July 24, 2007 (Insidermedicine) Energy-absorbing hip protectors, as currently designed, are not effective for preventing hip fractures, according to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Nearly 340,000 hip fractures occur in the USA each year, and more than 90% are associated with falls. It is estimated that the number of hip fractures might double or triple by 2050. Most hip fractures occur in nursing home residents, where half of residents fall each year. Hip protectors have been developed to reduce the impact of falls and risk of hip fractures, but previous studies regarding their effectiveness have had conflicting results. 

In the present study, researchers conducted a trial to test the effectiveness of energy-absorbing and energy-dispersing hip protectors in reducing the incidence of hip fractures among nursing home residents. Their study included 37 nursing homes in which more than 1,000 residents agreed to wear a hip protector on one hip over an average of eight months. The overall adherence was 74%.

After 20 months, the study was discontinued due to lack of effectiveness. No difference was noted in the incidence of hip fractures on protected versus unprotected hips, even among the residents who wore the hip protectors over 80% of the time.

While the findings are not sufficient to make recommendations for or against hip protectors among nursing home residents, they do suggest the necessity of ongoing development and thorough testing of newer pad materials. 

Reporting for Insidermedicine, I’m Dr. Susan Sharma.