Falls and hip fracture in Hong Kong Chinese.

The risk factors for hip fracture were studied in four hundred patients and eight hundred community and hospital controls. Falling was found to be important as a direct cause of fracture. A history of falls was a significant risk factor for hip fracture in men and women younger than 70, but was less important in older men and women. Medical conditions and treatments did not occur more frequently in hip fracture patients with a history of falls than in patients without, and the patients with a history of falls was not less ambulant than patients without. Regular weight-bearing exercise programmes are recommended as a practical preventive measure for falls and hip fractures.