Hip Fractures Surge in the Wake of Covid-19
Experts believe that the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns are responsible for a significant increase in hip fractures. In 2022, a record-breaking 72,000 hip fractures occurred in Britain, which is approximately 10% higher than the numbers observed in the first two years of the virus crisis. Surprisingly, this increase happened despite a decrease in the elderly population at risk due to the pandemic itself.
Physicians attribute these statistics to “physical deconditioning,” a term used to describe the changes in the body caused by physical inactivity and disuse during the pandemic. Highlighting the severity of hip fractures, Oscar-winning actress Sophia Loren recently underwent emergency surgery to treat multiple fractures in her hip after a fall in her Swiss home.
The National Hip Fracture Database report for 2023 revealed that 72,160 hip fractures were recorded in 2022. Notably, over 7,000 individuals suffered a fracture in December 2022 alone, which is significantly higher than the average of 5,500 per month in previous years. The report, published by the Royal College of Physicians, suggests that these additional fractures occurred despite the smaller population of elderly individuals at risk due to Covid-related mortality and living in care homes.
The report also highlights a slight increase in the proportion of hip fractures among individuals under the age of 80, which may indicate a future increase in fragility fractures due to physical deconditioning and an increased risk of falling caused by the pandemic.
Officials warned that the cost of inpatient care for these additional fractures added approximately £75 million to the annual cost of hip fractures. Moreover, long waits for assessments, delays in surgery, and extended hospital stays, which can contribute to further physical deconditioning, may increase this figure. However, it is important to note that the UK health service spends an average of £170 billion per year.
Interestingly, the majority of hip fractures among older people in Britain occur due to low-energy trauma, such as falls from standing height, rather than high-impact accidents like car crashes.
The impact of reduced strength and balance activity during the pandemic was predicted by Public Health England (now the UK Health Security Agency) in 2021. They projected that without mitigation, an additional 110,000 older people (a 3.9% increase) would experience at least one fall per year. The report titled ‘Wider Impacts of COVID-19 on Physical Activity, Deconditioning and Falls in Older Adults’ also estimated a potential increase of 124,000 falls among males (a 6.3% increase) and 130,000 falls among females (a 4.4% increase).
Based on these projections, each year of lower levels of strength and balance activity during the pandemic is expected to result in an additional cost of £211 million to the health and social care system due to fall-related injuries.
In conclusion, the surge in hip fractures during the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns has raised concerns among experts. The physical deconditioning caused by reduced activity and increased risk of falling has led to a significant increase in hip fractures, even with a smaller at-risk population. The cost and consequences of these fractures highlight the importance of mitigating the impact of the pandemic on the physical well-being of older adults.
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