Broken hip. Coloured X-ray of the right hip of a patient, showing a fracture of the neck of the upper leg bone (femur). The femoral head (round, centre left) has separated from the femoral shaft (lower left) due to this fracture. The rest of the image comprises the right half of the pelvis. The femoral head, in its pelvic cap, forms the ball- and-socket hip joint. Severe hip fractures may require hip replacement or pinning of the bones.