Hip fractures are among the most common orthopedic trauma injuries, and their consequences can be devastating. A broken hip, often caused by a fall, typically requires major surgery to repair, has a long recovery period, and can cause significant problems with long-term mobility. Unquestionably, breaking a hip has a profound impact on a person’s health and quality of life. Most concerning of all, a significant number of older adults die within a year of having a hip fracture. It is certainly something to be avoided, if you can.
“While you should not be fearful to live your life and participate in the activities you love, there are various measures individuals can take to help minimize mechanical ground-level falls and possibly hip fractures,” said Summit sports medicine and orthopedic trauma specialist Andrew Samborski, MD.
Fortunately, there is a lot you can do, starting today, to reduce your risk of hip fracture. Here are a few of Dr. Samborski’s top tips.
Hip Fracture Prevention Through Nutrition
Strong bones are essential for hip fracture prevention. Make sure you’re getting the recommended daily amount of calcium and vitamin D — talk with your primary care provider about the specific recommendations for you.
Try some calcium-rich foods, dairy products, leafy greens, fish (with bones, like anchovies or sardines), and fortified bread, cereal, or plant milk. Nuts, beans, and seeds can also be good sources.
Think about incorporating some vitamin D-rich foods as well. Good sources include fatty fish, egg yolks, and liver, as well as fortified foods from dairy products to orange juice.
Some people choose to take a calcium and vitamin D supplement, which can be a good option if you’re not getting enough from your diet. A blood test can tell you if you’re deficient, and you can talk with your healthcare provider about how much you should take.
Other minerals, like potassium and magnesium, can help support bone health as well. Getting adequate protein can help protect your muscles, which are also important for injury prevention and recovery.
Exercising to Prevent Hip Fractures
When it comes to exercise for hip fracture prevention, think about improving strength, balance, and bone density.
Resistance training with weights or core strength exercises are great places to start. Weight-bearing exercises, like walking or doing squats, can strengthen bones. For a great exercise that improves balance and bone density, try Tai Chi or yoga.
“Genetics, nutrition, and lifestyle all contribute to optimizing bone health. We obtain a peak bone mass in early to middle adulthood, and this slowly decreases over time with age,” Dr. Samborski noted. “By optimizing nutrition, health, and weight-bearing exercises, an individual can help decrease the rate of bone loss, which may reduce osteoporotic-type fractures.”
Preventing Falls to Prevent Hip Fractures
Another big way to reduce your risk of hip fracture is to reduce your risk of falling down. Making a few simple changes to your environment at home can make a real difference. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has an easy-to-use checklist for older adults who want to decrease the chance that they’ll trip and fall at home.
Two other important things to look at when you’re thinking about staying up on your feet: your vision and your medications. Visit your eye doctor to get a checkup, so you can make sure your vision is as good as it can be. And be aware that some medicines you take may cause dizziness as a side effect. If this happens to you, talk with your healthcare provider. There may be other medicine options to try, or your provider may be able to help you decrease this side effect.
“Life happens, falls happen, and hip fractures happen. The goal of the above isn’t to prevent every hip fracture; however, it is to raise awareness about common ways to help reduce falls and falls resulting in hip fractures,” Dr. Samborski said.
