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Original poster

Daughter broken femur

27 replies

ALS26 · 29/04/2025 20:08

My 6yo daughter broke her femur in a playground accident at school. We have no idea how such a big break could happen in just the school playground. Does anyone else have any experiences of children with a broken femur from just a freak accident?

OP posts:
Springadorable · 29/04/2025 20:09

Well there are lots of variations as to what has happened. What has the school, her friends and she said has happened?

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 29/04/2025 20:12

A nursery-mate of my DD’s broke his femur kicking a balloon at a birthday party.

BangersAndGnash · 29/04/2025 20:13

A big jump down, a bad fall on her hip, an awkward twisting sports fall, someone carrying a bench swinging it round and hitting her.. lots of ways to break a femur.

Poor girl, 🤞🏼 for uncomplicated fix.

What do the orthopaedics department say?

Original poster
ALS26 · 29/04/2025 20:15

from my daughter and her friends stories she was ran into by another child whilst running and their knee hit her leg at speed, she then fell on it funny. The doctors have said it’s a freak accident and it does happen and they can’t see any weakness in the bone etc for underlying issues that may have caused an easy break

OP posts:
Treeleaf11 · 29/04/2025 20:21

Mys ds 16 broke his femur recently playing football which is not disimilar to the situation you just described.

Original poster
ALS26 · 29/04/2025 20:24

Treeleaf11 · 29/04/2025 20:21

Mys ds 16 broke his femur recently playing football which is not disimilar to the situation you just described.

How bad was the break? We’re in such shock from it all and just heartbroken. Did your son have surgery?

OP posts:
Greenfingers37 · 29/04/2025 20:36

A child I once taught broke his femur slipping on a leaf. He was only 5 at the time and spent several weeks in traction. However, he recovered really well and has had no long term issues.
I hope your daughter heals quickly.

Treeleaf11 · 29/04/2025 20:40

It wasn't too bad. It was actually a break partly on the growth plate at the bottom of the femur and into the femur itself. It wasn't noticed on the initial xray but on an MRI 4 weeks later. The Orthopedic Surgeon said if they had of noticed it they would have operated straight away. As he was older he was used crutches and a leg brace for 2 1/2 months.
Have they said if your dd will need an op?

Original poster
ALS26 · 29/04/2025 20:47

Treeleaf11 · 29/04/2025 20:40

It wasn't too bad. It was actually a break partly on the growth plate at the bottom of the femur and into the femur itself. It wasn't noticed on the initial xray but on an MRI 4 weeks later. The Orthopedic Surgeon said if they had of noticed it they would have operated straight away. As he was older he was used crutches and a leg brace for 2 1/2 months.
Have they said if your dd will need an op?

Yes she had an op the day after it happened as it was a compound fracture and needed putting back in place and pinning

OP posts:
Original poster
ALS26 · 29/04/2025 20:48

Greenfingers37 · 29/04/2025 20:36

A child I once taught broke his femur slipping on a leaf. He was only 5 at the time and spent several weeks in traction. However, he recovered really well and has had no long term issues.
I hope your daughter heals quickly.

Thank you I really hope she heals fast and well. Been so traumatic for her

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itsgettingweird · 29/04/2025 20:51

25 years of working with children and I’ve seen 3 broken femurs all similar to how you’ve described.

2 collisions with kids playing and one ran into a table 🤦🏼‍♀️

I think it’s easier done than we’d think.

I hope your DD feels better soon and you manage to feel better. It’s horrid when our children get so hurt. Flowers

csam · 29/04/2025 20:51

My daughter received a spiral fracture to her femur tripping over her Dads leg and falling onto the carpet! She was 3 at the time and spent 3 weeks in traction and a further 2/3 weeks in a spica cast. This was a few years ago and no ongoing issues at all. was very traumatic for us all though!

Original poster
ALS26 · 29/04/2025 20:53

itsgettingweird · 29/04/2025 20:51

25 years of working with children and I’ve seen 3 broken femurs all similar to how you’ve described.

2 collisions with kids playing and one ran into a table 🤦🏼‍♀️

I think it’s easier done than we’d think.

I hope your DD feels better soon and you manage to feel better. It’s horrid when our children get so hurt. Flowers

This is reassuring to hear I’ve been so worried it’s not normal

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sesquipedalian · 29/04/2025 20:53

This was many years ago - My DD broke her arm (falling badly off a bunk bed) and another boy in the ward had broken his femur (spiral fracture) bouncing on a bed and landing awkwardly on the floor. Both had surgery - both happily recovered. Another DD broke her wrist falling over in the playground - it happens!

minnienono · 29/04/2025 20:58

I would double check with the doctor that she doesn’t have an underlying genetic disorder like osteogenesis imperfecta, my friends son broke his femer and the hospital dr didn’t check despite two other childhood breaks, I told my friend to mention to the gp, who arranged tests and he had it and his son! Another friend has it hence being aware.

Original poster
ALS26 · 30/04/2025 07:44

minnienono · 29/04/2025 20:58

I would double check with the doctor that she doesn’t have an underlying genetic disorder like osteogenesis imperfecta, my friends son broke his femer and the hospital dr didn’t check despite two other childhood breaks, I told my friend to mention to the gp, who arranged tests and he had it and his son! Another friend has it hence being aware.

I am going to ask for checks on everything - they did say the bone looked fine with no concerns - she does have low vitamin d but not worryingly low

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Sunnyafternooning · 30/04/2025 08:10

Not his leg but my child broke fractured their arm in two places after they tripped over onto carpet aged 3. They were able to give him morphine and gas and ait and manually align the bones and cast it.

It was exactly the same injury a friend’s child did, falling off her horse at speed. She had surgery as it was a different hospital and they tried to manually put it back having given her just paracetamol. 😳 Obviously she was in too much pain for them to continue.

Original poster
ALS26 · 01/05/2025 16:48

csam · 29/04/2025 20:51

My daughter received a spiral fracture to her femur tripping over her Dads leg and falling onto the carpet! She was 3 at the time and spent 3 weeks in traction and a further 2/3 weeks in a spica cast. This was a few years ago and no ongoing issues at all. was very traumatic for us all though!

oh it’s very traumatic isn’t it. How long was it for them to get walking again? And how was it after the cast came off? Any leg shortage?

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csam · 01/05/2025 17:56

ALS26 · 01/05/2025 16:48

oh it’s very traumatic isn’t it. How long was it for them to get walking again? And how was it after the cast came off? Any leg shortage?

Show quote history

no physio was offered (due to young age) but she was up and walking, albeit with a limp a few days after the cast came off.
The limp lasted a few weeks then back to normal. Leg is absolutely fine now and probably stronger due to new bone growth.

Original poster
ALS26 · 01/05/2025 20:39

csam · 01/05/2025 17:56

no physio was offered (due to young age) but she was up and walking, albeit with a limp a few days after the cast came off.
The limp lasted a few weeks then back to normal. Leg is absolutely fine now and probably stronger due to new bone growth.

Show quote history

That’s really great to hear thank you so much for sharing and I’m so glad your daughter made a full recovery! X

OP posts:
San141 · 02/08/2025 16:22

@ALS26 how is your daughter? My son broke his femur on a school trip 4 weeks ago x

Covidisdrivingmecrazy · 02/08/2025 16:36

The exact same happened to me age seven. We were playing chariots twisted fall with an older kid

Original poster
ALS26 · 02/08/2025 16:39

San141 · 02/08/2025 16:22

@ALS26 how is your daughter? My son broke his femur on a school trip 4 weeks ago x

She is doing really great. She had her cast off 8 weeks ago and has more or less made a full recovery! Just a slight limp left when she runs but I’m sure that will ease off as her leg strengthens with physio. How is your son doing?

OP posts:
Covidisdrivingmecrazy · 02/08/2025 16:39

At the time it was six weeks in hospital in traction after surgery to realign. No long term consequences. Think traction used less now (I’m late forties)

Original poster
ALS26 · 02/08/2025 16:41

Covidisdrivingmecrazy · 02/08/2025 16:39

At the time it was six weeks in hospital in traction after surgery to realign. No long term consequences. Think traction used less now (I’m late forties)

Yes doesn’t seem like it - my little one had surgery and then full leg cast for 7 weeks. Her recovery has really shocked us as she’s done so well, we were so worried of what it would all be like.

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