Hip Fracture

What is a hip fracture?

What we often call a hip fracture is actually a fracture of the neck of the femur (thighbone). The fracture occurs at the upper end of the femur where it meets the pelvic bone. It is more likely to happen if you have osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a condition in which bones become thin after middle age.

Most hip fractures occur in women after menopause.

How does it occur?

Hip fractures usually result from a fall.

Because osteoporosis weakens the bones and makes them much more likely to break, hip fractures occur more often as men and women get older. Other diseases such as cancer and kidney disease may also make the bones weaker and more prone to breaking.

What are the symptoms?

• You have severe pain in your hip.
• You cannot bear to put any weight on your leg.
• You have stiffness, bruising, and swelling in your hip.
• Your leg is shortened or turns inward or outward.

Any time an older adult falls and is unable to get up or stand on both legs, a hip fracture should be suspected. If you fall and cannot get back up, someone should call 911 or an emergency medical service right away. No one should try to move you until medical help arrives.

How is it diagnosed?

Your healthcare provider will review your medical history and examine your hip. Often the fracture is obvious from the abnormal position of the hip and leg.

An X-ray may show the fracture. (It will also show osteoporosis if you have it.) Sometimes an MRI scan is necessary to see a fracture that does not show up on X-ray.

How is it treated?

If the ends of the broken bone are impacted (pushed together firmly) by the fall, the bone can heal naturally. In this case, your healthcare provider may prescribe painkillers, bed rest, and physical therapy for a few weeks to allow healing.

More often, however, the ends of the bone are separated and out of line. When this happens, surgery is needed to either repair the bone or replace the hip joint. The choice of surgical treatment will depend on where the break is and any other medical conditions you may have.

Physical therapy will help you rebuild muscle strength and start walking again.

How can I take care of myself?

• Follow the treatment plan prescribed by your healthcare provider and physical therapist.
• Use a cane or walker if you have been advised to do so.
• If medicine to help prevent blood clots has been prescribed for you, be sure to follow your healthcare provider's instructions for taking this medicine.
• Follow your healthcare provider's recommendations for controlling osteoporosis.

How can I help prevent a hip fracture?

• Eat more calcium-rich food: dairy products, green vegetables, citrus fruit, and sardines. Ask your healthcare provider if you should take a supplement with calcium and Vitamin D.
• Several different medicines can be prescribed to slow bone loss and help reduce the risk of a fracture.
• Try to exercise daily, according to the advice of your healthcare provider or therapist. Walk a mile a day if you can, once you have healed.
• Maintain a healthy weight for your height.
• If you smoke, quit.
• Wear well-fitting flat shoes. Avoid wearing high heels and sandals with light straps. Avoid shoes with soles that are too slippery or too sticky, such as some crepe or rubber soles.
• Prevent falls in your home with good lighting. Don't leave electric cords in places where they might be tripped over. Arrange furniture so you don't bump into or fall over it.
• Have nonslip floors and avoid wet floors. Don't use area rugs that you could trip over.
• Install grab bars in your bathroom. Put nonskid tape in your bathtub and shower.
• Be sure that stair treads and handrails are firmly in place.
• Do not sit in chairs that lean back too far. Getting up from these chairs can cause problems in the hips.
• Avoid climbing, heavy lifting, and unusual vigorous physical activity. Do not use step stools or ladders to reach high places. Get help when you need it.