Background factors to hip fractures.

A questionnaire was distributed to 159 patients with cervical or trochanteric hip fractures about the cause of their accident, their health status, and various social factors. The purpose was to compare background factors in hip fracture patients with factors in subjects without hip fracture. The responses from 102 patients were compared with 102 age- and gender-matched controls. Most patients had fallen during walking or rising, and they often fell sideways. Patients had had more symptoms of diseases, were more often afraid of falling, and were less active than control subjects. Hip fracture patients, even prior to fracture, were more frail and sedentary than average. Fracture prevention training is an important consideration in elderly patients.