Bailey’s story

Bailey's Story - Patient with Cerebral Palsy

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Bailey wearing his football kit standing in a field and smiling

Bailey was one of the first DM Orthotics patients to trial the patented DMO® Custom Glove back in 2006, and since then he has never looked back!

Bailey uses the DMO® Custom Glove to help manage the physical effects of his unilateral cerebral palsy and after over a decade using the orthosis has made wearing it an essential part of his daily routine, benefitting from the additional support, proprioceptive feedback and postural alignment it provides.

Bailey said:

“I was given my first DMO glove when I was a teenager. It took a couple of months to get used to due to initial discomfort, but it was well worth sticking with it as it has totally changed the mobility of my hand and arm”.

Bailey’s mum also commented that before his glove his manipulative skills were very poor, and he had trouble picking up things. She also told us that his arm was also raised when he walked or ran and was often held in a rigid position.

“I used to hold my arm up to my shoulder when running which slowed me down but now, I move my arm just like the other and run much faster!  I can tie my shoe laces up faster now as well and don’t even need to think about it.  I can also now drive a manual car with my DMO glove on, no trouble”, said Bailey.

Unilateral cerebral palsy is a condition that affects one side of the body and affects the way in which a person moves. Bailey is a football coach at Colchester United Foundation Charity and trains children between the ages of 5 and 18 years of age. His job means he must stay in shape and stay physically active with the DMO® Custom Glove helping to aid his running, improve his manipulative skills and increase his functional ability; enabling him to continue coaching and to remain active.

Holly Nicholson, DM Orthotics prescribing clinical specialist and physiotherapist, said:

“Bailey has fluctuating muscle tone in his right arm, and this causes his wrist to adopt a flexed position, with hyperextension of his fingers. Bailey’s right arm is also weaker than his left. Bailey has been using DMO® Custom Gloves since his teens and, in his own words, these gloves have assisted him in improving his strength, range of movement, and the function of his arm.

Bailey’s  DMO® Custom Glove allows him to be more aware of his right hand enabling him to include it in bimanual tasks. It also allows his wrist and hand to adopt a more neutrally-aligned posture at rest. Bailey has maintained functional, active range of movement and made gains with his strength and dexterity over the years of consistently using his DMO® Custom Glove”.

The DMO® Custom Glove benefits patients with Cerebral Palsy as it is beneficial for both high and low muscle tone and assists in the management of tremors. Its unique design rotates the arm into a functional, comfortable position whilst repositioning the thumb and allowing maintenance of a correct alignment of the wrist.

Bailey said:

Two years ago, I couldn’t carry two glasses with both hands but now I can! The doctor told me that I would never be able to do that!!

If you want to find out more about the  DMO® Custom glove click here or if you are interested in having an assessment and purchasing a DMO® Custom Glove or similar product click here to speak to our administration team who can help.

DMO® Custom Glove / Gauntlet with sleeve

The DMO® Custom Glove is designed to improve conditions which induce either high or low muscle tone and tremor. Its unique design rotates the arm into a functional, comfortable position; repositions the thumb and maintains correct alignment of the wrist. Additional support through the fingers opens the hand in high tone conditions while providing support for those conditions that result in low muscle tone. Our custom dynamic movement orthoses® are fully made-to-measure and are bespoke to you. It is a patient specific prescription provided by a prescribing clinician. Our DMO® custom orthoses come in a range of colours and with a wide range of reinforcements to help support and control movement, tailored to the individual’s needs. Custom products also let customers have their own openings, zips, toileting etc to make it easier for daily life. This device has been certified in accordance with OEKO-TEX Standard 100.

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