Prevention of Hip Fractures in the Elderly. A Public Health Problem. II. Interventions.

The prevention of hip fractures relies on avoiding falls and preserving, as much as possible, the muscle and bone mass acquired during youth, in addition to addressing other risk factors. Regular physical exercise and proper nutrition are fundamental for osteosarcopenia prevention. However, these topics are heavily influenced by the social and economic circumstances of a population subjected to persistent inflation that is not offset by a proportional increase in income to afford adequate food, especially in elderly people. Meanwhile, for hip fracture prevention the state provides free access to medications of questionable effectiveness that can cause serious side effects. Policies aimed at reducing poverty and social exclusion would constitute a fundamental component of population prevention strategies.