Day of Medical Consultation

Today I prepare myself with more encouragement for my possible trip to Europe to continue my studies as a Fellowship, with the help of everyone that will be made possible. Mrs. Flor is a 70-year-old patient who recently underwent surgery for an ankle fracture, although the surgery was not easy because of her age she feels very happy and satisfied because after just one month she is starting to mobilize her ankle and has the courage to walk to spend the holidays completely healthy.

It is a fact that as age progresses the risk of suffering a bone fracture increases significantly. Osteoporosis or loss of bone density is the fundamental basis of the problem, but without falls or blows there would be no fracture.

The natural aging process and the increase in life expectancy mean that over time agility, strength and a sense of balance are lost, to which must be added the loss of visual acuity due to pathologies such as cataracts or macular degeneration. All this translates into a considerable increase in the risk of falls, while bone fragility determines the risk of suffering a bone fracture.

It is for these reasons that between 5 and 10% of falls suffered by older people result in a bone fracture, especially of the ankle, wrist, shoulder and hip or head of the femur, which are usually the usual points of impact. The risk of fracture as a result of a fall increases by up to 30% in people over 80 years of age.

However, the vertebrae also suffer a high degree of affectation, especially by crushing (not by falls), which leads to the formation of kyphosis (forward curvature) or scoliosis (lateral curvature). It is also the cause of loss of height over the years. This type of fracture occurs in 20% of women over the age of 50, increasing to 30% at 65 and 50% after 85. They can be caused by low intensity blows and go unnoticed until pain appears, causing limitation of movement and sometimes making surgery necessary.

In addition to preventing or treating osteoporosis, most bone fractures would not occur if a series of measures were taken to prevent falls. In order to do this, it is important to be aware of one's own limitations: loss of strength and agility and to accept the need to use a cane to compensate for the loss of balance.

It must be said that most falls and therefore bone fractures occur at home, so that is where the main preventive measures should be taken:

• Remove carpets to avoid tripping over edges.
• Put handles in the bathroom.
• Replace the bathtub with a shower.
• Illuminate conveniently the house and in particular the bedroom and the bathroom to clearly distinguish any obstacle.
• Avoid risky attitudes, such as getting into a chair to reach objects in high places or carrying out cleaning tasks.
• If there are stairs, go down and up them leaning on the handrail, illuminate them correctly and ensure the correct support of the foot on each step.

Nevertheless, the street is also a frequent scene of falls. Stairs, the unevenness between the sidewalk and the roadway, steps to public transport or holes in the ground are obstacles with which one must be very careful and make good the saying of looking where one steps, to avoid a fall and with it the possibility of producing a bone fracture.

If you need recommendations or help in orthopedic surgery and traumatology do not hesitate to contact me.