An intertrochanteric fracture is a specific type of hip fracture. “Intertrochanteric” means “between the trochanters,” which are bony protrusions on the ...HealthlineSubscribeIntertrochantericFracturesMedicallyreviewedbyGregoryMinnis,DPT,specialtyinphysicaltherapy—WrittenbyLanaBandoim—UpdatedonAugust2,2017SymptomsCausesDiagnosisTreatmentRecoveryOutlookOverviewAnintertrochantericfractureisaspecifictypeofhipfracture.“Intertrochanteric”means“betweenthetrochanters,”whicharebonyprotrusionsonthefemur(thighbone).They’rethepointswherethemusclesofthethighandhipattach.Therearetwotrochantersinthebody:thegreatertrochanterandthelessertrochanter.Anintertrochantericfractureoccursbetweenthegreaterandlessertrochanters.Intertrochantericfracturesarecommon.About50percentofallhipfracturescausedbyproblemssuchasfallingareintertrochanteric.SymptomsThemostcommonsymptomsofintertrochantericfracturesinclude:severepaininthehipnotbeingabletoputweightontheinjuredside’slegnotbeingabletomoveorstandupafterafallbruisingandswellingaroundthehipstiffnessandpaininthelegoftheinjuredsidehavingaleginanunnaturalpositionorturnedtotheinjuredsideCausesThemostcommoncausesofintertrochantericfracturesarefallsortrauma.Theseproblemsaremorelikelytooccuramongolderpeople,whoareatahigherriskoffalling.Insomecases,peoplewhohaveweakbonescangetafracturefromsimplywalkingorstanding.Carcrashesandotheraccidentscanalsocausehipfractures.Theriskfactorsforintertrochantericfracturesinclude:beingfemalebeingolderthan60havingahistoryoffallshavingosteoporosishavingahistoryofotherboneproblemsorfractureshavinglowbonedensityandlowmusclemasshavingproblemswithwalkingorbalanceHowit’sdiagnosedYourdoctorwillaskaboutyourmedicalhistoryanddoaphysicalexam.Then,they’lllikelyorderX-raysorotherimagingteststodiagnoseanintertrochantericfracture.Themostcommontestsfordiagnosisofanintertrochantericfractureinclude:physicalexamandmedicalhistoryX-raysMRIbonescansUsually,X-raysprovideenoughinformationforyourdoctortodiagnoseahipfracture.However,smallhairlinefra