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Sizing and fit for pressure garments 333

effects of corsets (Kunzle, 2006). In the 20th century, the US conglomerate DuPont
came out with Lycra and the resulting revolutionary materials changed pressure
garments. A corset, or girdle, worn under a dress and tight pantyhose with a mini-
skirt were popular with many women during this era (Fig. 13.1C) (Stewart and
Janovicek, 2001).
Later, many people advocated the release of physical restraints by wearing only
modified pressure garments and joining them with physical exercises to change their
shape fundamentally (Rosoff, 2006; Li et al., 2011). Textile materials also were
improved to have better elasticity, moisture permeability, warmth preservation, etc.
Socks, sleeves, and some sports protection garments reduce muscle swelling and
vibration; increase muscle support; prevent injury and sprains; and improve the recov-
ery and performance of athletes. These positive functions have been proved in many
scientific studies (Filatov, 1987; Ivanova, 1998; Ng-Yip, 1993; Hirai, 2002).
From the 20th century, due to the application of pressure garments in the medical
field, people began to pay more attention to the pressure created by garments as a
positive influence on the human body and their own feelings. For example, pressure
treatment prevents venous dilatation of burn scars and aids recovery after liposuction
(Kl€ oti and Pochon, 1982; Cheng et al., 1984; Staley and Richard, 1997; Yıldız, 2007).
The research in recent years mainly has focused on pressure values, classification, and
evaluation of ordinary shaping and functional compression garments (Pickering et al.,
2005). To successfully achieve these effects, it is necessary to know the permissible
range of garment pressure resulting in influence on physical, physiological, and
psychological characteristics of the human body (Surikova et al., 2012).

13.3 Classification of pressure garments

According to the basic characteristics, all pressure garments can be subdivided into
five levels. There are several subcategories in each level. Table 13.1 shows the details.

l 1—this is the main level used to differentiate the pressure garment products in the market:
daily, sportive, medical, cosmetic.
l 2—the subjective feeling is the human perception of pressure garments by means of skin
receptors, determining what is acceptable as a reasonable pressure range for the sensory eval-
uation: lightly tight, tight, medium tight, extra tight.
l 3—the layer is the number of layers of materials used in pressure garments for performance/
construction, manufacturing technology, design purposes, and other aspects: one-layer, two-
layers, and so on.
4—the objective pressure is the instrumentally measured value of pressure produced by gar-
l
ments and designated as acceptable as a reasonable pressure range for the objective
evaluation.
5—the coverage is the area of human body skin covered by pressure garments, from 5% to
l
100%.
l 6—the structure of the pattern block making in accordance with the human body constitution
and body measurements needed: top (torso, arm), lower part (below waist), and top+lower
(full body, part of body).