Pelvis Fracture

Physical Therapy Videos - Hip and Pelvis

What Is It?

The pelvis is a strong bone made up of three parts. It connects our spine to our legs and helps us walk. Inside the pelvis, we have important things like our intestines, bladder, and major blood vessels.

How It Happens

Pelvis fractures often happen in car crashes or bad falls. They can also happen in older people with weak bones. Pelvis fractures can be dangerous because they can cause bleeding and damage to other parts of the body.

First Steps

In the emergency room, doctors will check your breathing and blood flow. They might put a wrap around your pelvis to help stop bleeding and keep the bones in place. You'll get x-rays or a CT scan to see where the pelvis is broken. Some patients may need a pin in their leg to keep the pelvis in the right position.

X-ray of a pelvis with an injury to the pelvic ring. — Figure 2: X-ray of a pelvis with an injury to the pelvic “ring”. The front of the pelvis(pubis - large red arrow) does not line up and also has too much space between the bones. The small arrow points to an injury in the back of the pelvis. Together, these indicate a pelvic ring injury.

Figure 3: X-rays of a pelvis with a pelvic ring injury worse than that in Figure 2. There is more widening between the two pubic bones (larger arrow) and more widening in the back of the pelvis (smaller arrow).

Treatment

Some pelvis fractures can heal without surgery. For more severe fractures, you might need screws or plates in your pelvis. After surgery, you might need to rest in bed or use a wheelchair before you can walk again.

X-ray of a pelvis that has been fixed with a plate over the pubic bones. — Figure 4: X-ray of a pelvis that has been fixed with a plate in the front at the pubic bones. A large screw in the back of the pelvis also helps to hold the injured bones in place.

Figure 5: X-ray of another pelvic ring injury. In this, a plate was still used in the front but two large screws have been placed in the back.

Figure 6: X-ray of a pelvis fixed with just screws placed in the back of the pelvis.

Figure 7: X-ray of a pelvis fixed with screws. The patient also had a femur injury that was fixed with a rod and screws.

Recovery

If your pelvis fracture is treated without surgery, you might use crutches or a walker. If you had surgery, you might need to avoid putting weight on your legs and use crutches, a walker, or a wheelchair.

Long Term

After a pelvis fracture, some people have long-term issues like lower back pain, nerve damage, or trouble going to the bathroom. You might also have a difference in leg length or a limp. If you're a woman who wants to have a baby, tell your doctor about your pelvis injury. You might still be able to have a vaginal delivery, but you should talk to your doctors about it.