The Hip Joint

Abstract

Hip fractures usually occur in osteoporotic bone and are classified as insufficiency fractures. These fractures usually occur in the elderly population. With people living increasingly longer, the incidence of these fractures is likely to increase in the future. Femoral neck fractures can occur in children and young adults. High energy is required to produce this fracture in young individuals with good bone quality. The complication rate (nonunion and avascular necrosis) is higher as a result of the higher energy imparted to the surrounding soft tissues in the latter group of patients. Current strategies are directed to the prevention of these fractures in the elderly. These include the prevention or reduction in the number of falls by medically managing the predisposing causes (e.g., treatment of arrhythmias and postural hypotension that predispose to syncopal attacks), reducing the severity of impact following a fall and treating osteoporosis. The combined management of these patients between orthopedic and orthogeriatric teams can result in better outcomes for these patients.