ABSTRACT
The femur is the longest and strongest bone in the human body. Fractures of the shaft of the femur are usually thought to be due to high velocity injuries, primarily after motor vehicle accidents or after falls from a height. There is increasing awareness that in the elderly these fractures are of an osteoporotic nature. 1 , 2 As opposed to fractures in younger groups, they typically involve females above the age of 70, usually with minimal trauma. This group of people requires the same detailed workup as any other osteoporotic fracture.
