For most older people, a hip fracture happens after a fall, usually just a fall from standing. 'Thinning' of the bones (osteoporosis) is the leading cause of hip fracture. If you have osteoporosis you are more likely to fracture your hip when you fall. Osteoporosis means that your bones have become less dense and more honeycombed. This makes them more fragile, so that less force is needed to break them. (See separate leaflet called Osteoporosis for more detail.)
There are a number of reasons why an older person may fall. It may be a simple trip over a loose rug or an item of furniture. However, sometimes there may be a medical reason for a fall such as low blood pressure, a heart rhythm abnormality, or a faint. If you fracture your hip, the doctors will usually try to work out why you may have fallen. Any underlying problem may need to be treated.
Hip fracture can also occur in younger people. In these cases, it is more likely to be caused by trauma such as a car crash or a fall from a significant height. The denser bones of younger people mean that greater force is needed to break a bone as large as the hip bone.