Hip protector
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Hip protectors are a quite new method for the prevention of hip fractures.
Most hip fractures are induced by an impact due to a sideways fall. Therefore special pants have been developed that have pockets at the side of the hip. These pockets contain special protection pads, that are either available as hard or soft ones. Basically you can distinguish between hip protectors from the "crash helmet type" or "energy-absorbing types". The "crash helmet type" distributes impacts into the surrounding soft tissue, the "energy-absorbing type" which are made of special materials swallows them. Both of these systems reduce the impact beneath an estimated fracture threshold.
Meanwhile several different commercially available hip protectors exist. Their effectiveness could have been shown in several clinical studies, however acceptance and compliance towards them is quite low. Now developed hip protectors might improve or solve this situation.
[edit] External links
- British Medical Journal - Recent Article about hip protectors from the BMJ.
- International Osteoporosis Foundation - Lots of Information about osteoporosis, falls and fractures.
- AHIP Protector - Lots of information all around hip protectors.
