Massage therapy · Kitchener–WaterlooHip Fractures

Hip fractures are serious injuries, especially for older people, and need treatment in hospital straight away (NHS, 2026). A hip fracture is a break in the upper part of the thigh bone (femur) (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.). Most hip fractures happen in people aged 65 or older, usually after a fall at home or when out and about (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.). They are more common in older people and in people with osteoporosis, a condition that weakens the bones and makes them fragile and more likely to break (NHS, 2026; NHS, 2022). Problems with eyesight, medicines that affect your balance, and problems with balance and mobility make falls more likely, and falls are the most common cause of hip fractures in older people (NHS, 2025; American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.).

Most hip fractures need surgery to repair or replace the broken bone (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.; NHS, 2026). Recovery usually takes several weeks or months, with physiotherapy, and some people never get back quite the same strength and movement they had before (NHS, 2026). Looking after your bone health and preventing falls can help to prevent fractures (NHS, 2025; NHS, 2022).

Hip Fracture Anatomy

The hip is a ball and socket joint connecting the thigh bone (femur) to the pelvis socket. It allows the leg to move. The femur is a long bone in the thigh, with the ball (the head of the femur) at its upper end, and the socket (acetabulum) is part of the pelvis (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.). Most hip fractures happen in the femoral neck, just below the ball, or a little lower down, in the area between two bony bumps called the greater and lesser trochanters (American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, n.d.). The hip joint allows a huge range of movements, including bending (flexing) your hip to bring your knee towards your chest. Many muscles and ligaments surround the hip joint, including the quadriceps (thigh muscles), gluteals (buttock muscles), hamstrings (back of thigh muscles) and adductors (groin muscles).

Treatments you may want to discuss with your family doctor, nurse practitioner or medical team

Recovery and Rehabilitation

Tips

• Prevention is key. Look around your home for anything you could trip on, such as clutter, loose wires or rugs (NHS, 2025).
• If you are older or at risk of falls, wear a personal alarm or carry a mobile phone so you can get help quickly if you do fall (NHS, 2025).
• Stay active. Activities that improve strength and balance, done at least twice a week, help prevent falls, and regular exercise keeps your bones as strong as possible (NHS, 2025; NHS, 2022).
• Eat well to look after your bone health, including foods rich in calcium and vitamin D (NHS, 2025; NHS, 2022).
• Have regular eye tests and hearing checks (NHS, 2025).
• Watch your medicines. Speak to your family doctor, nurse practitioner or pharmacist if you think your medicines could be affecting your balance (NHS, 2025). Some medicines can increase the risk of osteoporosis, such as taking high-dose steroid tablets for more than 3 months (NHS, 2022).

After a hip fracture, your surgeon and hospital team decide how much weight you can put through the leg and which positions to avoid while it heals. I work inside those limits, ask about your operation and precautions at the first visit, and need your surgeon's okay before any hands-on treatment.

Please bring any X-ray or scan reports and notes from your medical team to your first visit. They're an important part of planning safe treatment for you.

Early On

• Work on the areas working overtime: the low back, the other leg, and the shoulders and arms if you're using a walker or crutches
• Gentle lymphatic drainage for swelling, with positioning that respects your precautions
• Gentle work around the hip for stiffness, and on the scar once it has fully healed
• Home visits if getting to the clinic is hard

Building Strength and Confidence

1. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (n.d.) Hip fractures. OrthoInfo. Available at: https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/diseases--conditions/hip-fractures/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
2. NHS (2022) Osteoporosis. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoporosis/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
3. NHS (2025) Falls. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/falls/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
4. NHS (2026) Broken hip (hip fracture). Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hip-fracture/ (Accessed: 7 October 2026).
5. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (2011, updated 2023) Hip fracture: management (NICE guideline CG124) – Recommendations. Available at: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg124/chapter/Recommendations (Accessed: 7 October 2026).