What are typical symptoms of a hip fracture?

• A. Acute pain in the hip, groin, or thigh, with inability to bear weight
• B. Chronic knee pain without trauma
• C. Pain only at night
• D. Pain relief with walking

Answer: (A)

The main idea is that a hip fracture presents with sudden, severe pain in the hip region (hip, groin, or thigh) after a fall or minor trauma, and the person cannot bear weight on the leg. This combination—acute localized pain plus inability to stand or walk—is characteristic because the fracture directly injures the bone and surrounding tissues, making weight-bearing extremely painful. The leg may lie shortened and externally rotated due to muscular and soft tissue responses to the fracture. Other patterns don’t fit: chronic knee pain without trauma suggests a knee or degenerative issue, not an acute hip injury; pain only at night points away from an acute fracture and toward other nocturnal etiologies; and pain that improves with walking contradicts the mechanical disruption of a fracture. If hip fracture is suspected, urgent imaging and prompt orthopedic evaluation are important, with immobilization and analgesia to prevent further injury.