Impact absorbing flooring is a flooring system engineered to cushion the force of a fall and reduce the severity of injuries, particularly bone fractures. It typically consists of a specialist underlay installed beneath a standard floor covering such as sheet vinyl. Kradal™ Smart Foam is a 10mm polyurethane underlay that reduces impact force by 46% and has been clinically proven to reduce fall-related injury risk by up to 59%.

Kradal™ Smart Foam absorbs energy on impact while maintaining a firm, stable walking surface. The closed-cell polyurethane foam compresses on impact, absorbing kinetic energy that would otherwise be transferred into the body. Impact testing showed a 46% reduction in force compared to standard vinyl. A three-year clinical trial at Karlstad University in Sweden found that Kradal™ reduced the relative risk of injury from falling by 59%. The study was published in the BMJ journal Injury Prevention.

A peer-reviewed study published in the BMJ journal Injury Prevention by researchers at Karlstad University in Sweden found that Kradal™ reduced the relative risk of injury from falls by 59%. The study ran from October 2011 to March 2014 in a Swedish nursing home. The injury-to-fall rate was 16.9% on Kradal™ versus 30.3% on standard flooring. Balance trials were also conducted at Otago University in New Zealand confirming the surface is safe for elderly people. Kradal™ is referenced in the SAFEST systematic review of shock-absorbing flooring for fall-related injury prevention.

A peer-reviewed study published in the BMJ journal Injury Prevention by researchers at Karlstad University in Sweden found that Kradal™ reduced the relative risk of injury from falls by 59%. The study ran from October 2011 to March 2014 in a Swedish nursing home. The injury-to-fall rate was 16.9% on Kradal™ versus 30.3% on standard flooring. Balance trials were also conducted at Otago University in New Zealand confirming the surface is safe for elderly people. Kradal™ is referenced in the safest systematic review of shock-absorbing flooring for fall-related injury prevention.

Impact absorbing flooring is designed for any environment where falls are common and injury prevention is a priority. Primary applications include aged care facilities, nursing homes, assisted living communities, hospitals, dementia care units, childcare centers, gymnasiums, and the private homes of elderly people.

A cost-effectiveness study modelling impact absorbing flooring in Swedish residential care found it to be a dominant strategy — both reducing costs and improving health outcomes (QALYs). In Australia, hip fractures cost approximately $30,000 per case to treat, and hip and thigh fractures account for 32.5% of fall-related cases. By reducing fall injuries by up to 59%, impact absorbing flooring delivers significant savings to healthcare systems and aged care providers. Approximately 20% of hip fracture patients die within one year.