Thursday, January 12, 2012

How to Reduce Hip and Tailbone Injury in Sports


You never know when that hip or tailbone injury will hit. That's why athletes, people who participate in high-impact recreational activities such as basketball, hockey, ice skating, snowboarding or even bicycling, and people with osteoporosis, often take proactive steps to protect their hips and tailbone, knowing they may not avoid the crunch but they may avoid the injury from it.
Uses
Visit any sports clinic and it becomes immediately evident that athletic activity comes at a physical price for many. Contact injuries and falls often cause a hip injury known as a hip pointer, bruising on the iliac crest on the side of the hip. Harder falls or hits can cause hip fracture. Falling backward into a seated position, a fall common in skaters, can fracture the coccyx, the group of four small bones at the end of your spine. Protective padding in these areas absorbs some of the impact, which reduces the risk of injury. If you have age-related osteoporosis, hip and tailbone padding might help protect against dangerous fractures.
Types of Protection
Professional athletes wear hip and tailbone protectors under their clothing. The exact configuration of the padding depends on the sport, since different sports are more likely to result in different areas of injury. Garments have padding made from foam, in slightly different areas, depending on the sport and the type of contact you're most likely to have with other players or the ground. Look for garments tailored to your favorite activity. Manufacturers also make hip and tailbone protection specifically for active people with osteoporosis.
Effectiveness
Hip protectors can help reduce bruising in areas of high-impact in contact sports such as football and soccer. But available studies on the effectiveness of hip and tailbone protectors on preventing broken bones have been done on people in nursing homes, not athletes. Study results have been mixed on their effectiveness, according to Rivet. Nursing home residents are more likely to suffer from osteoporosis, which increases the risk of fractures, than younger athletes, so the studies don't really assess the effectiveness of protector use in athletics.
Caveats
Don't rely on your clothing to protect your hip and tailbone from injury. While hip and tailbone pads may protect against bruising and fractures in contact sports, they may not save your bones in a fall from a higher height, such as a snowboarding or skiing accident or any other sport that involves jumping. Exercise caution when participating in any sport and see your doctor for medical clearance.

 
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