The hip joint is a large hip joint that connects the pelvis and the thighbone, and plays a very important role in supporting body weight and walking. It is a strong bone that can withstand up to three times its body weight when standing or walking on one leg, but the incidence of hip fractures is surprisingly high in the elderly. This is because as you get older, your reflexes and muscle strength decrease and you hit your buttocks. Hwanhee Lee, professor of orthopedic surgery at Catholic University of Korea Daejeon St. Mary’s Hospital, learns regarding the risks of hip fractures, prevention and exercise methods.
◇The risk of hip fracture increases due to increased osteoporosis following age 50 = Most hip fractures occur when elderly patients simply fall from a standing position. It is related to osteoporosis. Assuming that you fall with the same intensity, if you have osteoporosis, your chances of fracture are high. The problem is that this osteoporosis usually has no symptoms, but is recognized as fractures occur in most cases.
For women, the risk of osteoporosis increases following age 50, and the risk of hip fractures doubles every 10 years. This is because overall health deteriorates with age, such as loss of sight and hearing, slowing of reflexes, and weakening of muscle strength and bone quality.
The reason hip fractures are dangerous is that once a fracture occurs, the risk of secondary fractures increases more than three times. According to a domestic study, the 1-year mortality rate of hip fracture is 15%, the 2-year mortality rate is 25%, and the 5-year mortality rate is 45%. Without surgery, the one-year mortality rate rises to 50%. Because it has a higher mortality rate than most cancers, prevention of hip fractures is of utmost importance.
Since the prognosis of conservative treatment is poor for the hip joint, surgical treatment such as arthroplasty or metal fixation is required in most cases. If the dislocation of the fracture site is not severe, bone union can be expected through conservative treatment, but it takes a long time to union. In particular, because of long-term immobility due to pain at the fracture site, metabolic function decreases and the risk of various complications increases. Pneumonia and bedsores, which are caused by weakened immunity, are typical complications. Therefore, most hip fractures require surgical treatment.
◇ Prevention of hip fractures starts with osteoporosis management = In order to prevent hip fractures, it is important to manage osteoporosis first. If you are a postmenopausal woman or have any risk factors for osteoporosis, you should have your bone density measured at a hospital and check for osteoporosis. If you are underweight (BMI 18.5 or less) or are very inactive, if you smoke or drink a lot, if you have a history of osteoporotic fractures in your family, if you take a lot of drugs such as steroids, if you have early menopause in women By performing a bone density test in advance, hip fractures due to osteoporosis can be prevented. If you have osteoporosis with low bone density, it is better to seek appropriate treatment right away. It is recommended to do a lot of light aerobic exercise, including walking, because the more you do physical activity, the more your bones are stimulated to make bones.
It is also helpful to consume foods that are good for bones, such as calcium and vitamin D. Even without osteoporosis, regular calcium intake is very important for the prevention of osteoporosis. Calcium intake of 800 mg per day for adult men, 1000 mg for pre-menopausal women, and 1500 mg following menopause is recommended.
If you eat three meals a day well, you can meet 500 mg. The rest is regarding 300 mg of dairy products and milk, and a calcium complex is another way to do it.
After menopause, you need at least 800 IU of vitamin D per day. Taking a 30-minute walk three times a week between 10 am and 3 pm when the sun is strong is the most helpful for vitamin D absorption, but if it is practically difficult, you should take vitamin D using a supplement.
It is also important to strengthen the muscles around the hip joint through abductor exercises, extensor exercises, and rectus femoris exercises. The best thing to do is not to create a situation in which a fracture might occur in the first place. Always be careful on slippery floors, turn on the lights, and live in a bright environment. Help = Hwanhee Lee, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, Catholic University of Korea Daejeon St. Mary’s Hospital
