sial orthopedic problems in the elderly, which

sial orthopedic problems in the elderly, which causeshigh morbidity and mortality (1-3). The one-year mor-tality rate reported following this fracture ranges from11% to 34% (4-6) and this rate increases with age (7, 8). Itis demonstrated that after the age 50, the possibility ofhip fracture doubles every ten years (9, 10).

Moreover,various studies conducted in different countries such asthe United States, Canada, European Countries, Australia,and Japan have demonstrated that the prevalence of thisfracture is increasing (11-13). In an estimate submitted byRoyal College, 117000 individuals will develop hip frac-tures in 2016 (14). In addition, it is estimated that 2.6 mil-lion and 4.

5 million people will develop these fracturesin 2025 and 2050, respectively (15). In some studies, thesefigures have been reported to be 7.3 to 21.3 million peo-ple in 2015 (16).

The therapeutic costs of these damagesare estimated to be 10 billion dollars annually (17). Thistrend in the prevalence of these fractures along with theincrease in the average age of the society and life expec-tancy demonstrate that hip fractures is the challengesto the health systems, both currently and in the future,which can assume economic, social, and mental burdenon individuals and society (1, 10, 18-21). One of the firstmeasures that has been taken in the health centers of theworld as well as in Iran for the patients that suffer fromhip fractures is employing skin traction and it is believedthat good results such as pain alleviation can be achievedby tensions through this method (22, 23). Hip fracture isaccompanied by severe pain and looking for methodsfor alleviating pain in these patients prior to operationis highly desirable. This matter is especially important inyoung patients because despite hip fracture is very rareamong the youth, as it results from traumas with high en-ergy, it is accompanied by more severe pain (24). Studieshave been conducted on the role of skin traction in thepain of these patients (23-28), but the present results arevague as well as contradictory and require more random-ized studies.

In addition, regardless of all related studies,this method is being used in trauma centers.