BodyGuard ™ Custom Compression Garments

The Antibody concept is derived from its biological definition of the word, “antibody,” described as a protective protein produced by the immune system in response to the presence of a harmful antigen. Antibodies detect and attach themselves to these harmful antigens in order to remove them. The result of getting a disease is that it leaves us with an antibody to that disease, so that a second attack is infrequent.

The BodyGuard ™

The BodyGuard ™ is a protective compression short produced by Antibody Inc. in response to the presence of harmful muscle injuries. The BodyGuard™ is designed to compress, attach and thereby transfer the stored elastic energy of rubber onto the surface of the human body to reduce/eliminate those muscle injuries. The patented (U.S. patent No.5,957,878) BodyGuard™ compression shorts are designed to assist athletes/weekend warriors, with controlling minor to intermediate strains and soft tissue injuries.

Shortly after conceiving the idea to create the garment, Antibody’s President, Phil Gilliam, an engineer by trade, worked to make it a reality. Mr. Gilliam realized that what was needed was a device to completely envelope the lower back, hips, groin, hamstring and thighs to completely control and distribute all of the strain and impact in those areas. This theoretical mechanism for healing and rehabilitating was not on the market. “I found that nothing available could supply all these benefits without being bulky, restrictive, uncomfortable or just plain ineffective.”

Logic suggested that the device needed to be compressing, attaching, supporting, massaging with heat and offering protection from impact and any further damage during rehabilitation. Mr. Gilliam worked to create, what he refers to as a “second layer of skin” that would attach to, move with and become one with the body, allowing it to breathe and circulate the body’s own heat to keep muscles warm during athletic activity. Several designs later, the finished product provided was the Bodyguard™. It could breathe; evenly distribute heat, absorb impact, and compress/attach to the strained muscle, providing added protection. Mainly, it could transfer the stored elastic energy of rubber onto the surface of human muscle.

The Antibody Theory

If you customize an elastic material using a hyper-compressive design and attach it to the body, you can the transfer stored elastic energy of rubber directly onto the surface of the human body. This energy can protect muscle from strain and impact, while the compression reduces muscle vibration and fatigue and enhances performance. The elastic material must have sufficient thermal properties to circulate the body heat.

Anticipating the effect the Bodyguard™ could have on controlling soft-tissue injuries, Mr. Gilliam collaborated with Dr. William J. Kraemer PhD, a world-renowned Sports Physiologist at the Ball State University Human Performance Laboratory to conduct an Ergonomic Study of the effects of the Bodyguard™ compression shorts. The Study results were released in 2001. When results were in, Mr. Gilliam’s theories were confirmed; he had, indeed, designed a garment that could reduce muscle vibration and fatigue, decrease muscle warm-up time, absorb between 11% and 26% direct impact and, through the use of stored elastic energy, create enormous torque in the hips creating the mechanism to reduce groin and hamstring injuries. Knowing that this concept would provide positive change in the world of sports, Mr. Gilliam proceeded in putting Bodyguard™ on the market for other injured athletes and weekend warriors alike; thus, the successful beginning of the Antibody Inc. Bodyguard™ customized compression shorts.