Reduce Hip Fractures
by: Terry Walsh
You listened to the doctor who told
you that you needed to have that hip replaced, but what about life
after hip surgery and was there 
anything that could have been done
to prevent or delay the need for replacement.
Life after a hip fracture can
change immeasurably for someone who wishes to remain
independent. Recovery from a hip fracture can take a long time,
even years, and an estimated
40 percent of hip fracture patients require nursing home care.
Each year, 350,000 hip fractures
occur in the United States, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic
Surgeons.
Experts predict that there will be 650,000 hip fractures
annually by 2050. Senior citizens, post-menopausal women, people
with family history of fractures, people with low calcium intake in
their diets and smokers are at a higher risk for hip fracture.
Reduce hip fracture risk
Only 25 percent of hip fracture
patients make a full recovery and nearly one in four hip fracture
patients die within 12 months after the injury. It is
obviously very important that you do what you can to minimize your
risk of a hip fracture
Are you at risk? Here are some tips
on how to help prevent a hip fracture:
- Include recommended amounts of
calcium and vitamin D in your diet. This should begin early in
life. Calcium intake is especially important for menopausal
women as bone loss occurs more rapidly during menopause.
- Keep safety in mind at home to
help prevent falls. Provide clear passageways throughout your
home. Be careful not to leave objects on the floor that you can
trip over. Ensure that your tub and bathroom floor are not
slippery. Clean up spills right away. Keep a night light on in
case you have to get up at night.
- Make healthy lifestyle choices.
Exercise to help maintain strong bones. Avoid smoking and
frequent alcohol consumption which increase your risk of a
fracture.
If you have a hip fracture, surgery
may be necessary. Hip replacement surgery is a common procedure. But
in some cases, it can cause even more problems for the patient.
Recently, Sulzer Orthopedics, a major implant manufacturer, has been
facing lawsuits after the voluntary recall of thousands of Inter-Op
shell hip replacements that were found to have an oily residue thus
preventing the shell from bonding with the bone. As a result, some
patients have been required to undergo one or more subsequent hip
replacement surgeries.
Only Inter-Op acetabular shells
produced after October 1999 and a limited number produced after June
1997 have been recalled.
If you have undergone hip
replacement surgery and think you might have received a faulty
device, it's best to visit your doctor as soon as possible for a
proper medical evaluation. If it is determined that you are
suffering from an injury related to a defective Inter-Op shell, you
may be entitled to legal compensation.
