Coastal Orthopedics

4 Ways to Survive a Hip Fracture Injury

According to a recent study from The Journal of the American Medical Association, 300,000 Americans 65 or older fracture a hip each year. Many of those injured will never return to what their normal function was before the fracture.

“As our bodies age, bones are more likely to fracture or break because living bone tissue becomes less dense. What would have been a minor injury for someone in their twenties can become life threatening for someone over the age of sixty,” says Orthopedic Surgeon and Joint Replacement Specialist, Alan Valadie, MD.

Time is not on the side of the patient; movement even in as little as a day after surgery is encouraged to begin the recuperating process. A full recovery can only be determined by how much effort is put into it. That’s why it’s important to begin a daily regimen that includes strength training and physical therapy to help regain strength and mobility post operation.

Fortunately many patients and physicians are motivated to not let a hip injury leave a permanent mark on a patient’s mobility. Below are some important tips to help recover from hip injuries.

• Exercise even after you complete physical therapy.  A routine exercise program helps minimize bone loss and stimulates bones to recover after surgery.
• Get out of the house…dinner with friends, shopping, anything that keeps you from being sedentary.  Bones heal better when they are used.
• Increasing your intake of calcium and vitamin D will help build bone strength.  Maintaining a diet rich in protein will build up muscles.
• Communicate with your physician about your diet, daily activities, and prognosis so that adjustments can be made to treatment plans.

“Most older adults live with at least one chronic condition, combine that with a hip fracture and a patient’s ailment can become amplified. The unfortunate truth is that one out of five hip fracture patients die within a year of their injury, that’s why a patient should never be satisfied with partial recovery,” says Dr. Valadie.

How do you maintain your health to prevent hip fractures? Share your thoughts in the comment section.