Orthopedics Hip Fracture Specialist

Hip Fracture Treatment in Eastern Tennessee

Our Specialty

What is a Hip Fracture?

When the upper part of the thighbone (femur) breaks, this is called a hip fracture. Most of the time, the injury is caused by a fall or a car crash. Older people are more likely to break their hips because as they get older, their bones get weaker and more fragile.

Subspecialties

hip fracture

Symptoms of a Broken Hip

Symptoms of a broken hip usually come on quickly. But they can come on slowly and get worse over time. Some signs of a broken hip include:

  • Pain – Hip pain is usually very bad and sharp. It can also be mild or painful. Most people feel pain in their thighs, upper hips, pelvis, and groin, and may go down your leg
  • Limited movement – Most people with a broken hip can’t stand or walk. Sometimes it’s possible to walk, but putting weight on the leg is very painful
  • Changes in appearance – You might have a bump on your hip, it may look like one of your legs is shorter than the other, or it might look like the hip is out of place, bent, or turned

How Common is a Hip Fracture?

Hip fractures are very common. Every year, more than 300,000 people in the United States break their hips. Some risk factors for a hip injury are:

  • Age
  • Gender
  • Lifestyle
  • Medications
  • Osteoporosis
  • Overall health

Hip Fracture Treatment

The best way to treat a hip fracture relies on your age, general health, and the kind of injury. Most broken hips need surgery within a day or two of the injury. However, some people can’t have surgery because of their age or other health problems.

Treatments may include:

  • Physical therapy – Your physical therapist will make a physical therapy (PT) schedule to help you move better, increase flexibility, and increase strength. Special exercises after hip replacement surgery can make a big difference in how much you can move around
  • Medications – You can handle pain and reduce swelling with over-the-counter and prescription painkillers. If you had surgery for a broken hip, you may be given medicines to keep you from getting an infection
  • Hip surgery – Most broken hips need surgery to fix. There are different ways to do hip surgery. Your doctor or surgeon might use metal screws, nails, or plates to hold the bones in place
  • Hip replacement – Depending on the kind of damage, you may need a partial or total hip replacement. After surgery to replace your hip, your doctor will have you begin physical therapy right away
hip fracture care

Hip Fracture Care in Knoxville

At Tennessee Orthopaedic Alliance, our fracture care doctors always try to use the least invasive treatments possible. When possible, they choose minimally invasive and arthroscopic surgery. We want to get you back to doing the things you love as quickly as possible. If you think you have a hip fracture, call one of our locations in Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Lenoir City, or Sevierville today to make an appointment.

Our Fracture Care Surgeons

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