Hip protectors

Hip protectors are underwear, shorts, or pants with special padding on the sides to protect your hips during a fall. There are a variety of different styles (and companies) which supply these products – and the quality and effectiveness of these products varies. Hip protectors are commonly used by seniors who have a high risk of falls and hip fractures.

Hip protectors absorb the impact of a fall and help protect the bone. When wearing the hip protector, the padding must always stay in place over your hip bone. To find the right size for you, measure the widest part of your hips.

To choose your hip protector, talk to your nurse, doctor or occupational or physical therapist. 

Each company will have guidelines on how to properly size and fit their different models of hip protectors on their company website.

Below are guidelines for two common hip protectors:

• Guidelines for how to choose and fit HipSaver products
• Guidelines for how to choose and fit SAFEHIP® products

• Fraser Health hip protectors patient education brochure
• Aging is a contact sport 

• Fraser Health's Your Guide to Independent Living Booklet
  Information on how to prevent falls and reduce injuries.
• Falls prevention brochure
  Information on four things you can do to prevent falls.
• Finding Balance BC: Falls and Injury Prevention Coalition
  Resources for older adults, including exercises and home safety for reducing fall risk.
• HealthLink BC: Seniors' falls can be prevented
  Prevention tips to help seniors avoid falling.
• BC Injury and Prevention Unit
  Injury prevention resources supporting the integration of prevention practice, especially fall prevention into the daily lives of British Columbians.
• Parachute
  Builds awareness and understanding of the issue of injury, to keep Canadians safe at home, on the road, at work, and at play.
• Health Canada: Aging and seniors publications
  The publications of the Division of Aging and Seniors are a great source of reliable information about aging in Canada.