New Post has been published on The Rakyat Post
New Post has been published on http://www.therakyatpost.com/life/trends-life/2015/02/20/new-hip-protector-elderly-sporty-appeal/
New hip protector for the elderly has sporty appeal
A SPORTY new hip protector could save seniors considerable trauma, especially considering their chances of succumbing to falls on slippery footing this winter in climates that experience lots of ice and snow — such as Norway, where the product originates.
It’s called the HiP and it was designed to resemble a hiker’s fanny pack in the hopes that seniors would take a liking to the accessory’s sporty look.
Made of dynamic, shock-absorbing foam that’s thin enough to keep the look subtle, the protector is worn like a belt with the two scallop-edged pads covering the hip bones.
It claims to reduce impact by 90%.
Similar products garnered little aesthetic appeal, and, therefore, almost no use by seniors despite grim statistics, says Tore Christian Storholmen, a researcher and product designer at SINTEF, one of Norway’s largest independent research organisations.
In Oslo, health clinics see an average of 50 patients per day who have slipped and fallen on the icy streets, according to Storholmen.
Norwegian state broadcaster NRK says nearly 10,000 people fracture their hip every year.
The upper femur is often fractured, too, according to statistics from Norwegian Health Informatics.
“The costs of treatment, rehabilitation and nursing home services amount to between 1.5 and 2.5 billion NOK (about €1.7 million to €2.9 million) a year,” says Storholmen.
For more info visit: www.protexshop.no/en/products/hip
