The thigh bone, called the femur, is the longest and strongest bone in the body. A break in the thigh bone is often called a hip fracture because the thigh bone joins with the pelvis to form the hip joint.
Hip Fractures
Hip fractures, or breaks in the upper part of the thigh bone, most often occur in a specific part of the bone between the greater and lesser trochanters. These are called intertrochanteric fractures. They often happen in older adults after a fall but can also occur in younger people after serious injuries, like car accidents.
Most hip fractures require surgery to restore the alignment of the thigh bone, followed by physical therapy to improve movement, strength, and weight-bearing of the affected hip.
A long bone nail and screws are used to stabilize a hip fracture. The bone nail is inserted down the center of the thigh bone and held in place in the top of the bone with a telescoping screw, which provides additional compression over time as the fracture heals.
During hip fracture surgery, an incision is made along the side of the hip. This allows a surgeon to insert a long bone nail down the center of the thigh bone and hold it in place with screws to compress the broken parts back together.
