Fatigue fracture of the hip
Fatigue fractures of the hip bone are rare. More often, fractures occur near the hip joint, for example at the femoral neck bone. The causes are often sports that are particularly stressful for the lower extremities (cross-country skiing, soccer, gymnastics, etc.)
– a so-called stress fracture then occurs in the hip. If a fatigue fracture occurs in the hip area due to existing osteoporosis, it is an insufficiency fracture. In the case of a manifest fatigue fracture, those affected must above all respect and consistently implement immobilization and thus relief, so that an optimal healing process can take place.
An initial start of stress should be made with targeted sports that are easy on the joints, such as swimming without footwork with the increase in aqua jogging. This way the hips are hardly stressed. Since fatigue fracture of the hip is very rare, it is unfortunately often not immediately recognized as such.
It is all the more important that the first signs of a fatigue break are noticed by those affected -and taken seriously. The treatment of such a fatigue fracture varies individually. It can heal with conservative measures alone, but sometimes it must also be treated surgically.
Duration vs. healing of a fatigue fracture
A fatigue fracture always occurs when a bone is permanently misloaded or overloaded, resulting in a softening of the bone structure. As a result, smaller cracks are formed in the bone and the fracture becomes deeper and deeper. In comparison to a “normal” fracture, which is caused by external violent influences such as a fall, the healing of a fatigue fracture, if it is diagnosed and treated in time, usually runs quite smoothly.
First of all, it is important not to stress the fatigue fracture any further as otherwise healing cannot take place properly. This means that the affected bone or joint must be immobilized as far as possible. A plaster cast is not always necessary, often splints or bandages are used, but it is important that any form of sport that would put further strain on the bone is strictly forbidden, otherwise the fracture will deepen and worsen.
However, if you make sure that the bone or the affected joint is immobilized, a fatigue fracture usually heals within 6-8 weeks without further complications or damage. Unfortunately, the duration of healing can vary considerably.Z. For example, a fatigue fracture of the tibia lasts significantly longer than a fatigue fracture of the metatarsus.
If bones are affected that are responsible for the functionality of a joint, such as the wrist or knee, it can be helpful to attend physiotherapy in addition to immobilization. During physiotherapy, on the one hand, attention is paid to whether the healing of the fatigue fracture is progressing without problems, and on the other hand, the patient can be helped to ensure that the joint can be fully loaded again after the fatigue fracture. In addition, it is important to support the healing process of a fatigue fracture by means of nutrition.
A fatigue fracture leads to a softening of the bone, or more precisely to demineralization. In order to counteract this and thus support the healing of the fatigue fracture, but also as a prophylaxis before a further fatigue fracture, it is important to provide the bone with sufficient calcium and vitamin D. Calcium is mainly found in dairy products and yoghurt, as is vitamin D. For a sufficient Vitamin D supply it is however important that our skin regularly gets some sun since only then the Vitamin D can be converted into its metabolite active for the body. These measures are however rather supporting measures. The healing itself requires the already mentioned strict protection of the bone and should not be underestimated.
