Adeli Suit Update - March 1999

The Adeli Suit Update - March 1999

The Foundation is receiving a number of inquiries about the "Adeli Suit". The following is the information we have about it at this time: The Adeli Suit is a modification of a suit originally designed by the Russians for use by Soviet Cosmonauts in space (the "Penguin Suit); The Cosmonauts rarely used it. The idea of the Penguin suit is to move body parts against a resistance, thus improving muscle strength; in the case of the Cosmonauts, to maintain muscle strength and prevent muscle atrophy and loss of bone calcification while in space (being "weightless").

The Adeli Suit is a jacket and pair of trousers adopted for use by children. The suit has "rings" strategically placed on it so that elastic tension cords can be attached across joints. By placing the elastic cords properly, selected muscles groups can be exercised as the child moves the limb in walking or using its arm; thus it is a form of controlled exercise against a resistance (e.g. like the use of weights). It is also claimed that the use of the suit increases "coordination".

The Adeli Suit is patented by a Polish - Russian organization, EUROMED. It is available only in its rehabilitation facility. At this time, the only EUROMED facility is in northern Poland. The Adeli Suit is used in the Polish facility as part of a comprehensive program of intensive physio-therapy of 5-7 hours a day, 5-6 days a week for 4 weeks. It is not used alone. The verbal reports of parents who have taken children to Poland is very supportive of the results of the <strong>program</strong>. However, are the results they report the effect of the Adeli Suit, or of an intense and prolonged program of physio-therapy which includes the Adeli Suit? We don't know.

We also do not know for which children this program is beneficial. Also, how long do the beneficial results of the program last? Does it have to be repeated periodically? How often? The Polish facility has not done any organized research on its treatment program or on the Adeli Suit itself. It can only report on its own favorable clinical impressions of the usefulness of the program.

Clinical investigators in the U.S. are presently discussing a clinical evaluation of the Adeli Suit (actually, a clinical evaluation of the total program) with leaders of EUROME. We hope to have a meaningful evaluation initiated this year. The above is what the Foundation knows at this time about Adeli Suit and its use in children with disabilities due to cerebral palsy.

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The Adeli Suit Update - March 1999