Hip Fracture Treatment: Surgical & Non-Surgical Options

A broken hip, or a hip fracture, remains a common occurrence amongst the elderly due to their weakened bones. Thankfully a host of readily available options exists to help treat broken hips.

Considerations

• With severe hip bone fractures, surgery may help to fit the top portion of the femur with a metal replacement. In less extreme cases, surgeons can simply insert metal screws into the hip bone to help keep the area intact until it mends.

Total Hip Replacement

• Doctors recommend total hip replacement surgery for those with major damage to the joints. In this procedure, surgeons will replace the upper femur and pelvic bone socket with a metal or ceramic prosthesis.

Surgery Aftermath

• All patients following surgery to repair a broken hip should do physical therapy exercises to help strengthen the region.

Warning

• For patients suffering from serious ailments making them bad candidates for surgery, doctors may decide to use an alternative treatment like traction, a mechanical device used to limit movement in the fractured hip area.

Prevention/Solution

• An annual shot of zoledronic acid to the hip area helps stabilize bone density and reduce the risk of future broken hips.