Diagnosis

Often your doctor can determine that you have a hip fracture based on your symptoms and the abnormal position of your hip and leg. An X-ray usually will confirm that you have a fracture and show where the fracture is.

If your X-ray doesn't show a fracture but you still have hip pain, your doctor might order an MRI or bone scan to look for a hairline fracture.

Most hip fractures occur in one of two locations on the long bone that extends from your pelvis to your knee (femur):

• The femoral neck. This area is situated in the upper portion of your femur, just below the ball part (femoral head) of the ball-and-socket joint.
• The intertrochanteric region. This region is a little farther down from the hip joint, in the portion of your upper femur that juts outward.