Health & Fitness Tools

Combating Ehlers Danlos Syndrome With Bodysuit Shapewear

2nd August, 2010 - Posted by health news - No Comments

A disorder known as Ehlers Danlos Syndrome “Cutis hyperelastica’, is a condition that basically is a defect in the construction of collagen. Since collagen decreases elasticity and the disorder’s severity can range from mild to life-threatening, it’s a condition that has no cure and only supportive treatments. If defined in base terms, “cutis hyperelastica” is extreme hyper mobility, which is defined by joints which bend this way and that, leading to constant dislocation of joints due to lack of muscles and collagen. When one looks at numbers, one in every ten thousand to fifteen thousand are afflicted with any particular range of hyper mobility.

Two doctors gave definition to this condition at the turn of the twentieth century, Edvard Ehlers of Denmark and Henri-Alexandre Danlos of France.

Situations where individuals can bend the back of their thumb back or where one exists extreme elasticity of skin or body would be defined as hyper mobility.

One such girl, born in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire, was born with a very extreme form of this condition. Three year old Olivia Court, afflicted with the incredibly severe form of this condition, has been through two hip surgeries and has been taken to countless doctors and surgeons in order to find a way to help her walk .

At the age of 1 when she still could not sit up or crawl like other children her age, Olivia’s parents, Lena, 36, and Adrian, 41, a security engineer, based in Earl Shilton, Leicestershire did the rounds of doctors to figure out what was solution for their daughter. Taking the advice of medical professionals, Lena and Adrian agreed to corrective hip surgery for Olivia. In spite of these two corrective hip surgeries, Olivia’s condition did not improve. In fact, even when wearing a cast from chest to knees, her hip would dislocate.

With incredibly weak muscles that could not support her joints, Olivia could not walk, sit up, or even crawl. After the two corrective hip surgeries, the doctors and surgeons gave up on Olivia’s condition.

Although doctors told Lena and Adrian Court that their daughter would never walk, the couple were determined to find a way to give their little girl a chance to living a normal life.

A solution finally came from a surgeon. Something attune to shapewear was suggested for Olivia. Despite having found an answer, the bodysuit was way out of their budget. Costing two thousand-five hundred pounds, this shapewear like bodysuit was meant to hold her muscles together in order to keep her joints together.

After being turned down by their local NHS Trust due to lack of medical evidence, the Courts turned to a local community group called Barwell and Earl Shilton Lions Club, who raised the money.

The bodysuit must be worn 5 days a week, 8 hours a day. Made out of Lycra, the suit has allowed Olivia to walk. She is now beginning to lead a normal child’s life.

The suit allows Olivia to attend school regularly without bouts of exhaustion and fatigue.

Although a new way to treat extreme mobility, it seems bodysuit shapewear has brought about a possible solution.