The hip is made up of the joint between the top of the thigh bone (the femur) and the socket of the pelvis (the acetabulum).
What is a Hip Fracture?
Hip fractures are breaks in the bone, most commonly in the neck of the femur, just below the ball of the hip joint. They may occur due to major accidents such as car crashes, but most commonly they occur in the older population after a fall from a standing height.
What are the symptoms of a Hip Fracture?
Hip fractures are very painful. Depending on the severity of the fracture, patients may experience bruising around the fracture site with prominent swelling. In addition, the position or length of the leg may appear and feel different. This is due to displacement of the bone. Typically walking is not possible but this isn’t always the case, and indeed some patients may not have significant pain; nevertheless, a hip fracture warrants an immediate orthopaedic review.
How is a Hip Fracture diagnosed?
An x-ray is required to make the diagnosis. Occasionally an MRI scan may be required if the two parts of the bone have not moved apart.
How is a Hip Fracture treated?
Hip fractures are an emergency and surgery should be scheduled as soon as possible, ideally within 24 hours. Depending on the nature of the fracture, surgery is performed to fix the fracture (often with screws and a plate) or replace the hip joint with a hip replacement. Hip fractures usually occur due to weakening of the bone from osteoporosis and therefore medication to improve bone density is often required
What is the outlook following treatment for a Hip Fracture?
Hip Fractures are initially treated in a hospital emergency department, the medical team there will provide an overview of your treatment and follow up care. In addition, following your initial treatment, you may wish to have a consultant-led review by the team at Grosvenor Orthopaedics. Here we can advise on the many treatment options available to you, including those which are not always available via the NHS.