Femur...SNAP!

[brandoncarr]

In March, I was in a motorcycle accident. The accident had, for the most part, rendered me helpless. I was no more than 20 seconds from my house! I had been in Vegas the whole weekend, and was riding on no sleep the night before. I was at a red light, and rocking back and forth, I was very sleepy, and it was very hot. I had to make a u-turn at this light, and I remember nothing after rocking back and forth, but according to witnesses, I made the u-turn very very widely, and once I straightened out, I started falling backwards, and my front wheel popped up. I went into the curb, and was tossed off of my bike. My right leg was dragged through the grass, got caught, and turned completely the other way.

My femur snapped, and then I hit a pole. a good 3-4" of my femur, literally, snapped off on both sides. I also hit my arm on a pole, breaking it. From the leg being twisted around, I stretched out the nerves running through my leg, and now I'm not able to bend my foot up. I can push it down, but when I try and pull it up towards me, I get nothing. The results of the non-invasive test I had showed inconclusive results, and called for another test that was much more invasive, and included a needle being buried deep inside the muscles up and down my feet, my leg, and my lower back. I think it was more painful than the resetting of the leg! Without a doubt, the most painful thing ever.

Anyways, it's been a little over 3 months, and I don't have a whole lot to show for it. I, honestly, expected for myself to be a lot further along. I was on hydrocodine (norco) for about 2 months before I felt like it was leading my every habit, and I didn't want to get addicted, so I went off of it cold turkey. Sleeping was the hardest thing I had to do after that. The pain wasn't all that bad. I have a pretty high tolerance for it, but when the lights went out, I was stuck...I was never tired. All of the narcotics were still driving through my system, and I was suffering. I thank God that I got through that though!

I've since been in PT/OT for my arm and leg. The range of motion in my arm is amazing. My therapist says I'm about 90%, and I'm so happy to almost have that back. However, that's more than I can say about my leg. My range of motion has improved since the accident, but I feel like I've hit a roof. It looks to me like I've hit a certain point in my range of motion, and I can't get it to go any further, and it's really bothersome. I push my leg as much as I can past the pain to try and get over the sensitivity to touch. I'm numb up and down my leg, and that part also sucks. When I have an itch, I can't scratch it!! It just lingers there. I can't wait until this thing is over, and I can get back to my everyday life.

Sorry that I've just gone on, but I feel like I need to get this all out. I do my best to function like all of my friends and family, but I can't do all of the things that they do, and that really bothers me as well. I just want to be normal, but I don't think I can get to that point until I am back to 100%, which, I'm told, wont be for another 8 months or so.

-brandoN^-

[brandoncarr]

Does anyone know any good exercises that will help out with my range of motion? I believe I'm at about 35-40 with bending my leg. When I cam home from the hospital, I couldn't bend it at all, and it stayed that way for a few weeks before I as recommended for PT by my doc. :x

Thanks!

-brandoN^-

[FREESKIER_FIVE-0]

Im sorry I know nothing. But, sadly, that title made me laugh.

[amyzilla]

I was in a bad accident too (coach bus vs. jack-knifed semi) and had a bunch of injuries, including a broken femur. My break was clean and probably wasn't anywhere near as bad as yours. Definitely hurt like a bitch though.

My accident was over a year and a half ago and my leg is still a little bit sensitive to the touch. My therapists told me it takes about eight weeks for someone my age to recover from a broken bone, and it takes somewhere from 18 to 24 months for all the cells in the bone to be replaced (i.e. be "totally healed" and feel better).

Did you have any knee injuries? What sorts of stretches/exercises are you doing in PT?

It sounds like your recovery has hit a plateau, which can be really frustrating. I had many, many days like that, and I still do. I think the best thing you can do is try to focus on the positive. Think about how far you've come in your recovery, and concentrate on the things you can do now.

Do you keep a journal? I started a blog after my accident, and now when I'm having a shitty day, I look back through some of my old entries. It's a lot easier to appreciate how much you've recovered when you can read through your past experiences.

Anyway, hope this helps. Hang in there!

[brandoncarr]

Im sorry I know nothing. But, sadly, that title made me laugh.

lol, I didn't really think about the title until you pointed it out... That is a little funny.

I was in a bad accident too (coach bus vs. jack-knifed semi) and had a bunch of injuries, including a broken femur. My break was clean and probably wasn't anywhere near as bad as yours. Definitely hurt like a bitch though.

My accident was over a year and a half ago and my leg is still a little bit sensitive to the touch. My therapists told me it takes about eight weeks for someone my age to recover from a broken bone, and it takes somewhere from 18 to 24 months for all the cells in the bone to be replaced (i.e. be "totally healed" and feel better).

Did you have any knee injuries? What sorts of stretches/exercises are you doing in PT?

It sounds like your recovery has hit a plateau, which can be really frustrating. I had many, many days like that, and I still do. I think the best thing you can do is try to focus on the positive. Think about how far you've come in your recovery, and concentrate on the things you can do now.

Do you keep a journal? I started a blog after my accident, and now when I'm having a shitty day, I look back through some of my old entries. It's a lot easier to appreciate how much you've recovered when you can read through your past experiences.

Anyway, hope this helps. Hang in there!

Ouch, big truck vs. big bus... No one really wins that battle. I had PT today, and I was talking to my therapist, and he told me that I probably had about 8 months before I'm going to be about 100%. I felt really good in PT today, I feel like I've made a little bit more progress. He stretched me, and I really haven't been that far in a long time. He said I'm doing great, that from the time I started until now has been a short period of time, and I've made a ton of progress.

I twisted my leg all the way around, and my nerves got frayed, and some muscles got pulled. It's been a painful process, but I'm trying to stay as strong as I can. Anyways, I'm off to work. I'll catch you guys later. Thanks for the ideas so far. I like the blog idea, I think I'll take that into serious consideration.

-brandoN^-

[Yriarte]

Hi, I broke my femur 3 weeks ago.. I am 29 and going crazy... I am putting some weight on it but I am using a walker... I had a rod and 4 screws, nice scar.. My knee is not bending like I would like.... I am a little in the, This sucks still... Any help???

[brandoncarr]

It'll be 6 months on the 18th since my accident. For the longest time afterwards, I couldn't bend my knee at all. It was straight, and stiff as a board. I stuck to the PT, and I can bend it all the way now. I have 100% weight bearing. I'm in the stage of regaining muscle now, so I have an ugly limp, and I lean to the side when I walk on my bad leg. When I use my cane, I look like House though, lol.

I have been worried, however, about my nerves. I still don't have the ability to move my big toe up, and lift my foot up. I'm really hoping I get that back. I was prescribed a ACL... I think that's what it's called, at least. It lifts your foot for you when you walk, so your foot doesn't drop when you walk, and land flat. If my nerve doesn't heal, that's what I'll be in for the rest of my life. I don't want that... Does anyone know of any surgery to repair damaged nerves?

Anyways, hope this helps. Stick to the physical therapy, and you will be fin. 3 weeks, and you're already putting some weight on it, you're doing fine. Good luck, and I hope all is well.

-brandoN^-

[Endlessseason]

. I thought slamming the door of my car onto my finger last week was awful.
Brandon, after hearing what you and a few others have gone/are going through right now I believe I will just count my blessings and consider myself lucky to have only a smashed finger.
Thank you and good luck in your continuing recovery.

[sftc]

Brandon,

I realize you want to see more progress after 6 months, but it actually sounds like you are doing fairly well, given how bad your leg was messed up. My Grandfather has a similar injury back in the 80's on his cop-bike Harley. He slid on gravel and hit the guardrail on the outside of a turn. His leg was crushed between the guardrail and the bike, and he snapped his femur a few inches above his knee. He's lucky he didn't bleed to death on the spot or loose his leg, and he's thankful for that, but his recovery was slow and frustrating. He couldn't walk for almost a year and his knee was trashed beyond repair, but he kept doing his PT and excercises and thing started to slowly get better. Unfortunately, the nerve damage was the last thing to repair itself, but he never had surgery to try and correct it.
Eventually he had to get a knee replacement but now he doesn't even have to walk with a cane and he's almost 90 yrs. old.
I guess the moral of story is that you broke the biggest bone in your body and it takes a lot of time to heal, and many people with major knee/leg injuries aren't back to 'normal' for a year or two, if ever. Take your time, things will get better, and if you don't see continued progress over the next few months, then you may want to consider invasive nerve surgery.
That's just MHO, maybe being more agressive with your nerve problems is the solution, but I just wanted to relate another person's experience with a similar injury.