Broken Leg Health Video

Broken legs are usually significant injuries. Learn how to diagnose and treat a broken leg in this medical video.

Take Action

Can be treated without operation
Major fractures require surgery
Recovery time varies

About this Author

Christopher O'Grady, M.D. is a board certified orthopedic surgeon who treats musculoskeletal conditions resulting from injury, overuse and arthritis. He has a special interest in arthroscopy, and has served as an instructor in arthroscopic surgery at multiple national orthopedic conferences. O'Grady earned his undergraduate degree in physics at Georgetown University, and then continued his studies in Washington, D.C. when he earned a seat at the Georgetown University School of Medicine. After receiving his Doctor of Medicine in 1997, O'Grady went on to complete his orthopedic training at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Long Island, NY. He completed his internship and residency in Orthopedic Surgery at Long Island Jewish Medical Center. After completing his residency, the United States Navy assigned O'Grady to the Pensacola Naval Hospital where he proudly served as an active duty orthopedic surgeon for four years.

DR. CHRIS O'GRADY: Fractures or breaks of the lower extremity are usually fairly traumatic. They can be subtle. However, when you are talking about the biggest bones in your body, typically there is an obvious deformity, a result of a high-energy injury or a sporting event, which will cause some sort of a dramatic pain and inability to bear weight on the extremity. This is an individual who was involved in a high-speed motorcycle accident. He sustained a rather obvious midshaft femur fracture here which is completely displaced. There is a spectrum of treatments depending on whether or not the bone is displaced, which bone we're talking about, the femur, the lower extremity, the tibia or fibula, the ankle. Nondisplaced fractures in the ankle can be treated nonoperatively. Fractures of the femur typically are very dramatic and displaced and will require surgery. If you suspect that you have a relatively minor injury of the leg - a major one will be obvious - a minor fracture will require an X-ray and an evaluation by a physician to determine whether or not it needs other treatment. Recovery times for these injuries can vary dramatically depending on the location of the injury and the type of injury. Ankle injuries typically will be six to eight weeks. Femoral injuries can be upwards of two to three months, and tibia fractures can be even longer depending on the amount of energy that caused the injury in the first place.