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Hip Fracture Causes
What Causes a Hip Fracture?
A fall is the most common reason for a hip fracture among the elderly. A small percentage of people may have a hip fracture occur spontaneously. In younger people, a hip fracture is generally the result of a car accident, a fall from a great height, or severe trauma.
Hip fracture is more common in older people because bones become thinner and weaker from calcium loss as a person ages, generally due to osteoporosis. Bones affected by osteoporosis are more likely to break if a person falls. Most hip fractures sustained by older people occur as a result of falling while walking on a level surface, often at home.
As they get older, women lose 30 percent to 50 percent of their bone density (thickness). The loss of bone speeds up dramatically after menopause because women produce less estrogen. Estrogen contributes to maintaining bone density and strength.
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