At Sant Pau, we accompany you in the recovery of a fragility hip fracture, ensuring a good recovery and providing healthcare education for patients and caregivers.
Resources for fragility hip fractures
Osteoporosis and fragility fractures
Osteoporosis is a disease that decreases bone strength, increasing the risk of fractures at specific points in the skeletal system. These fractures are called fragility fractures and primarily affect women (80%) with an average age of eighty-eight years at the hospital.
Once a fragility fracture has occurred, the risk of re-fracturing is very high. To prevent this, special treatment for osteoporosis and proper follow-up care are required. Fractures usually occur from falls that, under normal circumstances, would not result in a fracture.
The impact of fragility fractures is significant. In the case of a femur fracture, it almost always requires hospitalization and surgical intervention, such as the placement of prostheses or intramedullary nails to stabilize the fracture. Additionally, they affect the patient's quality of life, with slow recoveries often requiring long hospital stays and intensive rehabilitation.
80%
women
Women, the most affected patients.
88
years old
Average age of patients at Sant Pau.
15%
are refractures
The risk of suffering the same fracture again is high.
Resources and advice
How to sit
To sit properly after a hip fracture, choose high and stable chairs. You can use seat risers to increase the height of the chairs, making it easier to sit down and stand up. High stools with a backrest are also a good option to maintain correct posture and reduce strain on the hip.
Sleeping and getting out of bed
To sleep and get out of bed, sleep on your back and, when permitted, you can roll onto your side on the healthy hip with a pillow between your legs. To get out of bed, move slowly to the edge with your leg stretched. Adjust the bed height with risers or other supports to make movement easier. We also recommend using grab bars to help you get up safely.
Going to the bathroom
To adapt the toilet and make it more comfortable, we recommend using a toilet riser to make sitting down and getting up easier. Keep your feet firmly planted on the ground and adjust the height to achieve a comfortable posture. Make sure the toilet riser is securely fixed and does not move.
Socks, shoes, and foot care
To put on your socks, shoes, and wash your feet more comfortably, we recommend using products like grabbers, shoehorns, and shoes with velcro. This way, you can avoid bending down and straining your hip. We also teach you how to use a sock aid and other tools to wash your feet without exerting yourself.
Adapt your space
In this video, we explain how to adapt your space to make it more comfortable and accessible. We recommend using long tongs to pick up objects that fall to the floor. It’s also helpful to rearrange the items you use most often, such as clothing or kitchen utensils, to have them within easy reach. Additionally, it’s better to remove rugs and furniture that may obstruct the path and cause falls.
The path after a hip fracture
The process a patient will follow after a fragility hip fracture
Jordi Martín, coordinator of the Fragility Fracture Management Unit, describes the entire journey followed by a patient who suffers a hip fracture.
The medication taken after a fragility hip fracture
Jesus Ruiz and Ana Juanes, professionals from the Pharmacy Service, answer frequently asked questions regarding medications.
The surgeries performed after a fragility hip fracture
Julio de Caso, clinical head of the Traumatology Department, explains the different surgical interventions that are performed.
The role of Nursing in fragility hip fractures
Nurse Sandra Campos explains the patient's journey from when they arrive at the emergency department until their subsequent recovery, and the role of nursing in this process.
Rehabilitation after a fragility hip fracture
Ana Cañete, Dolça Gras, and Yolanda Calle, from the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service, explain how they will support you in regaining your mobility.
The role of Social Work in fragility hip fractures
Meritxell Liarte and Eva Ausina, social workers, explain the role of Social Work in the process and all the support they provide to patients.
Comprehensive care to prevent fractures due to frailty
We are a hospital with a high level of geriatric sensitivity, committed to the comprehensive care of older people. We have a specific area, the DAFSU (Frailty and Urgency Syndrome Care Unit), to better manage geriatric cases, and we also have an Orthogeriatrics Hospitalization Unit to provide care for elderly patients suffering from fractures. Additionally, we have a Fracture Coordination Unit, made up of a multidisciplinary team of professionals specialized in various health fields such as geriatrics, emergency care, traumatology, rehabilitation, nursing, and pharmacy.
The goal of this unit is to prevent fractures due to frailty and provide personalized and high-quality care. Through close monitoring, the focus is both on preventing new fractures and improving bone health and the quality of life of patients.
Moreover, our Fracture Coordination Unit for Frailty manages these fractures with different local stakeholders and devices, standardizing criteria to improve patient care.
Sant Pau has been recognized with the Certified Gold Standard in the international "Capture the Fracture" program.
Collaborating centers
This project is carried out in collaboration with several healthcare centers that work together to provide continuous and multidisciplinary care to patients with fragility fractures, ensuring continuity of care for patients diagnosed with this condition.
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau
Hospital Dos de Maig
Hospital Sociosanitari Mutuam Güell
Hospital Evangèlic de Barcelona
Hestia Palau
