Patent ID: 7377410

Claim:
A method of donning a garment comprising: inserting an expandable layer into a support garment to be donned, said expandable layer sufficiently gas tight to expand said support garment; inserting said garment and expandable layer into a donning chamber having a vacuum source; utilizing said vacuum source to draw a sufficient vacuum within said donning chamber so as to expand said expandable layer and said garment so that said garment pre-stretches by a sufficient amount to assist in the donning of said garment; donning said expandable layer and said garment after said garment has been pre-stretched and while said garment remains expanded by said vacuum source; evacuating the vacuum from said donning chamber; removing the donned garment from said donning chamber; and removing at least a portion of said expandable layer from underneath said garment after said garment has been donned without removing said garment, wherein said garment applies intended pressure to a subject.