Abstract
Objective. The present paper examines pertinent literature sources published in the peer-reviewed English language between 1980 and November 1, 2010 concerning hip fractures. The aim was to highlight potential intervention points to offset the risk of incurring a hip fracture and its attendant disability. Methods. An in-depth search of the literature using the key terms: disability, epidemiology, hip fracture, prevention, and risk factors was conducted, along with data from the author's research base detailing the disability associated with selected hip fracture cases. All articles that dealt with these key topics were reviewed, and relevant data were tabulated and analyzed. Results. Hip fractures remain an important but potentially preventable public health problem. Among the many related remediable risk factors, low physical activity levels are especially important. Related determinants of suboptimal neuromuscular function also contribute significantly to hip fracture disability. Conclusion. Physical activity participation can help to reduce the prevalence and excess disability of hip fractures and should be encouraged.
Highlights
Background to the ProblemIn spite of much research, hip fractures continue to pose a serious health care problem as far as health policy makers and public health care organizations are concerned
The present paper examined all peer-reviewed research articles reporting pertinent topical data, regardless of design quality or methodology, and scrutinized these with respect to three themes, the scope of the problem or hip fracture epidemiology, the key risk factors for hip fracture and hip fracture disability, and the associated recommendations for preventing hip fracture disability
Despite declining hip fracture incidence rates in some locations [10,11,12,13], a vast body of diverse research since the 1980s has generally shown the age-adjusted incidence of hip fractures is increasing or likely to increase in the few decades [14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25]
Summary
Background to the ProblemIn spite of much research, hip fractures continue to pose a serious health care problem as far as health policy makers and public health care organizations are concerned. Since hip fracture prevalence increases exponentially with age [7], as populations age and longevity increases worldwide [8], these injuries are likely to occur at accelerated rates [9]. This is important, because among those who sustain a hip fracture injury and survive, an increasing number continue to experience various degrees of subsequent disability, including the onset of painful disabling hip joint osteoarthritis, a high risk for falls, and further hip fracture injury. As a result, escalating and excessive monetary costs of care for this debilitating injury [8], which includes disability costs, nursing care, rehabilitation care, and surgical costs are predicted as well
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