The hip joint is a ball and socket joint that consists of the ball at top of the thighbone (femur) and the hip socket in the pelvis (acetabulum). A hip fracture is the term used to describe a break in the upper part of the thigh bone (femur) close to the hip joint and can range from a hairline crack through to complete displacement of the bone.
Hip fracture causes
Hip fractures are usually caused by a fall or an injury to the side of the hip, but may occasionally be caused by a health condition, such as cancer or osteoporosis that weakens the hip bone. Hip fractures are commonly seen in the elderly because they are more are susceptible to falling or loosing their balance however, hip fractures can be seen in people of any age due to falling from a height, because of a sporting injury or in motor vehicle accidents, especially in motor bike accidents.
Hip fracture symptoms
A hip fracture injury will cause immediate pain, particularly in the hip or groin area along with bruising and swelling. Most people will not be able to walk or put weight on the leg of the injured hip. The leg may also appear shorter on the injured hip side and the leg may turn outwards.
Diagnosing a fractured hip
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms for a hip fracture, you should see a doctor or go to the emergency hospital department immediately. Dr Singh or the emergency doctor will ask you questions about the nature of your injury and your pain, will go through all your medical history and ask if you lost consciousness or collapsed. This will be followed by a physical examination of your hip and leg and an x-ray is usually taken to confirm the diagnosis. A CT scan may also be required if an x-ray does not show the fracture lines clearly or if there is a concern about the cause of the fracture. Occasionally, an MRI will be required also.
