What Are The Types Of Hip Fractures

Hip fractures and pains are very hard to deal with. They can occur in people who are getting old and their bones are giving up on them or in younger people such as athletes who have injured themselves harshly. Here are the different types of hip fractures that orthopedic hip surgeons want you to need to know about.

Hip fractures are mostly divided into two main types. Intracapsular and extracapsular.

Intracapsular hip fractures are the fractures which involve the injuries to the femoral head and neck bones. They usually occur inside the capsule of the hip bone, hence they are called intracapsular.

Extracapsular hip fractures are the fractures which involve the fractures on the intertrochanteric and subtrochanteric areas of the hip. These fractures are anatomically classified to render easy diagnosis and treatment. Some fractures are healed by time and some need to be surgically fused again. It depends on the severity of the fractures.

Femoral Neck Fracture

The femoral bone is a bone which is just inches below the hip joint. It is a very important bone and it is responsible for allowing movement and different orientation of the hips. The femoral neck is a very thin part of the femoral bone and it is quite prone to breakage if the impact to the neck is too much. The fracture usually occurs 2 to 3 inches below the hip joint and it can be quite painful.

A lot of hip fractures leave the person in a lot of pain, but along with that comes difficulty in standing and sitting for too long. The position can be quite uncomfortable and no posture seems to alleviate the pain in the femoral neck. It also occurs in a lot of old people and people who suffer from osteoporosis.

Usually, older people and people who suffer from osteoporosis have very weak bones and it makes them a perfect target for such fractures. Femoral neck fracture can also limit the movement of the hip and any slight movement can lead to excruciating hip pain. In worst cases, it might also cause numbness and tingles in the hip area, in which case, you need to consult a doctor immediately.

Intertrochanteric Fractures

Intertrochanteric fractures are the type of fractures which are considered to be the least painful of the bunch. Although it does cause pain, it is nothing as compared to other types of hip fractures. Usually, hip fractures can also disrupt blood supply and lead to nerve damage, but Intertrochanteric fractures don’t disrupt the blood supply to the nerves near the fracture. It is a fracture which occurs 4 to 5 inches below the hip joint and it is usually caused by some sort of heavy impact.

Subtrochanteric Fractures

A subtrochanteric fracture is a common hip fracture accompanied with swelling in the hips and sometimes, your leg might get externally rotated. This is much like a physical deformity than a small hairline fracture. The fracture can be seen through either an X-Ray or MRI scan, depending on the severity of the fracture and the patient. The pain is too much and you are unable to sit straight or stand up for too long. This is a type of fracture which is fixed through surgery only, because the intricacy involved in the surgery is able to treat the fracture and swelling.

Femoral Head Fractures

The fracture which occurs in the posterior side of the femoral bone is a femoral head fracture. It is usually a lot less common to occur than femoral neck fractures, but it is just as painful and uncomfortable. Usually, it is found out through a powerful MRI scan. It takes weeks and maybe some months for the bone to fully heal. This fracture can also be accompanied with hip dislocation, if the damage done is too much. This is a very serious situation, not to mention painful as well. Pain in the lower abdomen and groin area is usually an indicator for femoral fractures.

There you have it! These different types of hip fractures are the most commonly occurring bone problems in a lot of people. Every hip fracture is different, so it’s best to consult a hip orthopedic specialist McLean for your hip problems.