Foam Hip Protectors – What’s New

People who are prone to hipbone fractures, like the elderly or those with brittle bones, require fall protection pads to prevent such incidents. With the passage of time, bones become weak and require extra support to avoid harm in case of a fall. Elderly people may require  extra support for their hip protection in order to be safe and avoid a hipbone fracture if they fall.

Hip protectors  provide the required support needed for weak bones.  These hip protectors for the elderly are very effective,  inexpensive medical tools. Hip protectors are able to protect the hipbones during a fall because they are designed in such a manner which enables them to perform the function which is required of them.

Most forms of hip protectors are worn under regular clothing as you would with underwear. It is often that a fall occurs sideways, thus the reason being incorporation of foam pads at the sides of the underwear. These foam pads are held in place through special design. These pads absorb most of the force of a fall and divert it away from the hipbone, thus reducing the risk of a hip fracture to occur.

There are several brands in the market which provide different types of hip protectors. Posey is no small name when it comes to hip protection.  They manufacture many types of hip protectors, designed for both, men and women.

You can also find Posey hip protectors for people having incontinence problems. You can see the image of Posey Hipsters Incontinent Brief at the right hand side. They include hip protection pads, which are designed to handle and tolerate more number of washes. You can also find products that have protection pads, which can be replaced.

Resources

Click to access Article0786.pdf

Non-Slip for Safety

Slipping and falling is the second major cause of injuries. The consequences are diverse and are with varying severity. The most common of these are head injuries, back injuries, fractures and sprains; the former two are the most severe. If the patient is elderly, then falls can even be fatal. The good thing is that there are many fall protection devices. Using them considerably reduces risks.

One of the best ways of protecting yourself from falls is to use proper shoes which are of the non-skid or non-slip type. These shoes employ a special type of sole which is resistant to both water and oil, and offers a firmer grip on the floor. This prevents slipping.  An added advantage of non – slip shoes is that foot and back pain are also reduced, because your feet fell comfortable the whole day long

Fall Management Slippers have especially been designed for fall protection. The shoes are made from a soft material, and the sole is made from latex free rubber. They have mainly been designed for wet and slippery surfaces. Though these slippers can be washed, the sole must be completely dry before the patient intends to wear them again. There are four colors to choose from, and all sizes for both men and women are available.

Non slip gripper socks also aid in fall prevention by improving footing on slippery floors. They can also be used for patients recovering from surgery. Non slip socks are made from acrylic, and are comfortable enough to be worn the entire day. They are also available in four colors and all sizes. There are non skid socks as well which have also been designed for fall protection. These are also good for swollen ankles and feet, and can even be worn over casts.

Bed Rails for the Elderly

We all know that just like children, our elders need all the love, attention, and care that we can give them. At night when everyone is fast asleep, we tend to forget that the elderly especially those sleeping in high beds, have dangers of falling over during their sleep, so one of the best ways to avoid this is to install bed side rails.

Bed rails for the elderly are used both as a support and as a safety device. The bed rails are used to support elders, to help them sit and stand upright as they stay beside their beds. It is also used as a safety feature to avoid the elders from falling off of the bed during their sleep.

Hospital Bed Rail

How to pick bed side rails for seniors:

Getting your bed side rails installed is the easy part; the hard part comes in picking which one to get. Here are some things to remember when picking bed rails.

Bed Size matters – When buying your bed rails, always make sure that you emphasize to the sales person whether you’re using a king, a queen, or a single bed. The length of the bed is also important so that you know which bed rails are suitable for your bed.

Easy to use – Try getting the collapsible rails which are similar to the hospital bed rails. They make it easier to transfer the patient from one bed to another and can easily be lowered down in case the patient wants to get out of the bed.

Bed rail length – When buying, you will encounter three types of bed rails: the full bed rails, the half bed rails, and the short bed rails. The bed rail length must match with the size of your bed.

And last but not the least, these bed rails should also be installed correctly for it to serve its purpose properly and for it to last longer.

Protection From Falling

It’s very seldom that we think about placing fall protection devices at home especially when there are no elders around. However, in a home where your parents or grandparents live, it is especially important that they are protected in case they stumble or fall.

It is common for elderly people have weak and brittle bones, which sometimes make it hard for them to walk from one place to another. Most of the time they rely on canes and other walking supports, but most of the time even with these devices we cannot avoid sudden falls.

Here are some of the devices and tools you can use to assure that your home is equipped with elderly protection:

Active Safe Hip by Tytex

Hip protection. Hip protectors come in the form of underwear with sewn in plastic hip guards. Hip guards protect against unprotected fall and prevent hip fractures. Hip fractures happen due to sideway falls, which is why hip guards are sewn on the sides.

Floor guards. You can start placing floor cushions on places, which are likely to be accident prone areas in the house. This could be the kitchen or the bathroom. Aside from placing a floor cushion you can also place anti slip mats to avoid the elders or anyone from any unwanted accidents.

Posey Floor Cushion

Most of the time, we oversee these things and forget that a small slip can lead to a bruise or even a hip fracture. Hip protections devices and floor guards are usually the first things that come to mind when we think of preventing these accidents. But these are only initial measures to be taken.

For elderly protection around the house it is also ideal that bed rails, hand rails, and different types of grab bars are installed all around the house so that our elders will never run out of things to cling on to while walking around.

What is a Gait Trainer?

A gait trainer is equipment used in physical therapy to help a person learn how to walk efficiently and safely. It is also used for people who suffered from physical disabilities to relearn walking as part of their gait training.

The Gait Training is the manner that a person walks or run properly. If the gait is not normal, often, the person has difficulty in moving safely. There is also the risk of having injuries from falls and recurring stress damage.

Generally, the Gait Trainer comes in wheels and frames. It has a base and the frames extend up to the middle (or lower) torso. The person using the rolling walkers—another of its terms— will have assistance from the equipment’s handles, supporting harness or grips, in practicing to stand up straight.

Other Users of Gait Trainers

A baby that is eager to walk or learning how to walk can take advantage of the rolling walker as part of the baby’s gait training. Mostly however, those rollators are used for people who may need to re-train their gait after an injury or to children who have not tried walking yet due to physical disabilities. Children who are diagnosed with the following disorders may have impaired their mobility:

• Cerebral palsy
• Congenital deformities affecting the walking ability in childhood, and which are difficult or impossible to remedy in adulthood.
• Muscular dystrophy

How Do Gait Trainers Function?

A gait trainer is similar to a Walker. Hence, a few of its monikers include rollator or rollator walker. But, instead of legs, the rolling walkers have wheels, so the patient using them does not require assistance such as lifting or setting down. Also, because it has wheels, support and handles, the patient can practice walking naturally by propelling herself or himself forward using motions similar to a person who walks without assistance.

References:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gait_trainer

http://www.pacificrehabinc.com/category/?cid=1

http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-gait-trainer.htm