Each year, roughly 1.6 million people around the world suffer a hip fracture. One of the factors involved is osteoporosis, also referred to as porous bones or brittle bones. Most of the people in this high-risk group with osteoporosis are over 55 years of age. Of course, osteoporosis is not the only cause of hip fractures. Parkinson's disease, dementia, diseases of the joints etc. also increase the risk of hip fracture. The concept The original idea was quite simple: if most hip fractures are caused by a fall, the most effective way of preventing such fractures would be to absorb the impact of such a fall. Based on this simple idea for preventing an enormous amount of distress suffered by older people and reducing high health costs, Lyds International went to work several years ago. The Consumer and Safety Association and the Osteoporosis Foundation are both enthusiastic supporters of the Hip Protector developed by Lyds. The Hip Protector uses SANDS, a highly shock-absorbent product developed on the basis of a material used by NASA as a protective liner on the inside walls of the space shuttle. Intelligent design SANDS is based on a thin and very elastic material which was further developed to produce a skin-friendly product that adapts quickly and comfortably to the contours of the human body. Laboratory tests have shown that the product developed by Lyds absorbs no less than 60% of the impact caused by a fall! In the Lyds Hip Protector, the foam-type material is built into the critical areas around the hip joints in a pair of elastic cotton briefs. Excellent wearing comfort The thin and elastic cotton half-length briefs with removable protective elements fit closely but comfortably around the body. The soft and flexible protective elements, which are less than a centimetre thick, together with the flexible fit ensure excellent wearing comfort. The comfortably soft and flexible protective elements can even be worn without any problems in the evening and at night, which is when most bone fractures take place. The fabrics used are skin-friendly and machine washable at a temperature of 90°C if the protective elements are removed, and at a temperature of 60°C with the elements in. The elements can be removed quickly and easily, but should never be allowed to come into contact with chlorine (bleach). Reduced risk The highly shock-absorbent Lyds Hip Protector significantly reduces the risk of bone and hip fractures. Trials carried out in the home care sector have even shown that users develop more self-confidence and feel freer to move about. The Consumer and Safety Association is enthusiastic about the new product: “Most accidents in and around the house involve a fall. The medical costs for dealing with such injuries amount to hundreds of millions of euros per year. So it is not only in the interest of the patient to prevent fractures from occurring."