Hip protectors consist of plastic shields or foam pads fitted in pockets within specially designed underwear. They are worn to reduce the impact of a sideways fall on the hip, and thus reduce the risk of a hip fracture. Studies, mainly from the early 1990s, and some since then, have suggested that providing protectors to older people in nursing home care reduced their risk of fracturing their hip in a fall by more than 50%. However, a number of later studies have not confirmed that finding. Many people offered hip protectors rejected their use because they were uncomfortable to wear.
This update includes 16 studies involving a total of over 16,000 older people living in nursing care facilities or older adults living at home. Present evidence shows that there is no benefit from hip protectors for the majority of older people living in their own homes. Making hip protectors available to frail older people in nursing care facilities may reduce the risk of fractures. The size of any reduction in risk seems to be much less than was suggested by the early studies. More research and development is needed to make and test hip protectors that are more comfortable to wear.