Question from F. Strube, Eggolsheim: I broke my right femoral neck about a fortnight ago. This was repaired with two screws. I am now only allowed to put 10 to 15 kilos of weight on the operated leg for a few weeks. The doctors and physiotherapists have told me that very light cycling on the ergometer would be possible. This would actually be quite good for movement and healing. However, my ergometer does not have an "idle speed". I have to pedal at a minimum of 25 watts. And so I ask myself: How many watts are 10 to 15 kilos of partial load? Unfortunately, nobody has been able to answer this so far. Perhaps this is also related to my height (1.68 metres) and weight (62 kilos)?
Expert advice: A femoral neck fracture is always a serious injury because complications can occur at the time of the operation, but also months later. In this respect, follow-up treatment plays an important role in preventing complications such as delayed fracture healing or so-called femoral head necrosis (death of the femoral head). Adapted movement and muscle activity are important here, as joints need movement to nourish themselves. Conversely, excessive strain can also lead to complications. Cycling is a very useful addition to physiotherapy treatment, especially for your injury. With a partial load of 10 to 15 kilograms, I recommend moderate endurance training with 60 revolutions per minute at 100 to 150 watts. You should also pay attention to a regular pedalling cycle. At our institute, approx. 25 kilograms were measured during a pedalling cycle at 200 watts. It should be noted that the pedalling cycle involves a sinusoidal load curve, so that the question of kilos can only be answered approximately.
