The best way to figure out where it is on your own body as I was taught at a conference I attended years ago is to raise one of your legs such that the femur (the long bone that extends from the hip to the knee) is at a 90 degree angle to your body. The point at which your leg meets your body is roughly where the greater trochanter is located.

When choosing hip protection it is important to know that the centre of the hip pad is more or less over top of the greater trochanter. Dr. Fabio Feldman, Senior Falls and Injury Prevention Manager for the Fraser Health Authority since 2006, addressed this point as part of his presentation at the recent Joint Venture Conference. Not all brands place the hip pad in the optimal position for hip protection. Rest assured, HipSaver Hip Protectors do have a properly positioned hip pad.

Dr. Feldman also addressed issues related to compliance, noting that greater compliance was seen with soft hip protectors recommended by a physician as part of an overall program to reduce injury. Educating the wearer about fracture risk and obtaining a commitment to wear their hip protectors 24/7 are also important components in a plan to reduce hip fracture.

Dr Feldman addresses the conference