Infant Hip Exam Trainer helps identify and diagnose hip dysplasia

A new product is set to help healthcare professionals identify and diagnose a common issue in childbirth which can change lives if left undetected.

Developmental hip dysplasia – commonly known as clicky hip – affects approximately one or two babies in every thousand. It’s when the ‘ball and socket’ joint of the hip does not properly form in babies and young children so the hip joint is loose. In severe cases the femur – or thigh bone – can come out of the socket.

Without early treatment, hip dysplasia may lead to mobility problems such as a limp, pain and osteoarthritis of the hip and back. With early diagnosis and treatment, children are less likely to need surgery and more likely to develop normally.

Limbs & Things, a UK designer and manufacturer of medical task trainers, has designed the Infant Hip Exam Trainer to meet the specific requirements of healthcare professionals training to identify and diagnose hip dysplasia. The lifelike simulation model comes with two interchangeable lower leg parts that allow trainees to identify the differences between how a normal and an abnormal hip should feel.

The Lower Abnormal hip module’s range of motion gives trainees a realistic representation of the key signs of hip dysplasia including dislocating a hip that is lax in the socket and relocating a hip that is dislocated from the socket, feeling the “clunk” as the procedure is completed.

A lifelike infant torso, weighted and sized for a one-month-old female, is included in the trainer which means that trainees can get comfortable conducting a hip exam with a realistic model.

The model’s durability also means that they can repeatedly practice the procedures, helping them build confidence and develop muscle memory for the techniques involved, before performing the examination on a patient.

Anne Allin, Commercial Director, Limbs & Things, said: “Hip dyplasia is a common issue amongst newborns that can lead to long term problems if left undiagnosed. We worked in partnership with specialists in America to develop this trainer that we believe will give healthcare professionals the confidence and skills to detect hip dysplasia at the earliest possible stage, giving the child the best possible outcome.”

Staff Writer