Why is an elderly patient with osteoporosis at higher risk for a hip fracture after a minor fall?

• A. Because they have normal bone density.
• B. Significantly reduced bone density and frailty increase susceptibility to fractures from low-energy trauma.
• C. Because age provides better protection against dislocations.
• D. Because they have larger bones.

Answer: (B)

In osteoporosis, bones lose density and become much more fragile. When an elderly person with this condition experiences a minor fall, the force from that low-energy event can exceed the weakened bone’s strength, leading to a hip fracture. Frailty—reduced muscle strength, balance problems, and slower reaction times—also increases both the likelihood of falling and the chance that such a fall results in a fracture. That’s why significantly reduced bone density together with frailty best explains the higher risk after a minor fall. The other ideas don’t fit: normal bone density wouldn’t predispose to fractures, age doesn’t protect against dislocations, and bone size doesn’t account for the fracture risk seen with osteoporosis.