The characteristics of a broken leg that you should pay attention to

Have you ever had a broken leg? Generally, broken legs are caused by sports injuries or accidents. Broken legs make it difficult for the sufferer to do activities for a certain period of time. If not treated promptly, fractures can get worse.

What are the characteristics of a broken leg?

There are several signs or symptoms if someone has a broken leg, including:

• A common feature of a broken leg is hearing a cracking sound, such as the sound of a “crack…” on the part of the bone that is broken
• Broken leg bones can usually be very clearly visible but in some cases doctors need X-rays to confirm the diagnosis
• If the fracture is severe, it can be seen from the strange shape of the leg that there are even some cases where the leg bones stick out of the skin
• Apart from that, the other characteristics of a broken leg are that the leg will look swollen and bruised so that you feel intense pain in the area around the broken bone, especially when trying to move it or even just touch it.

Deformities of the leg bones can also be observed as a sign of a broken leg, such as:

• A broken leg appears shorter than an unbroken leg
• If the bone is broken in the leg, the bone appears twisted
• If the fracture is right at the joint, the joint will also appear twisted

In some cases, someone who has a broken leg will also experience nausea, dizziness, and even fainting due to s hock and the pain he suffered from a broken leg.

How do you treat a broken leg?

Immediately consult a doctor

You should see a doctor immediately if you experience the features of a broken leg described above. Usually the doctor will perform a diagnosis by means of a physical examination and perform several metabolic tests to ensure the exact position and location of the fracture. Some of the lab tests that the doctor will usually do include X rays, CT scans, Magenetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and other supporting tests.

If the doctor has carried out a series of tests, usually the doctor will advise the patient to use treatment methods such as:

• Providing pain relievers such as ibuprofen, naproxen, and so on
• Putting a cast on the part of the leg that has a broken bone. This cast serves to hold the injured limb straight so that it does not move
• In addition, the doctor will also perform other methods such as reduction - the process of returning the bone to its original point which is done manually, if the bone is discolated or is injured in the joint.
• In some more serious cases such as a fracture of the thigh bone, an orthopedic specialist will perform further treatment such as surgical insertion of pins, screws, metal plates or cables which function to maintain the position of the bones during the healing process by holding the ends of the broken bones back together.

Home care

In addition, there are several things you can do to treat broken legs at home to relieve pain and swelling in the leg area, namely:

• Positioning the leg higher by supporting the broken leg using a ruff
• Compress the swollen part using ice cubes
• Use crutches or a crutch to walk so that it doesn't put too much strain on the broken leg
• Most importantly, don't do a lot of straining the legs just yet