A new study supports widespread evidence that individuals who have suffered a fracture are at significantly increased risk of subsequent hip fractures. In fact, previous studies have shown that half of patients presenting with hip fractures have suffered a prior fracture.

Researchers T.-L. Huang and C.-W. Chen from the China Medical University in Chinese Taipei, studied whether Colles' fracture (fracture of the distal radius in the forearm, i.e. wrist fracture) increased hip fracture risk within one year, in an Asian population.

The investigators extracted data for patients with newly diagnosed Colles' fracture from records of both ambulatory and in-patient care during the years 2000–2006 and compared fracture risk in this group to a cohort without Colles' fracture. Both study groups were followed up for one year to measure the incidence of hip fracture using three different calculation models.

A cross-sectional study by investigators from Tokyo University has found that exercising in middle age is a protective factor against sarcopenia and effective in maintaining muscle strength and physical performance. Sarcopenia is a disease associated with the ageing process, resulting in loss of skeletal muscle mass and muscle strength and/or function in the elderly. The multiple adverse health outcomes include physical disability, poor quality of life and premature death.

The study assessed the prevalence of sarcopenia and its association with physical performance in 1000 elderly Japanese participants (349 men and 651 women aged ≥65 years) enrolled in the Research on Osteoarthritis/Osteoporosis Against Disability (ROAD) Study. Handgrip strength, gait speed, and skeletal muscle mass were measured and other information collected, including exercise habits in middle age.