Most people know that they can develop an infection when they fracture their hips. However, blood or wound infections aren't the only possible complications of a hip fracture. There are other equally serious complications, such as these three:
Deep Vein Thrombosis
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a medical condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins of the body. Many things can cause DVT, one of which is prolonged immobility. When you don't move your body or a limb for a significant time, the blood flow is affected, and the blood can clot, resulting in a DVT. This is a dangerous condition because the blood clot can travel to other organs and constrict their blood vessels, which can be life-threatening if the organs involved are critical to life support (think of the heart).
So what is the connection with a hip fracture? Well, hip fracture treatment usually involves surgery. This is followed by bed rest for two main reasons. First, you can't walk on a fractured hip and you also need bed rest after surgery. This reduced mobility can lead to a blood clot in one of the veins in your legs, leading to a DVT.
Pressure Ulcers
Pressure sores are sections of the skin that get ulcerated when they experience continuous pressures, hence the term. Pressure sores mostly develop on sections of the skin that are closest to the bones, which usually includes parts of the body where the skin is closest to the body. For example, when you lie on your back for long periods after fracturing your hip, sections of your skin over the spine can develop pressure sores.
Avascular Necrosis
Avascular necrosis is a medical term for the death of bone tissues that occur when the bone is starved of blood supply. Many people don't know this, but the bone is actually living tissue, and it requires a supply of nutrients and oxygen as well as the elimination of wastes. All of these occur via the blood, and when the bone doesn't get an adequate blood supply, it dies. A hip fracture can interfere with the supply of blood to your bones when the fractured bones cut one or more vessels supplying that part of the body with blood.
As you can see, a hip fracture is a major health concern that can lead to multiple complications. This underscores the need for getting professional treatment for any hip fracture, whether it was a sports injury and your feel like its appropriate to seek treatment through a place like Ultimate Sports or one that focuses more specifically on hips. Home based treatment may focus on the actual fracture and ignore these potential complications, a mistake that an orthopedist cannot make.
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