Hip & Thigh

What It Is

The thighbone (femur) is the longest and strongest bone in the body. Because the femur is so strong, it usually takes a great deal of force to break it, and car and motorcycle crashes are the number one cause of breaks in the main part of the bone (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.a). The long, straight part of the bone is called the femoral shaft, and a break anywhere along it is called a femoral shaft fracture.

A "broken hip" (hip fracture) is also a break of the femur, but at its upper end, close to the hip joint: in the ball (head) of the femur, the narrow neck just below the ball, or the area just below the neck (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.b). A break in the neck of the femur is called a femoral neck fracture. It is worth discussing with your doctor exactly where your fracture is, as this affects how it is treated.

Femoral Fracture Anatomy

The femur is the long bone in the thigh, and it is surrounded by large, strong muscles. When it breaks, the force can sometimes be great enough to push the broken ends of the bone out of line; this is called a displaced fracture.

The leg supports the body when standing and allows us to walk, run and jump. It extends from the hip joint down to the ankle, and the femur is the largest bone in the body.

Femoral shaft fractures are common in high-energy accidents such as car crashes or falls from a height (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.a). Hip fractures are most common in older people, usually after a fall, because osteoporosis (thinning of the bones) makes the bones weaker (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.b; NHS, 2026). For an older person, a simple trip and fall can be enough to break the hip.

Signs of a Broken Thighbone or Hip

Pain in the hip, thigh or groin
Not being able to stand or put weight on the leg
Difficulty moving the hip and leg
The leg is at an odd angle or looks shorter than the other leg
Swelling and bruising around the hip and upper leg

(NHS, 2026; American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.a)

Not a diagnosis — for more information, contact me or another trusted healthcare provider.

Treatment

Self-Care & Treatment

Treatments you may want to discuss with your family doctor, nurse practitioner or medical team

Most femoral fractures are treated with an operation. Your surgical team will explain which is right for you.

Options outside my scope

Intramedullary nailing: this is the method most surgeons currently use for femoral shaft fractures. A specially designed metal rod (nail), usually made of titanium, is passed down the hollow centre of the femur and across the break, and held in place with screws above and below it (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.a).
Plates and screws: the broken pieces of bone are put back into line and held together with metal plates and screws fixed to the outer surface of the bone. These are often used when nailing is not possible, such as for fractures that extend into the hip or knee joint (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.a).
Hip fracture surgery: depending on things like your age and the type of break, a broken hip may be fixed with screws, nails, rods or plates, or part or all of the hip joint may be replaced with an artificial one (NHS, 2026).

How I can help (see the My Approach tab)

Hands-on care for the muscles that work overtime while you recover
Help with swelling, stiffness and scar tissue
Strength and balance work alongside your physiotherapy programme

Tips

Follow your surgical team's instructions about moving your leg and how much weight to put on it. Getting this wrong can cause problems with healing (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.a).
When you start walking again, you will probably need to use crutches or a walker for support (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.a).
You are likely to lose some muscle strength in the injured leg. Physical therapy helps restore muscle strength, joint movement and flexibility, and usually starts while you are still in hospital (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.a; NHS, 2026).
Keep doing the exercises you are given when you go home (NHS, 2026). Once your surgical team is happy, I can support your recovery alongside your physiotherapy programme. See the My Approach tab for how I work.
If you are over 50 and have broken your hip, ask whether there is a fracture liaison service in your area, which can help prevent further broken bones (NHS, 2026).

Treatment

My Approach

After a broken thighbone or hip, your surgical team sets the rules: how much weight you can put through the leg and, after hip surgery, which positions to avoid while it heals. I work inside those rules, check what you've been cleared for, and need your surgical team's okay before we start any hands-on treatment.

Please bring any X-ray or scan reports and notes from your medical team to your first visit. They're an important part of planning safe treatment for you.

At the first visit I'll ask about your operation, your weight-bearing instructions and any hip precautions, and assess how your hips, knees, back and other leg are moving and coping.

Early On

Work on the low back, the other leg, and the shoulders and arms if you're on crutches or a walker
Gentle lymphatic drainage to help with swelling, with pillows and positioning built around your precautions
Ankle pumps, gentle thigh and buttock tightening and the other exercises your team allows

As You Get Stronger

Hands-on work for the thigh and hip muscles, and around the scar once it has healed, to keep the tissue moving
Stretching and gentle joint mobilisation only once your team says the bone or new joint is ready
Step-ups, mini-squats, heel raises and balance work, then walking further, cycling or gym-based strength work
Keeping up strength and balance work long after you feel recovered, as falls stay a real risk after a broken hip

No heat goes over metal implants. If your leg suddenly looks shorter or turned out, or you have severe new groin, thigh or knee pain, contact your surgeon urgently or go to the emergency room. For calf pain and swelling, chest pain or shortness of breath, call 911.

What to Expect

Typical Course

Typical course: Once you're cleared, most people start with shorter visits once or twice a week, then weekly, spacing out as you manage more on your own, with a reassessment at about 4 to 6 weeks. A broken thighbone usually takes around four to six months to heal fully, and your surgical team's plan sets the pace for weight-bearing and loading.

What I Focus On

Working Within Your Team's Limits

Compensation Relief

Swelling & Scar Care

Progressive Strength

Balance & Falls

Please read

When to See a Doctor First

When to Get Urgent Help

A broken hip or thighbone needs treatment in hospital straight away (NHS, 2026). Call 911 or go to the emergency room at your nearest hospital if (NHS, 2026):

You have severe hip or thigh pain after a fall or injury
You are unable to walk or put weight on your leg
Your leg looks out of shape, at an odd angle or shorter than the other
You have any tingling or loss of feeling in your hip or leg after an injury

Do not drive yourself; call 911 and ask for an ambulance (NHS, 2026).

Sources

References

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (n.d.a) Femur shaft fractures (broken thighbone). OrthoInfo. Available at: https://www.orthoinfo.org/diseases--conditions/femur-shaft-fractures-broken-thighbone/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (n.d.b) Hip fractures. OrthoInfo. Available at: https://www.orthoinfo.org/diseases--conditions/hip-fractures/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
NHS (2026) Broken hip. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/broken-hip/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).

Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooFemoral Fracture

What It Is

Femoral Fracture Anatomy

Signs of a Broken Thighbone or Hip

Self-Care & Treatment

Treatments you may want to discuss with your family doctor, nurse practitioner or medical team

Tips

My Approach

Early On

As You Get Stronger

Typical Course

When to See a Doctor First

When to Get Urgent Help

References

Related Conditions

Book a session

Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooFemoral Fracture

What It Is

Femoral Fracture Anatomy

Signs of a Broken Thighbone or Hip

Self-Care & Treatment

Treatments you may want to discuss with your family doctor, nurse practitioner or medical team

Tips

My Approach

Early On

As You Get Stronger

Typical Course

When to See a Doctor First

When to Get Urgent Help

References

Related Conditions

Compartment Syndrome – Thigh/Buttocks

Developmental Dislocation (Dysplasia) of the Hip (DDH)

Femoral Anteversion

Fracture After Total Hip Replacement

Book a session