Extraskeletal risk factors for fractures of the proximal femur.

Fractures of the proximal femur cause a heavy public health burden, as they are both common and costly. In addition to bone tissue characteristics, several extraskeletal factors influence the risk of proximal femoral fractures: height, femoral neck length, body fat, falls and their many causes, age, gender, ethnicity, geographic area of birth, and level of physical activity. Among these extraskeletal factors, some are amenable to corrective measures that can help to prevent these life-threatening fractures.