Broken pelvis: Overview
The pelvis is the ring of bones between your hips. It connects to the spine and to the leg bones at the hip joints. Blood vessels, nerves, and muscles run through the pelvic ring and can be affected by a break. A broken pelvis also can affect the organs in your pelvic area.
A broken pelvis may need a few months to heal. You may have had surgery to repair your pelvis, depending on where it was broken and how bad the break was. Your doctor may have put metal screws, pins, or a rod in your pelvis to fix the break. In some cases, surgery is not needed. While your pelvis heals, you will need to keep weight off the hips. Once you are able to walk, a walker or crutches can help you get around. You can help your pelvis heal with care at home. Your doctor may prescribe medicine to relieve pain and prevent blood clots.
You heal best when you take good care of yourself. Eat a variety of healthy foods, and don't smoke.
How can you care for your child who has a broken pelvis?
- Put ice or a cold pack on the painful area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days (when your child is awake). Put a thin cloth between the ice and your child's skin.
- Be safe with medicines. Give pain medicines exactly as directed.
- If the doctor gave your child a prescription medicine for pain, give it as prescribed.
- If your child is not taking a prescription pain medicine, ask the doctor if your child can take an over-the-counter medicine.
- Help your child put only as much weight on each leg as the doctor prescribes. Your doctor may advise that your child use crutches.
- Help your child avoid constipation.
- Include fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains in your child's diet each day. These foods are high in fiber.
- Give your child plenty of fluids. If your child has kidney, heart, or liver disease and has to limit fluids, talk with the doctor before you give your child more fluids to drink.
- Help your child get some exercise every day, as soon as your child is able to walk and the doctor says it is okay to exercise. Build up slowly to 30 to 60 minutes a day on 5 or more days of the week.
- Schedule time each day for a bowel movement. A daily routine may help. Ask your child to take time and not strain when having a bowel movement.
Pelvic and Hip Fracture Sites
A hip fracture is a break in the upper thighbone (femur) that forms the hip joint. A pelvic fracture can happen anywhere in the pelvic bone.
Fractures of the hips and pelvis are not often seen in children unless a severe injury (such as a car crash) has occurred.
Broken pelvis: When to call
Call 911 anytime you think you may need emergency care. For example, call if:
- You have chest pain, are short of breath, or you cough up blood.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
- You have new or worse pain.
- Your foot is cool or pale or changes color.
- You have tingling, weakness, or numbness in your foot and toes.
- You have signs of a blood clot in your leg (called a deep vein thrombosis), such as:
- Pain in your calf, back of the knee, thigh, or groin.
- Redness or swelling in your leg.
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
- You do not get better as expected.
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