title: Effect of external hip protectors on hip fractures.
abstract: Most hip fractures seem to be related to trauma near the hip, so a controlled trial was conducted to investigate the effect of external hip protectors on the prevention of such fractures in residents of a nursing home. 10 of the 28 wards in the nursing home were randomised to receive external hip protectors; thus 167 women and 80 men were given protectors and 277 and 141 men no protectors. A fall register was set up for 2 treatment wards (45 residents) and 2 control wards (76 residents). There were 8 hip and 15 non-hip fractures in the hip-protector group and 31 hip and 27 non-hip fractures in the control group. The relative risk of hip fractures among women and men in the intervention group was 0.44 (95% CI 0.21-0.94). None of the 8 residents in the intervention group who had a hip fracture was wearing the device at the time of the fracture. 154 falls were registered and 20% of these falls produced a direct impact to the hip. In 25 falls direct impact to the hip was sustained at a time when hip protectors were not being worn, and 6 fractures were produced. The study indicates that external hip protectors can prevent hip fractures in nursing-home residents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery U 2161, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lauritzen
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lund
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003020:Clothing; D003718:Denmark / Q000453:epidemiology; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006620:Hip Fractures / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009989:Orthotic Devices; D011897:Random Allocation