What is a broken hip?
Your hip is the upper part of your thighbone (femur). The end of your thighbone has a ball on the end of it. That ball fits into a socket on the bottom of your pelvis bone. The ball and socket make up your hip joint.
The Femur: Part of the Hip Joint
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A broken hip is a break in your upper thighbone. It may involve the ball on the end of the bone or be just below the ball. All broken bones are considered fractures. For more information, see Overview of Broken Bones Overview of Broken Bones All broken bones are considered fractures. It doesn't matter whether it's just a little crack or a big break with lots of pieces. Broken bones hurt a lot and cause swelling Your bone may look... read more .
Hip fractures usually happen in older people, often from a fall
Osteoporosis Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens your bones. Your bones become thinner and more fragile. This is called a loss of bone density. If you have osteoporosis, your bones break more easily... read more
(weakening of the bones) raises the chance of having a hip fractureDoctors do surgery to fix a broken hip
It can take a long time to recover from a broken hip and you'll need to go to a rehabilitation program (rehab)
What causes the hip to break?
Hip fractures are usually caused by a fall. They usually happen in older people, particularly if their bones have been weakened by diseases such as osteoporosis Osteoporosis Osteoporosis is a condition that weakens your bones. Your bones become thinner and more fragile. This is called a loss of bone density. If you have osteoporosis, your bones break more easily... read more or cancer.
What are the symptoms of a broken hip?
Symptoms include:
Severe pain in the groin area
The injured leg looks shorter when you lie down
Light-headedness or weakness
Bruising and swelling
Sometimes, with a mild hip fracture, you have only a little pain and can walk
How can doctors tell if my hip is broken?
Doctors do:
Sometimes, CT scan Computed Tomography A CT scan uses a large machine shaped like a large donut to take x-rays from many angles. A computer then takes the x-rays and creates many detailed pictures of the inside of your body. Each... read more
or MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) MRI is a test that uses a machine with a powerful magnet to make pictures of the inside of your body. A computer records changes in the magnetic field around your body. The computer then uses... read more 
How do doctors treat hip fractures?
Doctors will:
Do surgery to repair or replace your hip
Unlike with many other broken bones, if you have a hip fracture, you'll need surgery.
If you have a mild hip fracture, doctors will repair your hip using metal pieces that hold the broken bones together so they can heal.
If you have a severe hip fracture, doctors will do a hip replacement. In a hip replacement they'll remove the end of your thigh bone and replace it with an artificial one. Sometimes, they also replace the socket part of the hip joint.
