A Research Study on Age and Femur Fractures

A Research Study on Age and Femur Fractures

A group of researchers recently published a medical study taking a look at how age impacts the location and frequency of femur fractures. As people age, they are prone to developing different injuries and illnesses. Because the femur is one of the thickest bones in the body, a bone fracture at this location has the potential to be severe. A broken femur can lead to severe complications that have a negative impact on someone’s quality of life. Understanding how age impacts the location and frequency of femur fractures can help both doctors and their patients better understand the medical consequences of this type of bone fracture. The results of this study may allow doctors to take better care of their patients following a traumatic accident.

The Design of the Research Study

The researchers took a look at data from patients that arrived at their trauma center over an eight-year period. Their trauma center is a Level I trauma center, meaning that it can handle even the most serious accidents. All of the patients involved in the study were over 20 years of age.

The researchers found more than 3,800 patients who, in total, had more than 4,000 total femur fractures. The researchers then divided the fractures based on their location and loaded this information into a statistical software program. The researchers looked for trends among the fracture locations after controlling for variables such as sex, body weight, and mechanism of injury. Some of the most common mechanisms of injury included pathological fractures, auto accident injuries, and slip and fall accidents.

The Results of the Research Study: Age Plays a Role

Based on the information from the statistical software, the researchers found that patients who are of advanced age were more at risk of developing proximal femur fractures. These are fractures that occur closer to the hip and farther from the knee. On the other hand, younger patients were more at risk of developing a femur fracture closer to the knee and farther from the hip.

The researchers then tried to figure out why this trend was in place. As people age, their bone density starts to decline and they are more at risk of slipping and falling. These two factors explain why elderly patients are more at risk of suffering a fracture closer to the hip than the knee. This location often bears the brunt of the impact when someone falls. On the other hand, younger individuals often suffer a femur fracture in a high-energy accident, such as an auto accident.

The Impact on Femur Fracture Diagnosis and Treatment

These results are important because it shows a trend in femur fracture location based on age. When someone presents to the hospital following a traumatic accident, it is important for patients and doctors to know where to look for the injury. This will help medical professionals more quickly diagnose certain injuries in their patients. The faster these injuries are diagnosed, the sooner the treatment process can begin. This will lead to improved patient outcomes following a femur fracture. This can minimize the development of complications in individuals who have been diagnosed with this type of fracture, providing additional hope to individuals and families who are recovering following a serious accident.

Sacramento Femur Fracture Lawyer

I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento femur fracture lawyer. Age can have a major impact on the outcome of a femur fracture. If your loved one has been diagnosed a femur fracture due to the negligence of another person or entity, please contact me today at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.