Prevention of hip fractures in the elderly. A public health problem. I. Basic science

Hip fractures in the elderly constitute a severe public health problem. Its primary cause is a fall due to sarcopenia, sensory impairments, polypharmacy, or architectural barriers, among other factors. Prevention is based on correcting these factors, engaging in regular physical exercise, and maintaining adequate nutrition throughout life to acquire efficient muscle mass that declines as little as possible during old age and achieve peak bone mass, although bone mass will gradually decrease with age. This paper, in two parts (I. Basic science and II. Interventions), analyzes prevention, with particular attention to sarcopenia, bone fragility, and socioeconomic status.