Hip fractures are a significant problem for healthcare providers due to the increasing incidence of fractures in an ageing population. Hip fracture is the most frequent fracture for people over 80 years of age and the second most frequent for those over 65 years. It is projected that by 2051, 23% of the Australian population will be older than 65 and the number of hip fractures will rise fourfold (17,000 in 2004, to 60,000 in 2051).