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All fun and games: Femoral fractures
Case presentation
A 2-year-old male presents with acute right leg pain after falling while jumping on a trampoline. Apparently, he fell off the trampoline onto the ground and landed on his left leg. The distance was estimated at 3 ft (approximately 1 m) and the incident was witnessed by his parents and two older siblings. There is no reported loss of consciousness. The child is unable to ambulate secondary to pain. His vital signs are age appropriate except for a heart rate of 120 beats per minute. He is crying even before his examination from what appears to be left thigh pain. His physical examination shows no obvious injury, other than left thigh edema and he is tender on palpation. He has no neck or back pain. He is neurovascularly intact.
Imaging considerations
Children who sustain extremity injuries may need imaging. The decision to image is based on history and physical examination findings. Proper imaging technique is essential if imaging is employed.
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