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Method and Instrumented Fixture for Femoral Fracture Testing in a Sideways Fall-on-the-Hip Position
Published on: August 17, 2017
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Model for Calculating Impact Force for Individualized Hip Fracture Prediction During a Fall
Alisha Agarwal1,2, Daniel Kargilis2,3, Nishtha Gupta2,4
1Department of Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA, jefferson.edu.
Advances in Orthopedics
|December 8, 2025
Summary
A new bone strength index (BSI) may improve hip fracture risk assessment. This index, combining impact force and bone strength, was lower in patients with hip fractures compared to controls.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Orthopedics
- Gerontology
Background:
- Osteoporotic bone weakening is a major cause of hip fractures.
- Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) T-scores are standard but miss many fracture risks.
- Current methods lack patient-specific bone parameters and characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- Develop an analytical model to estimate femur impact force during falls.
- Define a quantifiable fracture risk index using bone strength and impact force.
- Validate this index in human subjects.
Main Methods:
- Aggregated regression models estimated impact force using patient age, weight, height, and soft tissue thickness.
- A bone strength index (BSI) was calculated as bone strength divided by maximum impact force.
- Patients with hip fractures were compared to a matched non-fracture group.
Main Results:
- The BSI was significantly lower in the hip fracture group compared to the control group (-0.23, p=0.045).
- The developed model successfully estimated impact force.
- The BSI demonstrated potential as a fracture risk indicator.
Conclusions:
- Combining patient-specific impact force and bone strength offers enhanced osteoporotic hip fracture risk assessment.
- The BSI may provide additional insights beyond standard risk assessments.
- Further validation in larger cohorts is warranted.
