Hip Health
Musculoskeletal conditions affecting the hip represent a major health problem in aging societies across the globe. For those suffering severe pain related to osteoarthritis of the hip, the joint degeneration is such that the only effective treatment is hip replacement surgery. Hip fracture due to a fall represents another large patient group who require hip surgery; it has been projected that due to our aging population, hip fracture will soon reach epidemic proportions. Together these conditions account for substantial direct and indirect costs to healthcare systems and to the well being of society.
Musculoskeletal diseases that affect bones and joints are the number one health care problem in BC and Canada. The two main causes of musculoskeletal disease and injury are osteoarthritis (OA) and falls-related hip fractures.
In British Columbia:
There were over 3,000 hip replacement surgeries done in BC in 2004 - over 80% were done to relieve the burden of pain associated with hip osteoarthritis.
- The number of people with osteoarthritis has been predicted to increase by 124% by the year 2031.
- Even if the current-age specific rates of joint replacement remained constant, the aging of the population alone would increase hip replacement rates by 30%.
There are approximately 4,000 hip fractures in British Columbia each year.
- For seniors, falls are the most frequent cause of injury-related hospitalization (www.injuryresearch.bc.ca).
- The aging of Canada's population, points to an escalating incidence of hip fracture, even if age-adjusted rates remain stable.