Hip fractures are prevalent in people aged between 15 and 28. Though you can manage the condition with medication, physical therapy can help you regain mobility, strength, function, and balance after a hip fracture.

Our physical therapists at Suarez Physical Therapy are very helpful in improving mobility and quality of life. They have the proper training and experience to provide timely care and education and prescribe the right movements to improve your condition. Thus, we can help you achieve your recovery goals after a hip fracture in Las Vegas.

How Pelvic Fractures Occur

The pelvic or hip bones are usually at the bottom of your spine. If one or more of these bones break or crack, you will suffer a pelvic or hip fracture. The pelvis has three of these bones: the ilium, pubis, and ischium. You also have an acetabulum, or hip socket, which connects the hip bones to the pelvis at the hip joint. Pelvis fractures can affect one or more of these bones and occur anywhere.

Hip fractures do not occur for a specific reason. You can suffer a fracture for many reasons, including a high or low-impact accident.

Low-Impact-Related Hip Fractures

Fractures due to low-impact events occur every day in older people and adolescents. For example, an adolescent can fracture the ilium as part of an athletic-related injury. If your child plays hockey or football or is into skiing or jogging, they could be at risk of injuries like these. Most hip fractures occur due to repetitive activities like gymnastics and ballet.

Older people are also at a high risk of low-impact pelvic fractures due to several reasons, including minor falls. If you or someone you love has osteoporosis or weak bones, you can easily fall and injure one or several bones. If your bones are weak, you can suffer spontaneous fractures, sometimes even without an obvious outside cause. For example, people with cancer have weak pelvic bones that can easily fracture.

When older people suffer a hip fracture, the affected parts of the bones are usually the thicker parts called the pelvic ring fractures. You can suffer this injury after falling on one side of your hip. In most cases, these falls or accidents occur when you experience balance or vision issues or suffer a medication side effect. Some falls occur without an obvious primary reason; for example, you can fall due to a general weakness or after encountering an unintended obstacle like a slippery floor, a pet, or an unanchored throw rug.

After a low-impact fracture, you can heal within a few weeks after taking a break from physical activities and resting. A physical therapist can also work with you, though the fracture is mild, to restore your strength, and improve mobility and balance.

High Impact-Related Hip Fractures

A major accident, like a vehicle accident, will likely result in a high-impact hip fracture. You can also sustain a major fracture after falling from higher ground. Injuries from such accidents are severe and, sometimes, life-threatening. You will need extensive medical care, or surgery to correct the fractured hip bones. Thereafter, you will need a physical therapist to help you recover.

After a prolonged stay in the hospital, you could experience difficulties with your balance and mobility. Your body could also feel weak. A physical therapist will work with you to help you recover all that you have lost after the accident. Thus, physical therapy is very important after a severe hip fracture.

If you undergo surgery, it could take you a long time to recover. Minimal movement and zero physical activity will affect your general body's functioning. A physical therapist can help you recover all that.

How a Physical Therapist Can Help After a Hip Fracture

When you fracture your hip bone in an accident, you will need treatment to move the affected leg and walk again. You need treatment and physical therapy, even for a minor hip fracture. If you undergo surgery, you will need time off from normal activities to rest and recover. If your body is already used to movement and physical activities, the recovery period could take a toll on you. Consequently, you could lose your balance, mobility, and strength. It takes a lot of hard work and sometimes a long time to recover what you lose after a pelvic fracture.

However, a physical therapist can help while recovering from a hip fracture. Physical therapy can help in many ways, including the following:

  • It can improve the level of your pain.
  • Improved movement.
  • Improved motion of the spine, hip, and leg.
  • It can improve your strength and flexibility.
  • It speeds up your healing.
  • You can quickly return to your favorite sport or activity.

After working closely with a physical therapist, you will gradually be ready to resume normal physical activities. Your therapist will first evaluate you to determine your readiness for physical activity. Your involvement with the therapist does not end there. They will still work with you to safely reintroduce you to physical activities. It could take time to achieve the level you had attained before the injury. How soon you resume normal activities will depend on the severity of your injury and what you have been up to during recovery.

Physical Therapy After One to Two Days of Pelvic Fracture

Remember that a hip fracture is very painful and can affect your movement. A physical therapist can help you almost immediately after the fracture to manage your pain and improve your mobility. For example, they can assist you after a day or two of your injury to learn and use any assistive device the doctor recommends. These will help you move around the house without aggravating the injury.

Typically, doctors recommend using assistive devices after a low-impact hip injury. You will need a wheelchair and surgery after a high-impact injury, before an assistive device, and also before you start walking around. Your physical therapist’s main task is to help you safely use the assistive devices. However, they will recommend minimal movement to allow the injury to heal.

Physical Therapy as Part of Your Rehabilitation

Rehabilitation is necessary after a prolonged period of treatment or surgery. It helps you restore some of the bodily functions you have lost during the recovery. Physical therapists play a vital role in rehabilitation following a pelvic injury. Your therapist can design a personalized rehabilitation plan to target specific issues and help you achieve particular goals. For example, your treatment plan could include the following:

  1. Pain Reduction

You will experience excruciating pain after a hip fracture. The pain does not go away right after you receive treatment. It could take a while before you fully recover from it. If you undergo surgery, you will experience additional pain before you fully recover from treatment. You cannot do much while in pain. That is why physical therapists recommend additional treatment to manage your pain as you recover. Therapists use various technologies to manage pain, including heat, ice, and electrical stimulation. Your therapist can also use manual therapy to work on your joints and muscles to relieve pain gently.

  1. Movement Restoration

It is possible to lose mobility after a long rest or surgery. That is why your physical therapists will include treatments and activities to restore your mobility in your treatment plan. The targeted areas for this treatment will be the hips and legs. Your therapists will start slow, with passive movements to the hip joints and legs. Then, they will increase the intensity of exercises to stretches and active exercises, which you can perform alone at home.

Some movement restoration treatments also involve manual therapies to increase hip and muscle flexibility mobility. They also target the pelvis area and spine.

  1. Improved Strength

You need strength to engage in normal duties and any other physical activity you enjoy. If you are into sports, it could be difficult to return after a considerable period of recovering from a pelvic fracture. Your body’s strength does not remain the same after some time of immobility and rest. Physical therapists have special training in strategies that could help you recover and improve your physical strength. Your therapist will develop personalized exercises you can perform at home that suit your age, physical well-being, and recovery goals. They could recommend using weight-lifting tools, free weights and resistance bands, or cardio exercise equipment like stationary bicycles and treadmills.

  1. Improved Balance

The area around your hips has several muscles that provide steadiness and balance when performing physical activities, including walking. When that area is impacted after an accident, you could lose that steadiness and balance, causing you to fall without an apparent reason. Your physical therapist must recommend treatments and workouts to restore your steadiness and balance after a hip fracture injury. Then, you can walk without falling once more.

  1. Speedy Recovery

People recover differently after a fracture. Your recovery can take a short or long time, depending on several factors, including your general health. Physical therapy can help improve your recovery, shortening your recovery time considerably. Physical therapists are professionally qualified and experienced in recommending the right exercises and treatments that could promote your healing, enabling you to resume your normal activities within a short period after a pelvic fracture. With the recommended exercises, you can quickly regain your independence.

  1. A Quick and Safe Return to Your Daily Schedule

If your pelvic injury is severe, it could take you a long time to recover and resume normal activities. Knowing when and how to start physical activities will also take time and effort. If you start walking and working too soon, you could injure your pelvis again, resulting in an additional need for treatment and therapy. A physical therapist can help you resume physical activities quickly and prepare you for a safe return to everyday chores. They will first evaluate your treatment goals to determine how and when you will be ready to start again.

For example, if you are into sports, your therapist will help you resume slowly as you recover. They will work with you until you are safely back in your favorite sport. The treatment and exercises will include ways to achieve your goals safely and effectively. Your therapist can teach you some specific exercises to help you resume your favorite sport. They can also engage in work training to help you resume your tasks.

  1. Fatigue Prevention to Promote Walking

A pelvic injury will affect your walking. Until you recover fully from your injury, using your affected hip and leg will be painful. A prolonged period of walking with support can result in fatigue and walking difficulties. A physical therapist can help you overcome these problems.

Physical therapists include home exercises in their treatment programs. These help patients stretch and strengthen the affected muscles around the hips, core, and upper legs. The goal is to prevent future problems, including walking difficulties and fatigue. Your physical therapy treatment program will also include flexibility and strength exercises for the core muscles, thighs, and hips.

  1. Prevent Falls

You must be careful not to fall when recovering from a hip fracture, as that could aggravate your injury. Your physical therapists can help you take measures to prevent falls and related complications. For example, they can involve your family in taking preventive measures to protect you from falling at home. These strategies and measures include removing loose obstacles from the floors (like mats and throw rugs), buying sticky mats for the bathroom and shower floors, and installing rails or grab bars for toilets, shower rooms, and stairs. Your family can also buy nonslip house shoes for you and ensure that house pets do not walk close to your feet.

The Need for Physical Therapy After Surgery

Remember that surgery is one of the recommended treatments for pelvic fractures. If you suffer a high-impact injury, surgery could be the best way to restore the fractured bones and manage your symptoms. However, surgery is a significant treatment for pelvic injuries. It could take you a long time to recover. However, a physical therapist can help in more ways than one.

For example, your physical therapist can recommend treatments and exercises to minimize pain and improve mobility and resilience. They can also help you resume normal activities even after a severe fracture.

Choosing a Physical Therapist after a Pelvic Fracture

Physical therapy can help a lot after a pelvic fracture. It can reduce your recovery time, help you manage pain and other symptoms, and strengthen your muscles. It could also help improve your mobility and balance. However, you must choose the right physical therapy to enjoy these and many other benefits. Physical therapists must receive the necessary training and experience to treat hip fractures. Here are some of the considerations you can make to choose the right physical therapist for your needs:

  • Your chosen physical therapist must have the necessary skills and experience in treating hip fractures. Physical therapists specialize in various treatment areas, including geriatrics, sports rehabilitation, and orthopedics. You have to choose a therapist offering the exact treatments you need.
  • It is also advisable to consider the physical therapist's certification to ensure their services are legal. After training, physical therapists must register with the board to receive a certification to offer specific services to specific patients. A certified therapist has cutting-edge training, experience, and more skills that could help your situation.

Fortunately, you can find a physical therapist online today. By specifying the needed services and narrowing your search to your particular area, you can find a skilled and experienced physical therapist to help you after a hip fracture. However, you must run a background check on physical therapists you find online to ensure they have the proper credentials.

Alternatively, your family members, friends, or colleagues can recommend a good physical therapist they have used in the past. Finding a reliable, experienced, and affordable therapist through recommendations is easy. You can also ask your doctor to refer you to a physical therapist they know and trust to help you achieve your treatment goals.

When you have a potential therapist in mind, you can run a background check on them to ascertain their credibility. Also, contact them to ask about their services, including treatment methods and the strategies they use for pelvic structures. Be clear about your symptoms and recovery goals to ensure your therapist understands your needs before designing a treatment plan.

Find a Competent Physical Therapist Near Me

Are you or someone you love looking for better ways to recover after a pelvic fracture in Las Vegas?

Though medication and treatment can treat a pelvic fracture, you need physical therapy to speed up your recovery, strengthen your body and muscles, and improve your stability and balance. Thus, a physical therapist is necessary for a quality and speedy recovery. However, you must choose carefully to enjoy quality, timely, and affordable services.

Our Suarez Physical Therapy team has the proper training and experience to handle various conditions, including pelvic fractures. We understand your need to develop a personalized treatment plan to help you achieve your treatment goals. Call us at 702-368-6778 for more information about our services.