BROKEN HIP
If your child needs surgery or casting, our Fracture Care Clinic opens every day and you do not need an appointment. Surgery rooms get scheduled every morning, so your child receives the care and attention they need right away.
Broken Hip
The upper part of your femur and a portion of your pelvic bone meet to form your hip. A fractured hip typically results from a fracture in the top part of the femur or thigh bone. The hip is a ball-and-socket joint, which is where two or more bones meet. The femoral head serves as the ball, while the acetabulum, the curved portion of the pelvic bone, serves as the socket. Compared to other types of joints, the hip’s construction offers a greater range of motion. You can, for instance, turn and move your hips in different ways. Other joints, like the knees and elbows, only allow a little amount of movement in one direction.
At any age, a broken hip is a dangerous ailment. Surgery is almost always necessary. Life-threatening complications from a shattered hip can occur. Continue reading to find out more about the dangers, signs, symptoms, prognosis, and treatment of a fractured hip.
What are the Forms of a Broken Hip?
Hip fractures can happen anywhere in the femur, which, as mentioned, is the ball component of the hip joint. The socket, or acetabulum, may occasionally fracture.
Femoral Neck Fracture
This kind of fracture develops in the femur around 1 to 2 inches from the point where the bone’s head and socket connection. By rupturing the blood arteries, a femoral neck fracture may stop the blood flow to the ball of your hip.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
How do children Break their Hips?
Hip fractures in children are relatively rare compared to adults. When they do occur, they are often the result of high-energy trauma, such as a motor vehicle accident or a significant fall from a height. Sports-related injuries, especially in activities like skateboarding or biking, can also lead to hip fractures in children.
What are the symptoms of a broken hip in a child?
Children with a broken hip may experience symptoms such as severe pain in the hip or groin area, swelling and bruising, difficulty or reluctance to bear weight on the affected leg, and an altered range of motion in the hip joint. It’s important to note that hip fractures in children can sometimes be mistaken for hip sprains or muscle strains, so a thorough evaluation by a healthcare provider is essential for an accurate diagnosis.
How are broken hips in children treated and what is their prognoses?
Treatment for a broken hip in a child depends on the type and severity of the fracture. In many cases, surgery is required to realign and stabilize the broken bones. The specific surgical approach will vary, but it may involve the use of pins, screws, plates, or rods to hold the bones in place. After surgery, rehabilitation and physical therapy are crucial to help the child regain strength and mobility. The prognosis for children with hip fractures is generally favorable, and with appropriate treatment and rehabilitation, most children can expect a full recovery. However, the outcome can vary depending on the individual case and any associated injuries. Follow-up care and monitoring are essential to ensure proper healing and long-term hip health.
When children break bones, parents need to take them to the very best doctors. At the Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, we are the best. We specialize in children and their bones.
Intertrochanteric Hip Fracture
A hip fracture of the intertrochanteric kind occurs further away. 3 to 4 inches separate it from the joint and it doesn’t halt the femur’s blood supply.
Intracapsular Fracture
Your hip’s ball and socket are both impacted by this fracture. Additionally, it may cause ripping of the blood arteries that supply the ball.
What Causes a Broken Hip?
Possible reasons for hip fractures include:
- Falling from a considerable height or a harsh surface.
- An automobile accident, for example, might cause blunt hip damage.
- Illnesses like osteoporosis, a sickness that destroys bone tissue, are examples.
- Obesity puts an excessive amount of strain on the hip bones.
How Common is a Broken Hip?
Your chance of fracturing your hip might rise due to several factors. These include: You have a substantially higher chance of getting another fractured hip if you’ve already had one. Your risk of osteoporosis is higher if you are Asian or Caucasian in heritage. Your likelihood of fracturing your hip rises if you’re a woman. This is because women are more likely than males to develop osteoporosis.
Age
You can have a higher chance of fracturing your hip if you’re 60 years or older. Your bones’ density and strength may decline with advancing age. Weak bones are more likely to break. Other concerns that might increase your risk of falling with advancing age include eyesight and balance impairments.
Malnutrition
Protein, vitamin D, and calcium are among the elements that are crucial for the health of your bones in a balanced diet. Malnutrition can result from consuming insufficient calories or nutrients in your diet. You could fracture as a result of this. According to research, malnourished elderly persons are more likely to break a hip. Children’s future bone health also depends on their getting adequate calcium and vitamin D.
What are the Symptoms of a Broken Hip?
Among the signs of a shattered hip are:
- Pain around the hips and groin
- Shorter than the unaffected leg is the afflicted leg
- An inability to walk, bear weight on, or apply pressure to the afflicted hip and leg
- Bruising
A shattered hip may endanger life. Consult a doctor right away if you think you may have a fractured hip.
Diagnosing a Broken Hip
The apparent indications of a fractured hip, such as swelling, bruising, or deformity, will help diagnose the problem. However, our doctors may request specialized testing to support the preliminary diagnosis to establish a precise diagnosis. Our doctors can discover fractures with the use of imaging testing. At first, they may recommend X-ray scans to view the hip. They may employ other techniques, such as MRI or CT scans as well. An MRI could be able to detect a hip bone break better than an X-ray. This imaging device can create a large number of intricate images of the hip region. These pictures can be viewed by your doctor on a computer screen or film. Using CT imaging, you may see images of your hip bone and the muscles, tissues, and fat that surround it.
Surgical Treatment
Most fractures require surgical intervention within a day or two following the event. Though the recovery after a hip fracture surgery is lengthy, it is effective. To get the individual out of severe agony, surgery is required. Furthermore, getting out of bed benefits the sufferer. Fewer risks of problems occur when surgery is performed more quickly. Three factors are mostly what determines how to treat a hip fracture. The appropriate course of action is determined by the kind, location, age, and health of the patient. The two primary forms of surgery are as follows: Additionally known as mending internally or hip pinning, and hip repair surgery. In this case, the doctor uses metal rods, plates, or screws to keep the bones together while they recover. If the surgeon can properly align the bones, they will do this type of surgery.
The goal of hip replacement surgery is to completely or partially replace the joint with prosthetic components. The doctor restores the top portion of the damaged thigh bone when the hip is only partially replaced. When having a total hip replacement, the upper thigh bone, and the hip socket are both replaced. When doctors cannot align the shattered bones properly, a complete hip replacement is performed. The experts suggest beginning to move as soon as possible after the procedure. This is due to the potential for bedsores, pneumonia, and blood clots in an untreated situation. You might not be able to immediately begin cooking or getting dressed by yourself after the procedure. You might then need to implement rehabilitation techniques. Occupational therapy and physical therapy are key components of rehabilitation. They instruct you in:
- Safer methods to exercise regularly.
- Exercises to improve mobility and strength.
- Newer techniques for doing simple tasks.
Non-Surgical Treatments
There are certain non-invasive options available if you need hip fracture therapy without surgery and there is a fracture. If the bone pieces are still in their proper locations, you can use the following techniques:
Activity Modification
The doctor might advise against placing any weight on the injured region for at least six weeks after a hip fracture. This provides the bone with some healing time. To go around, you’ll need a walker, a cane, or crutches.
Electronic and Ultrasonic Bone Stimulation
The bone stimulation method aids in the rapid bone healing process. Here, a weak electrical current or a weak pulsed sound wave are both employed.
Physical Therapy for Broken Hips
These are only a variety of exercises to keep the muscles and joints close to the damaged area mobile and strong. For instance, leg lifts and hamstring stretches are a few examples of these exercises.
Hip Replacement
You can require either a partial or total hip replacement depending on the kind of damage. Your doctor could advise that you rehabilitate in a rehab center after hip replacement surgery.
Medications
Both over-the-counter and prescription pain relievers can help you control pain and lessen inflammation. To lower the risk of infection after hip fracture surgery, your doctor will prescribe antibiotics for a short period.
How do you Prevent a Broken Hip?
A fractured hip may not be something you can stop. However, you can reduce your chance of fracture through:
Being energetic
Exercise builds muscle strength and prevents bone loss. Swimming, tai chi, and weight exercises improve strength and balance.
Eating healthy
Your bones can grow stronger if you get enough calcium and vitamin D in your diet.
Getting regular medical checkups
A bone density test can detect osteoporosis, so discuss this option with your doctor. Bisphosphonates are drugs that decrease bone loss and strengthen bones; Our doctors often recommend them.
Preventing accidents
Keep your house clear of any dangers that might lead to a fall, such as throw rugs. Use caution when climbing stairs or walking on ice surfaces. If you have Parkinson’s disease, discuss fall prevention and balance maintenance with your healthcare practitioner.
Staying fit
Keep a healthy weight, abstain from smoking, and limit your alcohol use.
Updating your eyeglasses
Your risk of falling might rise if you have vision issues. Get routine eye exams to monitor your eyesight. Make sure the prescriptions for your eyeglasses and contact lenses are current.
Do you Want Your Child to See the Very Best?
Finally, do you require an orthopedic expert? To discuss your choices, make an appointment with one of our specialists at the Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists, who has received specialized training in fracture and trauma care. We have offices in Arlington, Dallas, Flower Mound, Frisco, and McKinney, TX. For a wide variety of severe injuries, Medical City Children’s Orthopedics and Spine Specialists offer thorough diagnosis, treatment, and care. Please, get in touch with us right away for treatment of a fractured hip.
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American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Hip Fractures
Call 214-556-0590 to make an appointment.
Comprehensive services for children from birth through adolescence at five convenient locations: Arlington, Dallas, Flower Mound, Frisco and McKinney.