[Progress in external hip protectors]

Hip fractures are a major cause of disability, impairment and death in elderly people. It has been reported that bisphosphonates significantly reduce the risk of hip fracture among elderly women with confirmed osteoporosis but not among elderly women selected primarily on the basis of risk factors other than low bone mineral density. External hip protectors have been developed as a measure of reducing the impact of the fall and thereby the chance of hip fractures in such high risk people. The results of 14 randomized controlled trials for the prevention of hip fractures by using hip protectors have been reported until 2004. However, Cochrane review of hip protectors has concluded that their effectiveness is uncertain. Although further research is required with different conditions, the most important issue of hip protectors is the low adherence rate.