Hip fractures can occur in the young and old. While all breaks are serious, they cause the most disability in the elderly. When an elderly person breaks a hip it can rob him of his independence and even be fatal. Hip fractures can occur after a fall, injury or trauma to the hip area, or because the bones have become weak in a condition called osteoporosis. Your bones can also weaken if you have certain types of cancer. In most cases you will need surgery to repair a broken hip. Your hip bone consists of a head that is shaped like a ball and socket and makes up the hip joint, a thinner area called the neck, and the lesser trochanter and greater trochanter, where the muscles attach to the hip bone. According to the University of Chicago Medical Center, hip fractures are classified depending on what area of the hip bone is affected.
Subcapital Fractures
The rounded head of the bone located within the hip joint is called the ball and socket area. If this section fractures, it is classified as a subcapital fracture. These are the most common types of fractures in elderly women and are usually the result of a fall. The Wisconsin Technical Colleges digital library states that if your break is severe, the fractured part of the bone may need to be removed and replaced with a prosthesis.
Intracapsular or Transcervical Fracture
This is a fracture that occurs across the top of the hip bone (neck) and right below the ball and socket (head) portion of the hip joint. The Merck Manual of Health & Aging claims that hip fractures in this area can be the result of a fall in someone who has osteoporosis. All types of fractures can cause hip pain that can be severe and leg weakness. You may also notice bruising or discoloration near the break.
Intertrochanteric Fracture
According to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, this fracture occurs between the neck of the hip bone and the area of the hip bone called the lesser trochanter. The lesser trochanter is where some of the major muscles in your hip attach to the bone. If any of these types of fractures result in damage to nearby blood vessels, you may experience a drop in blood pressure, faint and, in severe cases, go into shock from the internal bleeding.
Subtrochanteric Fracture
This fracture occurs between the lesser trochanter and slightly below the greater trochanter. The greater trochanter is the portion of your hip bone that you can feel as a bump on the outside of your hip. It is also a place where major muscles attach to the bone. These fractures tend to cause the least amount of complications as they do not usually damage blood vessels. They are more common in accidents, rather than a fall.
Combination Fracture
In severe breaks, there may be a fracture in more then just one of the above areas. Your doctor will use a combination of x-rays and computed tomography scan or CAT scan to hep diagnose the location and severity of your hip fracture.
