Complications of hip fracture

Elderly people tend to suffer with fractures of their hip due to having experienced a fall of some kind and more often than not it’s quite a trivial fall. If you look at the younger generations that fracture their hips its usually caused through a much more intense fall or injury such as an accident in a car. There is something called a pathologic fracture which can happen to anyone of any age and this is when the bone has been weakened by having a tumor or an infection.

Causes of a fracture to the hip

As mentioned in the above paragraph a hip fracture is caused by a fall or injury older people general suffer with the hip fracture more so than the younger generation simply because their bones are weaker and of cause osteoporosis has an extreme effect. The matured person who has osteoporosis is obviously at a more elevated danger of having a fracture to the hip than someone who does not have osteoporosis. There are other groups of the human race that are at a slightly higher risk of having a fracture of the hip such as females rather than the male population also people that are of the Caucasian race and people that have a somewhat smaller build to their body frames.

Osteoporosis causes hip fractures

People that have osteoporosis will generally have thinner bones than people without this condition the composition of their bones is the same though, it just means the actual bone mass is compromised.

Different types of hip fractures

Hip fractures are normally divided into two forms of fracturesThe first is called a Femoral Neck Fracture. The hip joint is a ball and socket mechanism so this type of fracture is when the ball part gets fractured off of the femur bone. The type of treatment offered for this type of fracture will depend on two things, the age of the individual and what is the amount of the dislodgment of the fracture there is. The second type of fracture to the hip is called an Intertrochanteric Hip Fracture which happens just under the femoral neck. This type of fracture is easier to mend than the Femoral Neck Fracture. To fix this type of fracture the surgeon will use plates and screws to even out the fracture.

Complications of a Fracture to the Hip

It is important to get it fixed as soon as possible and start slow activity when the doctor gives you the ok because blood clots are a real risk as is pneumonia, or infection. It will be necessary to go to a rehabilitation facility.