fracture site for about 40-55 minutes. Such a compress must be done three times a day.
• Fir oil is intensively rubbed into the skin, where tissue swelling is observed. This procedure should be carried out immediately after sleep and immediately before it.

• Arnica infusion. To prepare such an antitumor solution, several large spoons of the crushed plant are poured with hot water (boiling water) and infused for about an hour. It should be remembered that for 1 liter of liquid it is necessary to take approximately 30 g of arnica. After a while, the infusion is filtered through gauze, after which it is used for compresses and lotions, which are applied to the fracture site for 1/4 hour before bedtime.

How long does swelling last after an ankle fracture and how to get rid of it

Damage to the integrity of the bone in the ankle area is accompanied by swelling. It occurs due to damage to the capillary networks, which in turn disrupt the exchange between blood and tissue fluid. The duration of the presence of edema depends on the severity of the fracture. It disappears over a period of 1 to several weeks. To speed up recovery, apply ointments, physiotherapy. Also, with the consent of the doctor, you can use traditional medicine recipes. After removing the plaster, you can do a massage.

Contents

How long the swelling lasts

The duration of swelling in the foot depends on the degree of ankle injury. Unexpressed edema resolves without medical intervention. But if tissues or tendons are damaged during a fracture, then it will take time and effort to relieve swelling. This may take from several days to several weeks. Sometimes the leg is in a cast for a long time, which leads to muscle atrophy and a violation of the exchange between blood and lymph, and this in turn increases the duration of the edema.

It is interesting to read about the operation after ankle fracture.

Help with swelling

First aid is to apply a cold compress to the injured area. It has not only a decongestant effect, but also an anesthetic. Cold constricts blood vessels, reduces blood flow and relieves swelling after an ankle fracture. The next stage of assistance is immobilization. The limb must be raised (put on a hill) and bandaged, which will lead to the outflow of blood. In this state, you should wait for the arrival of an ambulance. If it is possible to get to the hospital on your own, then crutches will help the victim, in no case should you stand on your leg.

At the hospital, the doctor will diagnose, determine the extent of the fracture, apply a cast if necessary, and prescribe the recommended treatment. The period of stay in the cast is about 4 weeks, depending on how quickly the callus can form.

Ointments

A day after the fracture, you can start applications with warming and blood circulation ointments. These include: troxevasin, ichthyol and heparin. Gently rub into the skin, massaging it. The procedure is carried out several times a day, while evaluating how the leg swells.

Physiotherapy

As mentioned above, edema can persist for a long time and in order to speed up the healing process, the doctor may prescribe physiotherapy: electrophoresis, hydromassage, UV irradiation, ozokerite. A few drops of essential oil are added to the hydromassage bath. UV irradiation promotes bone healing. Usually procedures are carried out for 10-15 minutes. Together with ointments, they increase the metabolism in tissues, improve blood circulation. Swelling of the leg with any type of ankle fracture in this case decreases much faster.

Removal of edema at home

Folk remedies in the form of compresses of tinctures and oils remain very popular. For tinctures, herbal preparations from wormwood, arnica, calendula flowers and chamomile are used. These herbs have anti-inflammatory properties. A warm compress is applied to the injured ankle for 30 minutes, then the leg is wrapped in a warm cloth. Fir and cedar oils have regenerating properties for swelling after an ankle fracture. Thanks to them, the skin restores the lipid layer, improves metabolism.

At home, edema that occurs after wearing a cast for a long time is more often treated. Here, the leg may swell for physiological reasons.

Folk remedies

Methods of treating swelling with folk remedies:

• Take cabbage leaves, knead well, apply to the sore spot, fixing with a bandage or bandage. They are good at removing puffiness.
• Grate raw potatoes, squeeze. A slurry from it is applied to the place of edema, covered with cellophane on top and bandaged with a bandage. This compress can be left overnight.
• You can make a mixture of honey by adding a few drops of fir oil. Soak the fabric with it and attach it to the ankle area, isolate it from above with cellophane and a second bandage.

Massage

Massage can be started in the first days after the cast has been removed. It is important that they do not massage the area of ​​\u200b\u200bedema, but the muscles near the ankle. In no case should you touch the bone, so as not to deform the callus. Massage the entire leg completely to restore blood circulation in general. Start with small loads, light movements with massage cream. Strength increases over time.

Massage can be done independently at home several times a day for 15-20 minutes. While wearing the cast, the muscles weaken, so gymnastics is sure to be added: make rotational movements with the foot, bend the toe towards and away from you, walking in place. Gymnastics tasks: to restore muscle endurance, walking biomechanics.

Proper nutrition during the period of illness contributes to a speedy recovery. More foods containing vitamins and minerals are introduced into the diet.