Hip fractures in older adults are most commonly caused by what event?

• A. Sports injuries
• B. Falls
• C. Infections
• D. Auto accidents

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that hip fractures in older adults usually come from a fall, even a fall from standing height. As people age, bones often become osteoporotic and balance or reaction times decline, so a simple slip or stumble can transmit enough force to fracture the proximal femur (the neck or intertrochanteric region). This low-energy trauma is far more common in the elderly than high-energy injuries. Infections don’t typically cause the fracture event itself (though they can weaken bone over time), and sports injuries or auto crashes are more typical causes in younger people who experience high-energy trauma. So the event most likely to cause a hip fracture in older adults is a fall.