Hi, new to the forum!

Can anyone offer advise for this...

When I was 18 I was involved in a car accident in which I suffered a femural shaft fracture (femur fracture). In the following operation I had surgery which involved the insertion of a Intramedullary Rod ('IM rod') into the femur supported by screws. This was stitched and the bone has since fully healed.

I am now 21, 3 years later and still have the rod/nail in place. The only visible sign of my fracture is scar tissue on the outside. I still get discomfort when sitting down for long periods of time and cannot play football/soccer as well as I used to.

I have read several articles that mention the removal of the IM rod - and one reccommending that this is removed if I am under the age of 40! I cannot remember my consultant/surgeon mentioning a removal yet I am now concerned.

Is this something I should have removed at my age?
Is there a risk of keeping it in place?
If I did have it removed, would there be a reduction in discomfort?
How long does treatment take for removal and how long would I be off work for considering my job is physically intensive?

Many thanks!!

Dave