HIP PROTECTORS

Do 'hipsavers'hip protectors reduce the incidence of fall related hip fractures in institutionalized elderly male veterans?

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would first like to express my gratitude for my research coordinator, colleagues, and peers and family whose immense and constant support has been a source of continuous guidance and inspiration.

DECLARATION

I [type your full name here], declare that the following proposal and its entire content has been an individual, unaided effort and have not been submitted or published before. Furthermore, it reflects my opinion and take on the topic and is does not represent the opinion of the University.

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ABSTRACT

Hip protectors represent a promising strategy for preventing fall-related hip fractures in the elderly. However, fractures still occur when wearing a protector. From a biomechanical perspective, the protective benefit of a hip protector should depend on the wearer's body habitus, the fall orientation, and the position of the hip protector relative to the greater trochanter. This proposal is comprised of the following study. I will conduct experiments with a hip impact testing system to show that force magnitude and distribution are affected by the position of the hip protector relative to the greater trochanter.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT2

DECLARATION3

ABSTRACT4

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION6

Background of the Research8

Research Questions9

Methodology9

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW10

Anatomy11

Causes11

Symptoms12

Diagnosis12

Nonsurgical Management13

Surgical Management13

Protective Effects of Hip Protectors Depend on Position of the Protector during a fall14

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY16

Data Analysis17

Anticipated Results18

Discussion19

CHAPTER 4 CONCLUSION22

References24

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION

Falls are a major cause of injury, including over 90% of hip fractures. Wearable hip protectors represent a promising strategy to prevent hip fracture. These devices are usually integrated into tight-fitting undergarments, and are designed to reduce fracture risk by attenuating the total impact force and/or shunting it away from the greater trochanter (GT).

The game of football is one of the most popular sports in the United States, with an estimated 1.5 million participants yearly. A variety of medical and musculoskeletal issues need to be considered at all competitive levels. Sprains and strains account for approximately 40% of injuries, with contusions 25%, fractures 10%, dislocations 5%, and concussions 5%. More than 50% of injuries occur in the lower extremity, while upper extremity injuries account for approximately 30%. The most frequently injured are the knee (medial collateral ligament [MCL], followed by meniscus and anterior cruciate ligament [ACL]), ankle, shoulder, and upper leg. A recent NCAA study demonstrated that injury rates are greater in games than in practice, football injury rates in spring are greater than in the regular season, and preseason rate of injury is higher than both regular-season and postseason rates (Oerler 2005, 475). Approximately 50% of players at all levels will be injured to some extent during each season.

Cardiopulmonary disease (including arrhythmias, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, and myocarditis) and asthma account for most of the non traumatic deaths in football players. Heat illness and blood dyscrasia, such as sickle cell hemoglobinopathies, are important entities to identify as they are often precipitators of non traumatic deaths. “Hip pointers” result from either a contusion to the iliac crest or separation of muscle fibers pulled from the crest, resulting ...