Two UK Hospitals Testing Shock Absorbing Vinyl

London, England, Dec. 27, 2010 -- Two hospitals in North Yorkshire are testing a new kind of flooring designed to reduce injuries from falls, according to a BBC report.

Harrogate and York district hospitals have installed thicker, shock absorbent flooring in some areas to see whether it helps prevent injuries among older patients.

The project is known as HIP-HOP - or Helping Injury Prevention in Hospitalized Older People.

The new flooring has a top layer made of vinyl and a memory-foam backing.

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth will compare the new flooring with normal flooring to see if there is any indication it may be helping to reduce injuries from falls in older people.