Predicting who will suffer a hip fracture has typically been a difficult task. DXA scans are widely used to diagnose osteoporosis, they are only part of the puzzle in predicting fracture. A new study from the University of San Francisco Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging in the March 2010 issue of the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research has put the spotlight on muscle quality as another predictor of hip fracture.

In a study of almost 3000 women and men in the Health Aging and Body Composition (Health ABC) Study the researchers found that fatty infiltration of the thigh muscles (an indicator of poor muscle quality) increased the risk of hip fracture. This association was present even after allowing for many other potentially important variables such as age, gender, race, and body mass index.

This article adds to the growing evidence that older individuals should include a focus on maintaining healthy muscles as part of their exercise programs.

Read an abstract of the article here.