A hip fracture, also called a broken hip, is a common injury. In the United States, hip fractures are the most common broken bone that requires hospitalization; about 300,000 Americans are hospitalized for a hip fracture every year.
Older adults who haveosteoporosisare at an especially high risk of hip fractures. Hip fractures cause pain and decreased mobility, and they can also lead to complications, including infections and blood clots. Prompt treatment can minimize these issues.
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While a fall can cause a hip fracture, most hip fractures are actually due to fragile bone that breaks, which then causes the person to fall. A broken hip can also occur due to apathologic fracture, which is a fracture that occurs in a weak portion of a bone, which can occur due to a tumor or infection.
Hip Fractures and Osteoporosis
With thinner, weaker bones, people who have osteoporosis are at a much greater risk of developing a hip fracture from accidents such as falls. And they can also develop broken bones without a major injury—which could lead to a major fall and a hip fracture.
Seniors who have osteoporosis are at a much higher risk of developing a hip fracture than those of the same age who don’t have osteoporosis. Women, white people, smaller sized adults, and those who have limited physical activity have slightly higher rates of hip fracture as well.
Types
There are several types of hip fractures:
Treatment of a hip fracture almost always requires surgery. The type of surgery will depend on the type of fracture.
In some cases, such as with certainstress fractures of the hip,or in people who have severe medical problems that prevent surgical treatment, nonoperative treatment may be recommended.
Complications
Only about 25% of people who sustain a broken hip return to their preinjury level of activity. Focused rehabilitation and strengthening are the best treatments to get you back to your preinjury level of activity after a hip fracture.
One of the most important reasons for surgery after a hip fracture is to help prevent complications. The risk of complications such as pneumonia, bedsores, and blood clots are diminished the sooner you are up and out of bed after a hip fracture surgery.
Themortality (death) ratein the first year following a broken hip is significantly increased, and the rates are highest in older populations. Mortality following a hip fracture is often due to blood clots, pneumonia, or infection.
The majority of people who sustain a hip fracture will require prolonged specialized care duringrecovery, such as a long-term nursing or rehabilitation facility. After recovery, you may be at a higher risk of breaking your hip again, so it’s important to be thorough in your recovery plan.
A Word From Verywell
You can recover after a hip fracture and regain some or all of your mobility. It is not uncommon for people to break their other hip or sustain other serious injuries resulting from a weakened bone after an initial hip fracture.
If you or a loved one has already sustained a broken hip, preventing future fractures is especially important. Gettingtreatment for your osteoporosisand participating in physical therapy to improve your strength and balance can help prevent future fractures.
3 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hip fractures among older adults.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Acetabular fractures.Katsoulis M, Benetou V, Karapetyan T, et al.Excess mortality after hip fracture in elderly persons from Europe and the USA: the CHANCES project.J Intern Med. 2017;281(3):300-310. doi:10.1111/joim.12586Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Hip fractures.O’Connor TJ, Cole PA.Pelvic insufficiency fractures.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2014;5(4):178-90. doi:10.1177/2151458514548895
3 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hip fractures among older adults.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Acetabular fractures.Katsoulis M, Benetou V, Karapetyan T, et al.Excess mortality after hip fracture in elderly persons from Europe and the USA: the CHANCES project.J Intern Med. 2017;281(3):300-310. doi:10.1111/joim.12586Additional ReadingAmerican Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Hip fractures.O’Connor TJ, Cole PA.Pelvic insufficiency fractures.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2014;5(4):178-90. doi:10.1177/2151458514548895
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hip fractures among older adults.American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Acetabular fractures.Katsoulis M, Benetou V, Karapetyan T, et al.Excess mortality after hip fracture in elderly persons from Europe and the USA: the CHANCES project.J Intern Med. 2017;281(3):300-310. doi:10.1111/joim.12586
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hip fractures among older adults.
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Acetabular fractures.
Katsoulis M, Benetou V, Karapetyan T, et al.Excess mortality after hip fracture in elderly persons from Europe and the USA: the CHANCES project.J Intern Med. 2017;281(3):300-310. doi:10.1111/joim.12586
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Hip fractures.O’Connor TJ, Cole PA.Pelvic insufficiency fractures.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2014;5(4):178-90. doi:10.1177/2151458514548895
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.Hip fractures.
O’Connor TJ, Cole PA.Pelvic insufficiency fractures.Geriatr Orthop Surg Rehabil. 2014;5(4):178-90. doi:10.1177/2151458514548895
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