A straitjacket is a garment shaped like a jacket with long sleeves that surpass the tips of the wearer's fingers. Its most typical use is restraining people who may cause harm to themselves or others. Once the wearer slides their arms into the sleeves, the person restraining the wearer crosses the sleeves against the chest and ties the ends of the sleeves to the back of the jacket, ensuring the arms are close to the chest with as little movement as possible.
32-565: Although straitjacket is the most common spelling, strait-jacket is also frequent. Straitjackets are also called camisoles . The effect of a straitjacket as a restraint makes it of special interest in escapology . The straitjacket is also a staple prop in stage magic . The straitjacket comes from the Georgian era of medicine. Physical restraint was used both as treatment for mental illness and to pacify patients in understaffed asylums . Due to their strength, canvas and duck cloth are
64-596: A cell or even chained to walls. By the 1860s, Americans wanted to provide better assistance to the less fortunate, including the mentally ill. The number of facilities devoted to the care of people with mental disorders saw a dramatic increase. These facilities, meant to be places of refuge , were called insane asylums . Between 1825 and 1865, the number of asylums in the United States increased from nine to sixty-two. The establishment of asylums did not mean treatment improved. Because doctors did not understand what caused
96-459: A chemise . A camisole normally extends to the waist but is sometimes cropped to expose the midriff , or extended to cover the entire pelvic region. Camisoles are manufactured from light materials, commonly cotton -based, occasionally satin or silk, or stretch fabrics such as lycra , nylon , or spandex . A camisole typically has thin " spaghetti straps " and can be worn over a brassiere or without one. Since 1989, some camisoles have come with
128-430: A built-in underwire bra or other support which eliminates the need for a bra among those who prefer not to wear one. Starting around the 2000s, camisoles have been known to be used as outerwear . A variety of sleeveless body shaping undergarments have been derived from the camisole shape, offering medium control of the bust, waist, or abdomen . Such control camisoles are the most casual of shaping garments, covering
160-510: A crotch-strap to prevent wearers from pulling off the jacket. Some bear loops at the front and/or sides; the sleeves are threaded through these to prevent the arms from being raised over the head. Friction buckles are used to fasten institutional jackets with webbing or cloth straps because they are difficult to open without a free pair of hands. In stage magic, gimmicked jackets, made for magicians who practice escape stunts, omit arm loops, fasten with simpler buckles, and/or leave hidden openings in
192-430: A trained medical professional. Trying to reduce a joint without any training could substantially worsen the injury. X-rays are usually taken to confirm a diagnosis and detect any fractures which may also have occurred at the time of dislocation. A dislocation is easily seen on an X-ray. Once a diagnosis is confirmed, the joint is usually manipulated back into position. This can be a very painful process, therefore this
224-486: Is due to the weakening of the muscles and ligaments which hold the joint in place. The shoulder is a prime example of this. Any shoulder dislocation should be followed up with thorough physiotherapy . On field reduction is crucial for joint dislocations. As they are extremely common in sports events, managing them correctly at the game at the time of injury, can reduce long term issues. They require prompt evaluation, diagnosis, reduction, and postreduction management before
256-519: Is genetically inherited disorder that is thought to affect the encoding of the connective tissue protein’s collagen in the ligament of joints. The loosened or stretched ligaments in the joint provide little stability and allow for the joint to dislocate relatively easily. Some times dislocation can also occur because of Rheumatoid arthritis , In Rheumatoid arthritis the production of synovial fluid decrease gradually causing pain, swollen joint, and stiffness. A forceful push causes friction and can dislocate
288-418: Is one of the most sensational and famous magicians' tricks; it was a staple in illusionist Harry Houdini 's act. Thus, new world records for straitjacket escape are constantly being attempted, in various ways and with various degrees of difficulty added. Some of the more newsworthy attempts and successes include: Camisole A camisole is a sleeveless undershirt typically worn by women, extending to
320-426: Is referred to as a subluxation . Dislocations are often caused by sudden trauma on the joint like an impact or fall. A joint dislocation can cause damage to the surrounding ligaments , tendons , muscles , and nerves . Dislocations can occur in any major joint (shoulder, knees, etc.) or minor joint (toes, fingers, etc.). The most common joint dislocation is a shoulder dislocation. Treatment for joint dislocation
352-472: Is typically done either in the emergency department under sedation or in an operating room under a general anaesthetic . It is important the joint is reduced as soon as possible, as in the state of dislocation, the blood supply to the joint (or distal anatomy) may be compromised. This is especially true in the case of a dislocated ankle, due to the anatomy of the blood supply to the foot. Shoulder injuries can also be surgically stabilized, depending on
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#1733094170577384-400: Is usually by closed reduction , that is, skilled manipulation to return the bones to their normal position. Reduction should only be performed by trained medical professionals, because it can cause injury to soft tissue and/or the nerves and vascular structures around the dislocation. The following symptoms are common with any type of dislocation. Joint dislocations are caused by trauma to
416-460: Is why institutions take great precautions, such as monitoring patients and conforming to strict protocols, when outfitting people in straitjackets. To remove a straitjacket with both back and crotch-straps, it is not necessary to be able to dislocate one's shoulders in order to gain the slack necessary to pull an arm out of the sleeves. The necessity of this ability was fictitiously created by Harry Houdini and his brother Hardeen to try to lessen
448-414: The amount of competition. Houdini later in his career published his technical handling of the escape in a newspaper. Escape artists around the world commonly continue this rumor to "spice up" the escape. Without dislocating the shoulder, it is sometimes possible to get more room by pulling at the inside of the arms as they are being strapped or by keeping an elbow held outward to gain slack in the sleeves when
480-420: The arm is relaxed. Another way to gain slack is to take and hold a deep breath while the jacket is being done up. It is possible for one person to put a willing volunteer into a straitjacket, but it generally takes at least two people to straitjacket a struggling person. For a jacket without a front strap, the most common way to escape is to hoist the arms over the head before undoing the crotch strap and at last
512-559: The behavior of their patients, they often listed the possible causes of mental illness as religious excitement, sunstroke, or even reading novels. They believed the patient had lost all control over their morals and strict discipline was necessary to help the patient regain self-control. Asylums often employed straitjackets to restrain patients who could not control themselves. Many assessors, including Marie Ragone and Diane Fenex , considered straitjackets humane, gentler than prison chains. The restraint seemed to apply little to no pressure to
544-578: The body or limbs and did not cause skin abrasions. Moreover, straitjackets allowed some freedom of movement. Unlike patients anchored to a chair or bed by straps or handcuffs, those in straitjackets could walk. Some registered nurse specialists even recommended restrained individuals stroll outdoors, thereby reaping the benefits of both control and fresh air. Despite its popular consideration as humane, straitjackets were misused. Over time, asylums filled with patients and lacked adequate staff to provide proper care. The attendants were often ill-trained to work with
576-430: The front, with the ends of the sleeves wrapping around to fasten or tie behind the back. On some jackets, the sleeve-ends are anchored to the garment to allow the fastening or knot to rotate away from the wearer's hands as they move their arms, making it more difficult to undo. Some straitjackets are designed to have the person's arms crossed behind them rather than in front to ensure further restraint. Most jackets feature
608-554: The joint or when an individual falls on a specific joint. Great and sudden force applied, by either a blow or fall, to the joint can cause the bones in the joint to be displaced or dislocated from normal position. With each dislocation, the ligaments keeping the bones fixed in the correct position can be damaged or loosened, making it easier for the joint to be dislocated in the future. Some individuals are prone to dislocations due to congenital conditions, such as hypermobility syndrome and Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome . Hypermobility syndrome
640-525: The joint. Initial evaluation of a suspected joint dislocation should begin with a thorough patient history, including mechanism of injury, and physical examination. Special attention should be focused on the neurovascular exam both before and after reduction , as injury to these structures may occur during the injury or during the reduction process. Subsequent imaging studies are frequently obtained to assist with diagnosis. A dislocated joint usually can be professionally reduced into its normal position only by
672-425: The mentally ill and resorted to restraints to maintain order and calm. In fact, during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, some prisons even used straitjackets to punish or torture inmates. Modified variants of the garment are still in use. A particular brand of straitjacket is called an "Argentino" suit, manufactured by PSP Argentino Inc. In Canada in 2015, there was a class action lawsuit that won over
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#1733094170577704-419: The misuse of the restraint. The security of a straitjacket depends very much on its size, which should be as small as practicable to be secure. A tight jacket at the chest and armpits will make it difficult for the wearer to pull the arms out of the sleeves. The sleeves of the jacket are sewn shut at the ends—a significant restraint in itself because it restrains the use of the hands. The arms are folded across
736-752: The most common materials for institutional straitjackets. The word "strait", in this context, means "confinement". The straitjacket is described as early as 1772, in a book by the Irish physician David Macbride , although there are claims an upholsterer named Guilleret invented it in 1790 France for Bicêtre Hospital . (See the French Misplaced Pages article, Camisole de force .) Before the development of psychiatric medications and talking therapy, doctors did not know how to treat mental disorders such as schizophrenia , depression , and anxiety disorders . They attempted treatments that are cruel by modern standards, and
768-434: The person can be evaluated at a medical facility. After a dislocation, injured joints are usually held in place by a splint (for straight joints like fingers and toes) or a bandage (for complex joints like shoulders). Additionally, the joint muscles, tendons and ligaments must also be strengthened. This is usually done through a course of physiotherapy , which will also help reduce the chances of repeated dislocations of
800-421: The same joint. For glenohumeral instability, the therapeutic program depends on specific characteristics of the instability pattern, severity, recurrence and direction with adaptations made based on the needs of the patient. In general, the therapeutic program should focus on restoration of strength, normalization of range of motion and optimization of flexibility and muscular performance. Throughout all stages of
832-657: The severity, using arthroscopic surgery . The most common treatment method for a dislocation of the Glenohumeral Joint (GH Joint/Shoulder Joint) is exercise based management. Another method of treatment is to place the injured arm in a sling or in another immobilizing device in order to keep the joint stable. A 2012 Cochrane review, found no statistically significant difference in healing or long-term joint mobility between simple shoulder dislocations treated conservatively versus surgically. Some joints are more at risk of becoming dislocated again after an initial injury. This
864-407: The sleeves. Wearing an institutional straitjacket for long periods of time may cause pain for wearers. Blood pools in the elbows, causing swelling. The hands may become numb from lack of proper circulation. Bone and muscle stiffness causes the upper arms and shoulders to experience pain. Many wearers in these situations attempt to move and stretch their arms by thrashing around in their jackets, which
896-518: The straitjacket escape while hung upside down from a crane, and also did the same when placed in a sealed milk can which was filled. Houdini's (and many other illusionists ) acts showed the straitjacket in action in a variety of ways. The official "Fastest Escape from a Regulated Posey Straitjacket" is 2.84 seconds, set by Danilo Audiello at the Studio Fleming Medicina Generale, Foggia , Italy, on 11 August 2014. Straitjacket escape
928-536: The straitjacket was one of them. At the height of its use, doctors considered it more humane than restraints of ropes or chains. It prevented the patient from damaging clothes or furniture, and from injuring self, staff, or fellow inmates. Before the American Civil War , the mentally ill were often in poorhouses , workhouses , or prisons when their families could no longer care for them. Patients were forced to live with criminals and treated likewise: locked in
960-448: The strap at the back of the neck. This allows the jacket to simply be peeled off upward over the head. The straitjacket escape was popularized by Houdini, who "discovered" it. Houdini first did it behind a curtain, forcing the audience to listen to thumps while watching a billowing curtain for many minutes. He found the trick went over better when the audience could see his struggles. In a few of his later and more popular acts, he performed
992-430: The torso from above the chest to at or below the waist. They look similar to tight-fitting cotton or silk camisoles, but the straps are usually wider, the hems longer, and the stretchy, shiny fabric provides a smoothing touch. Dislocation (medicine) A joint dislocation , also called luxation , occurs when there is an abnormal separation in the joint , where two or more bones meet. A partial dislocation
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1024-404: The waist. The camisole is usually made of satin , nylon , silk , or cotton . Historically, camisole referred to jackets of various kinds, including overshirts (worn under a doublet or bodice ), women's négligées , and sleeved jackets worn by men. In modern usage, a camisole or cami is a loose-fitting sleeveless undershirt which covers the top part of the body but is shorter than
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