Fracture of the femoral neck in the elderly, how to determine, and what to do for the fastest recovery

Often, the disease overtakes people in old age. Statistics say that more than 6% of the number of fractures occur precisely on the neck of the hip. And 90% - in the elderly. There is nothing good in fractures and for the young, but a fracture of the neck of the femur in the elderly almost never fuses naturally. This is facilitated by bone thinning due to joint diseases, arthritis and osteoporosis.

Even a small traumatic effect on unhealthy tissue leads to a fracture, it is not uncommon for a fracture in the elderly to fracture the hip . Fractures of the "hammered joint" type are dangerous because they are difficult to diagnose without an X-ray, a person walks alone for some time. Sometimes the treatment of the sciatic nerve is an incorrectly diagnosed diagnosis, and it was necessary to treat a fracture of the femoral neck in the elderly .

What to look for

When there is a constant pain in the pelvic region, and when you try to turn or lift your leg, it increases, there is every reason to suspect a fracture of the neck of the hip in the elderly.

• The leg can be unnaturally turned and rotated so that the foot practically touches the plane.
• The leg does not rise and does not turn on its own.
• Noticeably a shortening compared to a healthy leg by 2-4 cm.
• With a "pinned" fracture, when the joint is not displaced, the pain is felt in the groin, bearing the character of a constant and increases only when moving.

What to do before the arrival of a doctor

• Immediately call an ambulance.
• Put the patient in bed on his back.
• Give an anesthetic.
• Try to fix the sick leg without turning it and straightening it, with the grip of the knee joints, knee and hip joint.
• If there is no fixation, put a sore foot on a flat pillow, place the rollers with sand or roller of a rolled up soft fabric under the forefoot.

Treatment and recovery

In the first minute it is very important to support a sick person who is experiencing great stress from falling and pain. We need to try to calm him down and convince him that the fracture of the femoral neck in the elderly is not a sentence, with the necessary treatment, desire and efforts of the patient after trauma, many recover and live a full life.

Treatment can be either surgical or conservative, when surgical intervention is impossible due to the general condition of the patient. Surgical operation of hip fracture in the elderly is a serious test for the patient, but it allows the most secure fixation of the joint with the help of special techniques.

If surgical intervention is impossible, then conservative methods of treatment give good results, provided that the patient follows all the recommendations of doctors and makes every effort to recover.

Care after surgery and with conservative treatment

• When the operation has passed, at the beginning of recovery the pain does not go away for 5-7 days. If the patient is at home, give painkillers, show empathy, encourage and calm him.
• In the first days there may be incontinence, do not panic, with proper treatment and care, the problem will soon be eliminated.
• Use an ordinary jar to drain urine for both men and women. For defecation you need to buy a ship "Lada", it is most convenient.
• Be sure that the patient is drinking enough fluids. You do not need to give carbonated drinks, grassy tea, kefir, compotes and milk will do.
• Be sure to observe the regularity of nutrition with an abundance of fiber (salads, fruits and vegetables), fermented milk products. Do not give a lot of meat, in the diet include bran, supplements that improve the intestinal motility.

Physiotherapy for the elderly with a diagnosis of hip fracture

For the patient above the bed, they arrange a "Balkan frame", if you are not told this name, ask the doctor, they will explain everything to you. The height of the frame should be convenient for the sick person to pull up and move on the bed with the help of hands. For rehabilitation and a quick return to normal life, exercise therapy should be performed for the elderly, in accordance with the recommendations of the doctor.

• Already in the first days it is necessary to do respiratory, restorative physical training: to actively move the toes with fingers, to make circular movements in it, to strain the muscles of the thighs and lower legs, to turn the ankle, to sit with the help of the frame in bed.
• Turn in the bed, do the torso and head inclinations, combining them with respiratory gymnastics.
• A healthy leg should not be forgotten and the LFK should be actively performed for the elderly and on it, so that the muscles do not lose their tone .
• If there is no hood, then the doctor's appointed time should be learned to walk on crutches. With good treatment, even after the operation, on the 5th day they are allowed to bend and unbend the leg, and put on crutches two to three weeks later.

You should remember about age, you can not prematurely load your leg, this can lead to a displacement in the joint of fragments or a more serious complication - aseptic necrosis. Active exercises will allow after three or four months to load a sick leg no more than 30% of the body weight, you need to move with a cane or crutch. Complete rehabilitation is possible only after six months, and the restoration of work capacity - in eight months.