Low Odds for Full Recovery From Hip Fracture Found Among Older Adults

A study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found hip fractures among older adults are associated with an adverse long-term effect on health-related quality of life over a decade, reports Healio . In addition, hip, spine, and rib fractures have lasting negative effects on self-care, mobility, and ambulation in older men and women. Women who had a hip fracture were unlikely to recover to prefracture-level scores, according to the Health Utility Index. The researchers analyzed data from 7,753 adults at least 50 years old. Incident hip fractures among females were linked to significant deficits, and the magnitude of these deficits was similar for spine and rib fractures, apart from ambulation. Incident hip or spine fractures among men were associated with deficits in mobility and ambulation. "These findings support the evidence that individuals with these types of fragility fractures do not regain their functional ability," the researchers concluded.