Survey of lipoedema symptoms and experience with compression garments
Journal of prescribing practice, Apr 1, 2021
Lipoedema is an incurable chronic disease causing limb deformity, painful skin and excessive ecch... more Lipoedema is an incurable chronic disease causing limb deformity, painful skin and excessive ecchymosis. Compression garments are frequently recommended to manage symptoms, but the existing products are not designed specifically for lipoedema, and are for other medical conditions. A structured questionnaire was prepared in Online Surveys in October 2018 to investigate lipoedema symptoms and the use of compression garments to manage them. Some 279 people with lipoedema completed the survey; 70% wore compression garments in all four compression classes, of which class 2 was most common (58% of wearers). The top three reasons for wearing compression garments were to feel supported (73%), reduce lipoedema pain (67%) and improve mobility (54%). Most people with lipoedema who wore compression garments found compression helpful in managing their symptoms, but overall satisfaction was low. Problems with existing compression garments were so severe in some cases that the garments were not worn at all or used less often. The information collected in this survey might be useful for the design and development of compression garments specifically for lipoedema.
The Study of Pressure Delivery for Hypertrophic Scar Treatment
Elsevier eBooks, 2006
ABSTRACT Pressure garments have been used prophylactically and to treat hypertrophic scars, resul... more ABSTRACT Pressure garments have been used prophylactically and to treat hypertrophic scars, resulting from serious burns, since the early 1970s. They are custom-made from elastic fabrics by commercial producers and occupational therapists. However, no clear scientifically established method has ever been published for their manufacture from powernet fabrics. The earlier work identified the most commonly used fabrics and construction methods for the production of pressure garments by occupational therapists in UK burn units. These methods have now been evaluated by measuring the pressures delivered to both cylinder models and to human limbs using I-scan® pressure sensors. The effect of cylinder/limb circumference and the effects of the fabric and reduction factor used in pressure garment construction on pressures exerted have now been established. These measurements confirm the limitations of current pressure garment construction methods used in UK hospitals. These results were also used to evaluate the Laplace law for the prediction of interface pressures.
Pressure garments for use in the treatment of hypertrophic scars – an evaluation of current construction techniques in NHS hospitals
Burns, Feb 1, 2005
The purpose of this investigation was to establish the variety of pressure garment construction m... more The purpose of this investigation was to establish the variety of pressure garment construction methods and materials used in UK hospitals. This paper reports an investigation conducted in two parts. First, a survey of pressure garment practitioners was conducted and second, 15 of the fabrics currently used in UK hospitals were tested. The results showed that the pressures exerted by pressure garments constructed in UK hospitals were likely to range from ineffectively low to dangerously high.
This paper reports a simple, quick and reasonably accurate approach for measuring the bending rig... more This paper reports a simple, quick and reasonably accurate approach for measuring the bending rigidity of yarns. The beam method has been adapted and applied using a bending frame that has a fixed support and a simple support. The yarns are left to bend under the effect of their own weight. The accuracy and the precision of that bending frame are assessed over the time using an isotropic material and then compared against the ring-loop method and the KES-FB-2 pure bending tester. The findings show that the precision of this bending frame is acceptable. However, this bending frame gives at least 1.6 times greater values of bending rigidity than the KES-FB-2 pure bending tester, though the relationship between these two methods is linear and significant. Moreover, the spun yarns appear to have high levels of variability of the bending rigidity. This study is important as it overcomes the challenges faced while using other methods to measure the bending rigidity of yarn. It also provides a comprehensive account of the variation in this property. Further, it gives an indication of the highly non-uniform structure of spun yarns and the impact of yarn defects on the bending properties of yarns.
Survey of lipoedema symptoms with compression garments
Independent Nurse, 2021
Lipoedema is an incurable chronic disease but effective treatment can minimise the impact of the ... more Lipoedema is an incurable chronic disease but effective treatment can minimise the impact of the condition
Lipoedema is an incurable chronic disease causing limb deformity, painful skin and excessive ecch... more Lipoedema is an incurable chronic disease causing limb deformity, painful skin and excessive ecchymosis. Compression garments are frequently recommended to manage symptoms, but the existing products are not designed specifically for lipoedema, and are for other medical conditions. A structured questionnaire was prepared in Online Surveys in October 2018 to investigate lipoedema symptoms and the use of compression garments to manage them. Some 279 people with lipoedema completed the survey; 70% wore compression garments in all four compression classes, of which class 2 was most common (58% of wearers). The top three reasons for wearing compression garments were to feel supported (73%), reduce lipoedema pain (67%) and improve mobility (54%). Most people with lipoedema who wore compression garments found compression helpful in managing their symptoms, but overall satisfaction was low. Problems with existing compression garments were so severe in some cases that the garments were not wo...
Pressure by design: How to improve the consistency of pressure garments in the clinical environment and implement a simple method for gathering evidence to establish their efficacy
Burns, 2021
Pressure garments are used to treat scars after major trauma including burns. However, the ideal ... more Pressure garments are used to treat scars after major trauma including burns. However, the ideal pressure for treatment is not known. Pressures exerted are not routinely measured and garments exert a wide range of pressures. Therefore, current treatment and its efficacy are variable. Pressure Garment Design Tools were introduced in 2012 but their application in hospitals has not been reported. A Garment Dimension and Pressure Calculator was used to audit pressures delivered by 8 pressure garments made for children using the hospital department’s standard reduction factor. The tool was easy to use and showed that pressures exerted by standard garments ranged from 15 to 54 mmHg with highest pressures exerted on wrists. Results of our pilot study indicated that the Garment Dimension and Pressure Calculator was slightly quicker to use than our normal manual process for calculating garment dimensions and enabled easy auditing of past treatment. The Pressure Garment Design Tool was easy t...
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