Regular exercise prevents hip fractures

According to a report in the recent issue of the American Journal of Epidemology, moderate levels of physical activity can help protect against a hip fracture. According to Dr. Susanne Hoidrup from Glostrup University Hospital, Glostrup, Denmark, and colleagues, when people undergo the aging process, regular physical activity should become an essential part of everyone's life, in order to control the alarming increase in hip fractures.

In the study, they found that 55% of the people engaged in moderate physical activity for two to four hours per day. After adjustment for other factors, the researchers found that the risk of hip fracture was 28% less for active women than that of sedentary women. Active men had a 25% lower risk of breaking their hip than sedentary men.

By doing vigorous physical activity, it did not further reduce the risk of fracture. The risk was only modestly affected after adjustment for poor health. On the other hand, people who had been active but became sedentary had about twice the risk of hip fracture of those who stayed active. Hence moderate exercise is always welcoming and assuring throughout the life process.