Oxford Trauma and Emergency Care

What is a lower limb fragility fracture?

It is a break in one of the bones in the leg, anywhere from the pelvis to the feet, and usually occurs after a trip or a fall from standing. They typically affect people over 60 years of age because as we get older our bones get weaker and break more easily. The most common lower limb fragility fractures are hip and ankle fractures, but also include thigh bone (femoral) fractures, pelvic fractures, fractures of the shin bone (tibia), fractures around the knee, and fractures in the foot. These injuries can be very painful and seriously affect the patient's ability to move around and live independently.