hip fracture
- Related Topics:
- joint
- joint disease
- fracture
- hip
hip fracture, in pathology, a break in the proximal (upper) end of the femur.
Hip fracture can occur at any age. Common causes include severe impact (e.g., a car accident), falls, and weak bones or bone loss (osteoporosis). The risk of hip fracture from falls and bone loss increases with age. Persons over age 65 may be unsteady on their feet, and their balance can be affected by medications, dementia, and frailty. Aging is also often associated with bone loss, particularly in women. Persons whose bones are weak may suffer a hip fracture when attempting to support their weight on one leg or when moving the hips in a twisting motion.
Treatment usually consists of surgery to insert a bone plate or, in some cases, to perform a hip replacement. Patients often are encouraged to move and to begin to walk with aids as soon as possible in order to prevent potential complications. Generally, rehabilitation presents few difficulites for younger patients. Some older people, however, because of frailty or other conditions, may not be able to take full advantage of rehabilitation programs. In other cases, rehabilitation programs may not be available. When rehabilitation is incomplete or lacking, recovery from a hip fracture may be limited. Older persons, for example, may experience a permanent decrease in mobility and a diminished quality of life. They also are at increased risk of complications from hip factures, including thrombosis (formation of a blood clot), pneumonia, and infections after surgery. Some young patients may require a hip replacement later in life despite rehabilitation and recovery.
Hip fractures can be prevented to some degree in older people—for example, through fitness training to retain flexibility and strength. Certain aids may be used to reduce the potential for a fractured hip if an elderly person does fall. For example, hip guards that are inserted in pockets in a special undergarment can act as a type of body armour to protect the hip.