【Welfare News】 It is also cold, but due to corona, many elderly people stay indoors this winter. As the amount of activity and duration of activity decrease naturally, a red light turns on to maintain muscle strength. Most of the elderly are accompanied by decreased muscle strength and osteoporosis, so it is difficult to avoid fractures even with minor falls at the moment of Oops!
One-third of hip fracture patients die within 2 years, risk of various complications due to limited movement
Osteoporotic fracture sites can be largely divided into wrist, spine, and hip joints. Although the incidence rate of hip fractures is about 20%, the incidence of complications and mortality are far higher than those of other fractures, so special attention is required. The most typical hip fracture is when you sit and stand up, or when you try to walk, you fall at an angle to the side.
Professor Yoo Hyung of the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Kyunghee University Hospital said, “I think the trauma will not be severe because the fall is so small, but most of them cannot move easily in a fall position.” If you do, it is difficult to change your posture, such as sitting or turning, and even a small movement can cause severe pain.”
Motion restriction that occurs after a fracture leads to various complications such as bedsores, pneumonia, urinary tract infections, and cardiovascular disease. As about 30% of patients die within 2 years after fracture, it is necessary to clearly recognize and deal with it as a very dangerous disease. About 70% of hip fracture patients are women, because the bones are rapidly weakened by hormonal changes after menopause.
Vitamin D supplementation required through medication Appropriate exercise and periodic osteoporosis test First!
After a hip fracture, it is important to return to the previous condition as soon as possible. It is recommended to visit a hospital and strongly fix the hip joint or perform surgery such as an artificial joint. No matter how old the patient is, even if he or she suffers from various medical diseases, the risk of delayed surgery is far greater than that of general anesthesia, so it is recommended to operate early.
Prof. Yoo Hyung said, “As it is accepted as the norm that the shorter the waiting time for surgery, the lower the complications and mortality rate, so even in the United States, which is the most severe and sensitive to medical accidents, surgery within 24 to 48 hours after the occurrence of hip fracture is recommended. In order to minimize the various complications that can occur after surgery, you should do walking exercises, including weight-bearing, as early as possible, within the limit you can tolerate without pain.”
When talking about bone health, vitamin D is an unmissable word. Although there is little direct relationship with osteoporosis, it plays an important role in maintaining muscle strength in the body, so it should be taken care of. Supplementation through food intake or sunlight is very small, so it is better to supplement with drugs. However, excessive intake of calcium may be rather unfavorable, so you should decide whether to take it after consulting with a medical professional after the osteoporosis test.
Professor Yoo Hyung Yoo said, “No matter how much exercise a post-menopausal woman or an elderly man exercise, the bones do not become strong enough to prevent fractures. Rather than exercising excessively for bone health, it is through proper exercise to prevent muscle loss. We need to reduce the risk of falls and try to prevent fractures.”
Even minor changes can prevent fractures. You can reduce the risk of falls by eliminating sills that could cause you to trip over and installing non-slip tiles/pads on the floor of your bathroom or bathtub. Also, not going near an icy road or slope can be an excellent preventive measure.
