Fractured hip (also called fractured neck of femur) is one of the 2 most common broken bones affecting older people. Nearly 500 broken hips are treated at John Hunter Hospital every year. It is actually the top end of the femur (thigh bone) which breaks.
A broken hip is usually the result of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is thinning and weakening of the bone that affects many people as they age. Osteoporosis is more common in women than in men.
A broken hip is usually the result of a trip or fall but sometimes the bone can become so weak that it breaks spontaneously without a fall.
The treatment for a broken hip is almost always an operation. The top end of the thigh bone can break in several different places. The position of the break will determine which operation is appropriate in each case. Operations which may be used include; screws, a pin and plate, a half hip replacement or a total hip replacement.
Recovery after a broken hip is usually a long process and many people don’t get back to walking as well as they did before.
