The dynamic LYCRA^® garments that comprise of our SDO^® Sensory Dynamic Orthosis collection have been engineered to deliver therapeutic compression to various parts of the body. This targeted compression results in a remarkably diverse array of benefits, including improvements in musculoskeletal alignment and stability, noticeable increases in proprioceptive and sensory feedback and many more besides. 

SDO® Original Suit in No. 20 Lance Corporal theme

The numerous benefits that SDO^® garments provide make them suitable for wear by people with a corres­pon­dingly-diverse array of conditions. In this edition of the Medigarments Ltd blog, we present a case study detailing how wearing SDO^® garments completely changed the life of a 12-year-old boy for the better. 

In the interests of patient confi­den­ti­ality, we will refer to the subject of this article by the pseudonym 'David'. A student in his first year of secondary school, David had been diagnosed with benign hypermobility syndrome, which is sometimes known by the term 'joint hypermobility syndrome'. The disease of the connective tissue shares many of the same clinical features as Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

As a result of his condition, David experienced symptoms that severely affected his quality of life. Many of these symptoms related to his posture; a poor level of postural control prevented him from maintaining symmetry and uprightness. This instability (compounded by associated pain which could only be managed with daily medication), prevented him from taking part in everyday school activities like writing and sports. 

After a positive assessment that showed wearing a dynamic LYCRA^® garment could be beneficial to David, he was provided with a made-to-measure suit from our SDO® range. The suit incorporated reinforcement panels designed to both stabilise and realign the trunk area of David's body, with the intention of giving him a more upright and symmetrical position.

"This is heaven"

Immediately after David donned the bespoke SDO^® suit from Medigarments Ltd, it became clear that that both of these objectives had been achieved. David soon noticed a dramatic improvement in his postural control which, enabling him to isolate the upper trunk from the lower trunk in rotation, improved both the velocity and fluency of his walking. The instability in his thumbs that had caused issues with his ability to write disappeared, along with the associated pain.

Though David's reaction to the experience consisted of just three words, it could not have been more eloquent. Standing stable and free of pain, David simply said: "This is heaven."

Six months after this first fitting, David reported that he had not had to use any painkilling medication whatsoever. Revealing that he now included rock-climbing and football among his hobbies, David once again opted for simplicity when describing his experiences, happily stating that he felt 'normal'.

The review also showed that, in addition to the ordinary height growth expected in young people, David's muscle bulks had all show an increase in circumference; this clearly indicated that the SDO^® had provided a beneficial influence on his ability to strengthen in alignment.

Though further reviews in the future will take place to ascertain the ongoing effects of wearing the suit, currently it seems probable that David will be required to wear it (along with SDO^® gloves) until he reaches the end of his growth period. 

'David' with and without his SDO® Original Suit

Please browse the Medigarments Ltd website to find out more about our SDO® Original and SDO® Lite garment collections, along with the SDO® Sensory Hug to assist people with sensory seeking behaviours.

All of our products are designed and manufactured right here in the UK; providing crucial support for British trade, creating employment opportunities and keeping essential skills alive. Please subscribe to our monthly newsletter and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. If you wish to speak to us, our experienced team will be happy to help so please do not hesitate to get in touch.