Fractures Have Prolonged Effect on Older Adults' Quality of Life

A new study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research has found that single and multiple hip, vertebral, and rib fractures significantly impact seniors' quality of life over an extended period of time, reports News-Medical . Investigators evaluated the long-term effect of fragility fractures on health-related quality of life in more than 7,500 individuals aged 50 years and older in the Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study, which included 10-year follow-up data. Researchers discovered that hip and spine fractures were linked to negative impact on mobility, self-care, and ambulation. In addition, women with hip fractures never returned to their pre-fracture health-related quality of life, the researchers found, and women with spine fractures took five years to regain their pre-fracture quality of life.