Skip to main content

Fractures of the Hip

fractures of the hip

Hip fractures are like any other broken bone in the body, but they are also distinctive. Such injuries can result in the inability to walk and lead to major functional disruptions. Fractures of the hip occur often in the elderly, a population that is prone to these fractures. Such reasons make hip fractures a commonly discussed condition.

The following is an overview of how these fractures occur and how they are managed.

Relevant Anatomy of the Hip

The hip joint consists of the femur, or thigh bone, and the pelvis. The head of the femur fits into the acetabulum, a round socket in the pelvis. The femoral head comes out of a narrow femoral neck, and below the neck are two bony prominences called the greater trochanter and lesser trochanter. These anatomic landmarks comprise the upper portion of the femur involved in hip fractures.

The blood circulation to the upper femur is also noteworthy. Of three arteries that carry blood to this region, about 90% of circulation comes from the lateral epiphyseal artery. Despite being a main vascular source, this artery carries more blood to specific areas of the femur than others, a characteristic that may worsen some hip fractures.

Types and Causes of Hip Fractures

Hip fractures involve the upper femur in one of three places: the femoral neck (femoral neck fractures), through the greater and lesser trochanters (intertrochanteric fractures), and below the greater and lesser trochanters (subtrochanteric fractures). They often occur secondary to trauma, which can involve high-energy impact but may also occur with falls and minor injuries in people with more brittle bones. Factors that may weaken the femur and make it susceptible to injury include but are not limited to age, osteoporosis, inactivity of thigh muscles, and deficiency in calcium and/or vitamin D.

Treatment of Hip Fractures

After evaluation of a hip fracture by x-ray, an orthopedic surgeon decides whether surgical correction of the fracture is appropriate. He or she takes several things into account, mainly the features of the hip fracture and the overall surgical risk of the patient. If operative treatment is planned, the surgeon performs a hip arthroplasty, repairing the femur using screws, plates, and other fixating devices.

As counterintuitive as it sounds, not all patients with hip fractures are treated surgically. Such patients are of high operative risk with multiple comorbid conditions, have hip fractures that are relatively minor in severity, or have insufficient bone mass for orthopedic fixating devices to function appropriately. Certain patients may be given a walker or cane for ambulation, provided that they bear as little weight as possible on the injured leg.

buy steroids with debit card

Popular posts from this blog

Nutrients for Cleansing the Heart and Arteries

There are a series of nutrients that decrease cholesterol and saturated fat in the blood and arteries. These are lecithin, vitamin E and vitamin C , and niacin . These nutrients function efficiently in cleaning the arteries when taken in whole food. Lecithin is found in most legumes , particularly in soybeans. Both soybeans and mung beans are recommended by numerous researches and mainly by Chinese medicine for cleansing arteries, although nearly all beans, peas, and lentils are helpful. This is partly because legumes are a good source of choline, a lipotrophic agent that controls fat metabolism ; choline is also a main component of lecithin. When heat symptoms occur with arterial problems , the cooling qualities of soy and mung bean sprouts are useful. These sprouts are usually found in grocery stores and markets with well-stocked produce. Sprouts are also an excellent source of vitamin C, as well as cabbage, parsley, bell peppers, and citrus. Eating the white insides

Causes of Easy Bruising: Reasons Why People Bruise Easily

Bruising , a reddish or purple discoloration under the skin, most often results from trauma to the small blood vessels, called capillaries, but can also occur spontaneously. How and Why Bruises Occur Blood leaks out of the capillaries and accumulates under the skin, gradually absorbing over several days. Bruising most often occurs because people run into objects or experience other trauma. Most bruising is easily explained, but frequent bruising that occurs without obvious cause needs prompt investigation, since several serious diseases can cause bruising. In general, women bruise more easily than men. How Aging Increases the Risk of Easy Bruising Bruising increases as people age for several reasons. Skin thins as people age and the capillaries become more fragile. The layer of fat that cushions blood vessels and protects them from injury becomes thinner as well. Older people often take medications and supplements that thin the blood and contribute to easy bruising. Visi

Stye - Symptoms and Treatment

A stye is an infection, typically a bacterial infection, which causes a painful red lump either on the edge or inside of the eyelid. Bacteria grow at the root of an eyelash follicle or inside an oil gland. The bacteria can be a result of poor hygiene, touching the eyes with unwashed hands or chronic inflammation. The stye resembles a pimple or a boil and is usually filled with pus. A stye does not pose a risk to vision and most often heals without treatment within a week. However, a stye may require treatment with a doctor if the infection does not resolve with at-home remedies. Symptoms of a Stye A stye is not usually hard to spot. Not only does a red lump form on either the top or bottom eyelid, but pain is also an immediate symptom of the condition. Typical symptoms of a stye include: red lump on the eyelid similar to a pimple watering of the eye eyelid pain and swelling clear or yellow fluid collecting in the stye A normal stye will come to a head in approximately three to