Thinking about removing rod from my Femur after 8 years.

[Nemesisix]

I was in an accident 8 years ago which left me with a broken femur. The doctor put a rod in my leg to help with the break but said that it was a little too long for my leg, and that I would probably have to have it removed. Soon after my leg healed, I was sent to prison and spent 5 years there. While in prison I worked out with passion, I ran, and played sports all day long. I trained with weights, often having up to 405lbs on my back for squats, and 495lbs for deadlifts.... I did have discomfort in my leg. After being released from prison.. I ran a half marathon, and soon after, a 12 mile obstacle course. Since the obstacle course I rarely worked out, and now not at all. I would love to jog again, but the discomfort in my leg is too great.. I am 28 years old and have been seriously considering having the rod removed... it has been a few months longer than 8 years since the rod was put in my leg... Any thoughts, or people who have experienced similar experiences?

[Metalgun]

I have a rod in my femur for the last 8 years due to a car accident and can do almost everything... but you have to keep moving... its when you stop that it gets worse...its like a crank shaft that needs to be oiled continuously...

[Nemesisix]

Thanks for the reply. I understand there will be pain from it, so long as its not the dangerous pain that I feel in my knee, I hope it can be fixed. I was just hoping someone would reply that has had a similar issue.

[philnoir]

That's quite a story.

I have no opinion either way on what you should do, but I want to remind you that all surgery can exacerbate pain. The decision, which is yours and not your surgeons, will involve a weighing the trade-off between the benefit of removing the rod, and the risk of introducing new pain from the scar tissue that inevitably follows surgery.

Consult with at least two experienced orthopaedic surgeons, asking questions about the procedure and the odds for and against improvement of pain and function.

Best wishes.