New Study Suggests Soft Hip Protectors May Overcome Problems of Hard Shell Protectors
CANTON, MA (ots)
A new study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association reports that a hard shell hip protector was ineffective in preventing hip fractures in older people. The study, conducted in Amsterdam, on 561 older persons concludes that moderate daytime and poor nighttime compliance were major factors in the negative outcome. The study authors further suggests that soft hip protectors could improve compliance and thereby increase the effectiveness of hip protectors as an intervention.
"It's only common sense that an older person would prefer underwear with a soft protector over one with a hard plastic shell," states Ed Goodwin, President of HipSaver®, the manufacturer of the leading soft hip protector brand. "I predicted this type of outcome 10 years ago when I invented the encapsulated soft HipSaver pad. I just didn't think it would take so long for researchers to realize the incongruity of a hard shelled underwear."
Hard shell hip protectors have been developed by several companies in the northern European nations and have been on the market for nearly a decade. The common theme of all the studies on hard shell protectors has understandably been poor compliance. Early researchers rejected soft pads because of the perceived thickness required and problems of washing soft foam pads. In the mid 90's HipSaver solved both of these problems by heat-sealing a visco-elastic memory foam into a water-proof pouch. The product is totally machine-washable and it functions like a thin mini-airbag on each hip. Biomechanical tests at Harvard and Tampere Universities prove that the HipSaver pad is biomechanically superior to the hard shell protector. A published clinical study found the product 100% effective in preventing hip fractures over a two year period and a recent one-year compliance study reports a 94% compliance rate in a nursing home population.
HipSaver is currently available in the US, UK, Ireland, Canada, and Australia. More information on HipSaver can be obtained by calling 800-358-4477 or by visiting www.hipsaver.com.
HipSaver, Inc. 7 Hubbard Street, Canton, MA 02021 USA
Contact:
Ed Goodwin
HipSaver, Inc. USA
Phone: ++1-781-828-3880
Roy Wooldridge
HipSaver, Inc. UK
Phone: +44-1835-864866
Frank Sheehan
HipSaver, Inc. Ireland
Phone: +353-1-6602-808
Karen Brown
HipSaver, Inc. Canada
Phone: ++1-519-235-1197
Ian Lancaster
HipSaver, Inc. Australia
Phone: +61-7-3392-0588