Wearable hip protectors (padded garments) represent a promising strategy to decrease impact force and hip fracture risk during falls, and a wide range of products are currently marketed. However, little is known about how design features of hip protectors influence biomechanical effectiveness. We used a mechanical test system (simulating sideways falls) to measure the attenuation in femoral neck force provided by 26 commercially available hip protectors at three impact velocities (2, 3, and 4 m/s). We also used a materials testing machine to characterize the force-deflection properties of each device. Regression analyses were performed to determine which geometric (e.g., height, width, thickness, volume) and force-deflection properties were associated with force attenuation. At an impact velocity of 3 m/s, the force attenuation provided by the various hip protectors ranged between 2.5% and 40%. Hip protectors with lower stiffness (measured at 500 N) provided greater force attenuation at all velocities. Protectors that absorbed more energy demonstrated greater force attenuation at the higher impact velocities (3 and 4 m/s conditions), while protectors that did not directly contact (but instead bridged) the skin overlying the greater trochanter attenuated more force at velocities of 2 and 3 m/s. At these lower velocities, the force attenuation provided by protectors that contacted the skin overlying the greater trochanter increased with increasing pad width, thickness, and energy dissipation. By providing a comparison Conflict of interestIndependent of this project, SNR has received funding from Tytex A/S (the producer of the Safehip line of hip protectors) in support of hip protector research. SNR is also a co-inventor on a patent licensed to Tytex A/S, and forming the basis of the Safehip Soft product tested in this study. In 2006, ACL received funding from Tytex A/S to support travel to a conference. These relationships had no bearing on any aspect of the study design, data analysis or interpretation of results. No person other than the authors had input into the study design and subsequent reporting of data.
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