PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF HIP FRACTURE FOR SENIORS

Posted on January 06 2018

PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF HIP FRACTURE FOR SENIORS-Everyday Medical

Sustaining a hip fracture is something we should all try to avoid and prevent. For those taking care of an SENIOR person at home, this is expecially true. Research shows that nine out of ten hip fractures occur in people 60 years of age and above. In the senior population, hip fractures are usually caused by a fall or an injury, although it can be occasionally caused by cancers or weakening of the hip bone. In the following article, we discuss how to prevent and treat hip fractures in seniors.

WHAT ARE THE RISK FACTORS FOR HIP FRACTURE IN SENIORS?

As mentioned above, seniors are more prone to hip fracture than the general population because they are more susceptible to experience falls. People fall because they may lose coordination, overestimate their physical ability, or due to environmental factors that are unsafe for their condition. Consider buying home safety products for seniors to help ensure the safety of your loved one.

In addition to the home environment, there are other risk factors too. They include:

  • Osteoporosis
  • Poor Nutrition
  • Tobacco and alcohol use
  • Medications
  • Type 1 diabetes
  • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Rheumatoid disorders
  • Prolonged bed rest/immobility
  • Parkinson's disease
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Dementia
  • Depression

TYPES OF HIP FRACTURES AND THEIR TREATMENT OPTIONS:

There are three types of hip fractures. They are:

FEMORAL NECK FRACTURE

The femoral neck is the portion that is just below the ball of your ball-and-socket joint. Generally, this type of hip fracture would decrease or even stop the blood flow to the broken part of your bone. Due to this reason, surgery is often the solution to correct it. In a majority of cases, a partial hip replacement will be carried out, wherein the ball, as well as the femoral neck, will be replaced with a metal prosthesis.

INTERTROCHANTERIC REGION FRACTURE

This is the type of fracture that runs between the two bumps where your thigh bone juts out. Most often, the treatment of this fracture is also surgery, wherein, an incision will be made on the side of the patient’s thigh and the bones will be manipulated to rectify their positions.

ASUBTROCHANTERIC FRACTURE

This is a rare type of fracture that occurs in the thigh bone/femur. The treatment of this fracture will also be a surgery, which involves the plate and screw system.

PREVENTION OF HIP FRACTURES IN SENIORS

Although surgeries that are designed to repair hip fractures are relatively simple, these are not devoid of complications, and pose longer term risk of complications. This is why prevention is of utmost importance. You can prevent your loved one from experiencing a hip fracture by providing a safe environment at home. Make sure that the lighting, switches, carpets, rugs, mats, chairs, kitchen items, stairways, floors, and others are optimized to provide a safer atmosphere to older adults. To prevent your loved ones from the risks of falling, consider buying a rollator walker with seat, which is a great aide in getting around safely..

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