How to Assess a Hip Fracture

The older you get, the more susceptible you are to breaking your hip. It can happen at any age, much like any other broken bone; but as you age, your bones become less dense and weaker. It is most common in people 65 and older as they lose bone mass over time and their hips are more likely to break, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). (See Reference 3.) Hip fractures commonly occur after a fall, particularly to patients with other medical conditions such as osteoporosis and cancer. In younger adults, it may happen as a result of a trauma such as a car accident or athletic injury (See References 1 and 2.) It's important to recognize the possibility of a hip fracture and get the injury assessed right away.

Things You'll Need

• Doctor
• X-ray
• MRI or CT scan

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Instructions

• 1

  Identify any symptoms you have that may signal a hip fracture. If you have recently fallen, you may feel intense pain in your hip or groin area, are unable to put weight on your hip, have bruising or swelling; and if the hip is completely broken, one leg may look shorter than the other. If you have any of these signs or have recently fallen, call your doctor immediately. (See References 1 and 3.)

• 2

  Visit your doctor to get a diagnosis. The assessment of the hip fracture will begin with an X-ray. The doctor will generally look for irregular positions of the hip and thigh bone as hip fractures occur at the upper end of the thigh bone, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). (See Reference 2.) There are generally two places they occur along the femur bone (thigh): in the femoral neck in the upper part of the bone just below the ball part of the ball-and-socket hip joint; or the intertrochanteric region, which is the part of the upper femur that sticks out, medical researchers at The Mayo Clinic say. (See Reference 1.)

• 3

  If you have an incomplete fracture that is not seen on an X-ray, have your doctor administer an MRI. The magnetic imaging will be able to show a hidden fracture. If you are unable to have an MRI due to physical limitations, a CT scan may be done instead, according to AAOS. After the appropriate tests are completed, your doctor will be able to assess if you fractured your hip. (See Reference 2.)

• 4

  Ask your doctor about treatment options. Most people will need surgery to help the hip fracture heal. Depending on the type of fracture you have and the level of your health, your doctor can repair it in different ways. He can insert metal screws into the bone to hold it together while it heals, replace part of the femur or completely replace the hip, according to The Mayo Clinic. Surgery is generally considered the best option, unless you have a serious medical condition that would put your health at risk. Then doctors may consider putting you into traction, a set of mechanisms that will straighten broken bones, but this would require you to be immobile for a long period of time. (See Reference 1.)