Significant decrease in the incidence of osteoporotic hip fracture in patients with higher leisure-time physical activity: A case-control study

Introduction

The principal group of people who suffer from fragility hip fractures is the elderly population, gaining relevance given the increase in the average median age of the Chilean and European populations. This fracture risk is associated with a decreased bone density. Physical activity is a protective factor in the risk of falls and a determinant of bone resistance.

Objectives

Determine the impact of physical activity on the probability of suffering a fragility hip fracture in a population ≥ 60 years of age in a public trauma hospital in Chile.

Materials and methods

It was conducted a relational analytical study of cases and controls. A total of 147 patients participated, the case group with osteoporosis hip fracture formed for 72 patients, and the control group without hip fracture 75 patients formed for 75 patients. To quantify physical activity was applied the instrument Global Physical Activity Questionnaire in the control group, and a designed version to assess pre-fracture physical activity in the case group.

Results

There is a significant statistical difference between the incidence of hip fractures and physical activity during leisure time, both for vigorous physical activity (p = 0.002, p < 0.05), moderate physical activity (p < 0.001, p < 0.05), and for moderate physical activity at work (p = 0.016, p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Physical activity during leisure time and moderate physical activity at work showed to be factors associated with a significant decrease in the incidence of fragility hip fractures.