What Symptoms May Indicate a Hip Fracture?

Suffering a hip fracture can be a serious risk to your health. To repair a break in the hip, surgeons may have to replace the hip or perform a surgical repair on the site. Afterward, you need physical therapy.

Mayo Clinic stresses the seriousness of a hip fracture by detailing symptoms and causes.

What Causes a Hip Fracture?

A serious impact can cause a hip fracture. This includes falling from standing height or higher and motor vehicle accidents. For older adults, hip fractures are more common. As you age, your bone density and muscle mass begin to decrease. Women also lose their bone density three quicker than men do and may be three times more likely to suffer a hip fracture.

Hazards in a building or residence can increase the odds of hip fractures associated with falls. For instance, throw rugs, electrical cords in the middle of the floor and excess furniture can cause a person to trip.

What Are the Symptoms of A Hip Fracture?

You may suspect a hip fracture if you cannot stand or walk following a slip or fall. Around the area of the fracture, you will experience severe pain and witness bruising and swelling around the area. Most patients cannot put weight on the side of the injured hip or may show signs of the leg turning outward.

Hip fractures affect the quality of your life. They can keep you immobile and lead to symptoms of complications. Signs that you may have complications from your hip fracture include blood clots, loss of muscle mass, bedsores and pneumonia.