Bone mineral density and walking ability of elderly patients with hip fracture: a strategy for prevention of hip fracture

The main risk factors for proximal femoral fracture include the hazard of falling and osteoporosis. The change in walking ability of patients before injury was evaluated over the last 10 years in a rapidly advancing aging society in Tokyo, Japan. The bone quality of patients was clarified in order to develop a strategy for prevention of hip fractures. The subjects were 157 women with proximal femoral fractures treated between 1989 and 1993 (group A) and 216 women treated between 1999 and 2003 (group B). Bone mineral density (BMD) of the radius of the patients showed slightly lower values than those of the elderly general population, but no statistically significant difference was observed in each age group except for the 75-79-year-old age group (p<0.05). Many patients had problems in walking, and 27% of patients in group A and 44% in group B could not walk outdoors or go shopping alone before the injury, and their bone mineral density was reduced. For the prevention of hip fractures, it is important to improve the physical function to avoid falls, which directly cause hip fracture. Patients who have difficulty performing effective physical exercise because of reduced walking ability require medication for osteoporosis.