A case study was undertaken to determine perceptions about protective garments for the prevention of recurrent hip fractures. We studied 169 patients with hip fractures, over 50 years of age, who were admitted to four university-affiliated hospitals. Proxy respondents were interviewed for 36% (n = 61) of the patients. Significant differences were found in the two groups; therefore, only the analyses from 108 patients who were interviewed are reported. Seventy percent of the patients were willing to wear a padded garment prescribed by a doctor. Factors associated with a positive response were no previous hip fracture, and an intrinsic cause of the fracture (P <or= 0.05). Over half (55%) of the patients were willing to wear an inflatable garment. Being female and fracturing the hip away from home were two factors that were associated with a positive response. Characteristics of the protective garment that patients thought were a concern or very important were effectiveness (83%), fit (82%), comfort (78%), laundering (66%), cost (57%), not showing (55%) and looked well (54%). These findings may assist investigators in the design of protective garments and thereby increase the receptivity and compliance among elderly patients.