Broken hip
Overview
A broken hip (hip fracture) is serious and needs treatment in hospital straight away. It can take several weeks or months to recoverandyou may not get back the same strength and movement you had before.
Symptoms
A broken hip usually happens because of a fall or injury. It's more common in older people and people who haveosteoporosis. Symptoms of a broken hip include: pain in the hip or upper legswelling and bruising around your hip and upper legnot being able to stand or put weight on the affected hip and legdifficulty moving your hip and legthe affected leg is at an odd angle or is shorter than the unaffected leg
Treatment
A broken hip needs to be treated in hospital straight away. You'll usually be given painkillers and have an X-ray to check if your hip is broken and to decide what treatment is best for you. Most people will need surgery to treat a broken hip. Depending on things like your age and the type of break, you may have surgery to: fix the broken bones back into place using screws, nails, rods or platesreplace some of the damaged hip joint with an artificial part (hemiarthroplasty)replace all of the damaged hip joint with an artificial joint (hip replacement) You'll usually have surgery on the same day or day after you arrive at hospital. If you're over 50 and have broken your hip, a fracture liaison service can help you prevent further broken bones and keep your bones healthy. Ask your GP surgery if there's a fracture liaison service in your area.