Ribcap Protective Hats For Fall Risk Patients

Author: Ribcap
Published: 2017/03/25 - Updated: 2025/11/26
Publication Type: Product Release, Update
Category Topic: Home Medical Devices - Related Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This product information describes Ribcap, a protective headwear solution designed to prevent head injuries in fall-risk patients across healthcare settings. The information draws authority from independent testing conducted by Professor Rémy Willinger at the University of Strasbourg, which demonstrated significant head protection capabilities against diffuse axonal injuries and subdural hematomas. Clinical trials at UAMS Medical Center in Little Rock, Arkansas showed zero head injuries on the pilot unit since implementation in March 2015, with high patient and family satisfaction rates.

Unlike traditional medical helmets that patients often reject as uncomfortable and stigmatizing, Ribcap uses a soft viscoelastic impact polymer hidden beneath a regular-looking cap that locks up on impact, addressing the critical challenge that falls cause approximately 11,000 hospital deaths annually in the United States. The product serves elderly individuals, patients on anticoagulant therapy, those with low platelet counts, and anyone at elevated fall risk, offering a practical alternative that patients actually wear consistently - some even continuing use after hospital discharge - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

Patient falls are the single largest category of reported adverse incidents in hospitals resulting in significant adverse outcomes and increased cost, and they continue to be a considerable challenge across the care continuum.

Main Content

While improvements have been made in reducing fractures from falls in the hospital setting, reducing head injuries has continued to be an issue in the hospital and all non acute settings.

One-third of all people over age 65 will fall in the next twelve months, and one third of those that fall will suffer some type of injury.
Approximately 11,000 fatal falls occur in US hospitals every year, and by the year 2020, the annual direct and indirect costs for fall related care across all healthcare settings is estimated to reach $47 billion.
Brain injuries and injuries to the hips, legs and feet are both the most fatal and costly of fall injuries accounting for 78% of fatalities and 79% of fall related costs.

The Challenge

Although there has been evolution of technology for head injury prevention for sports, little attention has been paid to evaluating the application of these technologies to promote better patient outcomes. Medical helmets have been available for a number of years, but their use has been limited and compliance poor, as patients find them to be "unattractive", "uncomfortable" and feel they "draw negative attention".

The Solution

Designed with a viscoelastic impact polymer, Ribcap is a technologically advanced means of head protection hidden under a regular appearing cap.

Unlike a helmet with a hard outer shell, this protective cap is made of a soft, pliable polymer that locks up on impact. Independent testing by professor Rémy Willinger from the university of Strasbourg to evaluate the impact on diffuse axonal injuries and subdural hematomas has previously demonstrated that Ribcaps provide "significant head protection and may prevent head trauma in a number of head impact situations". With IRB approval, Ribcap was tested in an acute care population to evaluate patient satisfaction and clinical impact.

This image is a promotional collage showing four photographs of people wearing Ribcap protective headwear in various styles and settings. The top row features three images: on the left, a woman with long dark hair wears a white knit beanie-style Ribcap with a brown turtleneck sweater; in the center, a blonde woman wears a light blue baseball cap-style Ribcap outdoors; on the right, a blonde woman wears an olive green ribbed knit beanie-style Ribcap against a wooden wall. The bottom left photo shows the back of a person's head wearing a dark navy blue beanie-style Ribcap while looking out at a misty mountain landscape. At the bottom of the collage, white text reads Ribcap your head, protect your style, emphasizing the product's dual purpose of providing fall protection while maintaining a fashionable, everyday appearance.

The Results

Ribcap was implemented in a pilot area at the UAMS Medical Center, Little Arkansas, US in March of 2015.

Patients prioritized for using Ribcap included those with:

Low platelet counts
Anticoagulant therapy
Unsteady gait
Weakness and fatigue
Chemotherapy

Since initiation of the trial there have been no head injuries on the pilot unit.

Patients and their families have been overwhelmingly complimentary of the Ribcaps and they have even observed patients returning for subsequent admissions still using their Ribcaps. Use of the Ribcaps is being implemented across the hospital and the clinical criteria for using Ribcap has expanded to any patient with a coagulopathy or those at risk for a fall that staff feel would benefit from having a padded cap.

Features

Ribcap is based on a totally new idea: soft protection with style.

Washable
100% breathable
Foldable and storable
Light and comfortable to wear
6 different sizes for a perfect fit
Unique - no comparable product on the market
XL: Lenny grey/anthracite
Small & medium also fit children, small (5-8y) & medium (9-12y)
Weight: 120g-200g (depending on size)

For further information visit ribcap.com

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: The development of Ribcap represents a crucial intersection of engineering innovation and patient-centered design in fall prevention technology. While hospitals have long struggled with the tension between safety protocols and patient dignity, this protective headwear demonstrates that effective medical devices need not sacrifice aesthetics for function. The clinical evidence from UAMS Medical Center - particularly the absence of head injuries on the pilot unit and sustained patient compliance - suggests that acceptance of protective equipment increases dramatically when it integrates seamlessly into daily life rather than marking wearers as vulnerable. As healthcare costs from fall-related injuries approach $47 billion annually, solutions that patients willingly use represent not just clinical victories but economic imperatives for an aging population - Disabled World (DW).

Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Ribcap and published on 2017/03/25, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.