Pressotherapy is a treatment in which cuffs around your legs, arms, or abdomen are rhythmically inflated and deflated. This alternating pressure supports the drainage of fluid through your veins and lymphatic system. Below, you can read how the technique works, what it is used for, when it is better to avoid it, and what to look out for if you want to start using it at home.
What is pressotherapy?
Pressotherapy is a form of intermittent pneumatic compression. A device inflates the air chambers in a cuff in a fixed sequence, holds the pressure briefly, and then releases it. This pattern mimics the squeezing motion your muscles make when you walk.
That order is not random. Lymph fluid and venous blood flow from your limbs to your heart. A device therefore works from distal to proximal: from your foot towards your hip, from your hand towards your shoulder. This is called sequential compression, and it is the reason why the number of chambers matters — more chambers produce a finer, more gradual wave.
What pressotherapy does to your body
The pressure displaces stagnant fluid. As a result, the flow rate in your veins and lymphatic vessels increases, and the accumulation in the treated area decreases. This is noticeable in the case of swelling caused by fluid accumulation: the leg feels lighter and the circumference decreases.
Pressotherapy does not replace your own circulation. It supports a movement that your body normally performs on its own, and which falls short when you move little or when your veins or lymphatic vessels are not functioning properly.
What pressotherapy is used for
- Lymphedema, also after surgery in which lymph nodes have been removed
- Lipedema
- Venous insufficiency, heavy and tired legs
- Fluid retention in the legs or arms
- Recovery after sports or prolonged standing
- Swelling after a procedure, in consultation with your doctor
If you are going to use pressotherapy for a medical condition, discuss this with your doctor or physiotherapist first. They know your situation and can help determine the pressure and frequency.
When it is better not to use pressotherapy
- Acute deep venous thrombosis
- Acute inflammation of a vein or of the skin
- Erysipelas
- An untreated malignant condition in the treatment area
- Severe arterial disease or occluded arteries
- Uncontrolled heart failure
Are you unsure if any of this applies to you? Then do not start without first consulting your doctor.
What the research shows
In 2018, the University Hospital of Ferrara published a study on home pressotherapy for people with mobility difficulties, for example due to multiple sclerosis, severe obesity, or advanced osteoarthritis.
Fifty participants used a device at home for thirty days. The researchers observed a smaller circumference at six measurement points, less volume in the lower legs, more mobility in the ankle, and participants themselves reported better physical and general health.
That is one study with fifty participants. It points in a direction; it does not prove that everyone achieves the same result.
What pressure do you set?
Set the operating pressure between a quarter and half of the maximum your device can handle. More is not better: excessive pressure can strain lymphatic vessels and capillaries instead of helping them. Nymph-Devices operate between 30 and 240 mmHg, so you can start low and build up gradually.
If you feel tingling, pain, or numbness, reduce the pressure or stop.
How long does a treatment take?
A session typically lasts 30 to 60 minutes. How many sessions you need depends on your situation and varies greatly from person to person.
Regularity outweighs length. Moreover, for lymphedema, pressotherapy is rarely used alone — it is usually combined with compression stockings or bandages, and sometimes with medication. Your doctor or physiotherapist will determine this together with you.
Pressotherapy at home
Anyone who needs the treatment daily quickly runs into limitations in a practice: travel, waiting times, and costs. At home, that is eliminated, making it easier to persevere — exactly what matters with this therapy.
There is another reason that is rarely mentioned. Anyone who feels uncomfortable about swollen legs in a treatment room does not feel that way at home. That is no minor issue if it prevents you from starting.
Want to know more about the practical side? Read our guide for beginners.
What should you look for in a device for home use?
Certification. Check whether the device bears a CE marking and whether it is certified as a medical device. Our Nymph 4, 6, 8 and 8 PLUS are MDR Class IIa, certified under notified body NB 0598.
Operation. The people who use pressotherapy most often are not always the most tech-savvy. A device where you only set the time and pressure and it does the rest itself actually gets used.
Cuffs. The device is half the story; the cuffs determine which body part you can treat and whether they fit properly. Check if cuffs exist for legs, arms, and the abdomen, and if the sizes are correct.
Support. Know who the manufacturer is and whether you can contact them with questions after purchase.
Want to know which device suits your situation? Compare the models in our range , or just come and try it out — you can book a free demo in Ghent.
