Hip fractures are among the commonest especially in the elderly, and it won’t be wrong to say that these fractures could be life-threatening if timely and proper treatment is not given. The reason why hip fractures are common in the elderly is that they generally occur due to falls, and the elderly are more prone to falling due to one or another reason.

This post will focus on hip fractures in detail to help you identify what are its symptoms and what are the causes. So, before we dig deep into the topic, let us have a brief introduction to what happens in hip fractures.

Hip Fractures – An Overview

The hip joint is a “ball and socket” joint where the femoral head makes the ball part and the curved hip socket is formed by the acetabulum. Now, when it comes to hip fractures, the break can occur anywhere in the femur. In most cases, the fracture is noticed at the upper part of the femur. As we’ve also discussed above the risk of a break in the hip increases with the age, and in most cases, the treatment requires surgery that involves the use of Orthopedic Implants and Surgical Instruments.

Causes of Hip Fractures

Falling and tripping are two of the common causes of hip fractures that are seen in the elderly. Besides this, osteoporosis is another reason that increases the risk of hip fractures. Osteoporosis is a condition that is mostly seen in people over 50, and it is characterized by brittle and porous bones. Thus, hip fractures could occur in osteoporotic people as well, and the chances are higher than in people without osteoporosis.

Now, if we talk about adults, hip fractures are also seen in them but, the cause is different. A broken hip in adults generally occurs due to trauma like car accidents or even severe sports injuries.

Symptoms of Hip Fractures

Pain is the most common symptom seen in hip fractures and even other types of fractures. Pain is generally sharp and intense, but in some cases, it could be mild and achy as well. The areas where the pain is experienced the most include the outer hip, thighs, groin area, and pelvis.

Besides all this, the person also won’t be able to properly use the injured hip as if he/she does, it would be painful. Sometimes, the leg on the side of the fractured hip appears shorter than the other. Bruising on the hip is also a symptom noticed in the case of a broken hip.

Diagnosis of Hip Fractures

Diagnosis of hip fractures often starts with the question about any injury that occurred recently. This helps the healthcare service provider identify the right cause of the condition. To eliminate the chances of nerve injury, the healthcare service provider touches the injured area to notice whether the person feels that or not.

Once all this is done, imaging tests are performed to confirm the severity and location of the break. The tests ordered may include:

• X-ray
• MRI
• CT Scan

Treatment of Hip fractures

The treatment of the condition depends upon several factors that include age and severity of the condition. Surgery is required in maximum cases of hip fractures but, the type of surgery performed will be decided by the surgeon based on the diagnosis.

In the most basic surgery, the surgeon uses orthopedic metal plates, orthopedic screws, pins, and wires to stabilize the fractured bone fragments in their correct anatomy while supporting the healing process.

In certain cases, partial or complete hip replacement is required, and this is recommended when normal surgery cannot provide expected results. During hip replacement surgery, an artificial hip joint is placed in the place of the damaged part of the hip.

Along with the surgery, the surgeon also prescribes targeted physical therapy and medications to curb pain & inflammation and prevent infection.

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