Fracture

Annually, there are more than 320,000 hospitalizations for hip fractures as a result of car crashes and other accidents. Hip fractures are a serious health problem common among elderly men and women who fall in their own homes, with only one in four patients recovering completely.

Hip fractures usually occur at the top of the upper leg (femur) near the connection to the pelvis. Most fractures are classified at femoral neck fractures (area just below the femoral head) or intertrochanteric fractures (through the outer portion of the femur). Hip fractures often cause too much pain to stand and your leg may turn outward or shorten. Most cases require immediate hospitalization and surgery.