The femur is the longest, thickest and strongest bone in the human body. It extends from the pelvis to the top of the knee and is usually about 20 inches (50 centimeters) long in an average-sized person. More accurately called the femur bone, this critical component of the human anatomy supports the entire upper body and ensures that energy is distributed downward to the foot. The bone is the location of most hip fractures and therefore is often one of the main bones involved in hip replacement surgery.
The femur, one of several bones that allow the human body to deal with gravity, plays an essential role in standing, walking, running, and jumping. Its shape, like a hollow cylinder, gives it the necessary strength to withstand great tension and support great weight. The head of the bone is shaped like a ball and fits into a deep socket in the pelvis called the acetabulum. Connecting the head to the thinnest section of the bone shaft is the femoral neck. Just below the neck, there is a bump on the outside called the greater trochanter. The large muscles of the buttocks join the femur at the pons.
Femur fractures usually occur at the neck of the bone. In young people, breaks usually occur as a result of a serious fall, blow, sports injury, or car accident. The cause in older people may be that and may be accelerated by osteoporosis that weakens the bones. Older people also sometimes experience femur fractures in an area slightly below the neck in what is called the intertrochanteric region. Breaks of the femur in any of these areas, for both young and old, are generally known as hip fractures and are usually considered serious injuries. Healing of a fracture can take three to six months.
Risk factors for femoral fractures generally include participating in high-contact sports such as football or hockey, aging, developing osteoporosis, decreased muscle mass, and having diseases that often attack the bones. like cancer. Several precautions can offer protection against femur fractures, such as avoiding activities that carry a high risk of a high impact, staying active to stay agile, exercising to increase the muscle strength needed to reduce the chance of falling, eating foods with high calcium and vitamin D content, wearing seat belts when driving or riding in a vehicle, and wearing proper protective gear and padding when participating in sports or participating in other sporting activities.