Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- history of fall or trauma
- pain in the affected hip, groin, or thigh
- inability to bear weight or move the hip
- shortened, externally rotated leg
- risk factors
Risk factors
- osteoporosis/osteopenia
- older age
- falls
- low body mass index (BMI)
- female sex
- high-energy trauma
Diagnostic investigations
1st investigations to order
- plain radiographs
- full blood count
- urea and electrolytes
- glucose
- group and save
- coagulation screen
- ECG
Investigations to consider
- MRI pelvis
- CT pelvis
Treatment algorithm
suitable for surgery
not currently suitable for surgery: not receiving end-of-life care
not currently suitable for surgery: receiving end of life care
post-surgery
Contributors
Expert advisers
Zoe Little
ST6 in Trauma and Orthopaedics
Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals
Epsom
UK
Disclosures
ZL declares that she has no competing interests.
Brett Griffiths
Specialist Registrar
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals
Norwich
UK
Disclosures
BG declares that he has no competing interests.
Hiba Khan
ST4 in Trauma and Orthopaedics
Croydon University Hospital
London
UK
Disclosures
HK declares she has no competing interests.
Acknowledgements
BMJ Best Practice would like to gratefully acknowledge the previous team of expert contributors, whose work has been retained in parts of the content:
Bradley A. Petrisor MSc, MD, FRCSC
Associate Professor
McMaster University
Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon
Orthopedic Trauma Service
Hamilton Health Sciences
Ontario
Canada
Mohit Bhandari MD, PhD, FRCSC
Professor
McMaster University
Canada Research Chair in Musculoskeletal Trauma
Hamilton Health Sciences
Ontario
Canada
Disclosures
BAP and MB declare that they have no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Antony Johansen
Consultant Orthogeriatrician
University Hospital of Wales
Cardiff
UK
Biography
AJ is clinical lead for the National Hip Fracture Database, Royal College of Physicians, London, UK.
Disclosures
AJ has been a co-applicant or collaborator in successful applications for non-commercial grants from the NIHR Health Technology Assessment Programme, Physiotherapy Research Foundation, and Versus Arthritis.
Editors
Emma Quigley
Section Editor, BMJ Best Practice
Disclosures
EQ declares that she has no competing interests.
Rachel Wheeler
Lead Section Editor, BMJ Best Practice
Disclosures
RW declares that she has no competing interests.
Luisa Dillner
Head of Research and Development, BMJ
Disclosures
LD declares that she has no competing interests.
Julie Costello
Comorbidities Editor, BMJ Best Practice
Disclosures
JC declares that she has no competing interests.
Adam Mitchell
Drug Editor, BMJ Best Practice
Disclosures
AM declares that he has no competing interests.
Differentials
- Acetabular fracture
- Pubic rami fracture
- Femoral shaft or subtrochanteric femur fracture
More DifferentialsGuidelines
- Hip fracture: management
- Management of proximal femoral fractures
More GuidelinesPatient leaflets
Osteoporosis
More Patient leaflets
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