Compression therapy: Squeezing the pain right out of your body. See how it works

Whether you’re an elite athlete or just someone who likes staying active, aches and pains are almost unavoidable.

It’s easy to reach for a bottle of pain-relieving pills and hope it gets you through your work day or next workout.

But alternative healing such as compression therapy is becoming more popular among Americans.

Compression therapy uses inflatable sleeves that apply pressure to the legs, hips or arms. This therapy aims to increase blood flow and combats soreness, inflammation and swelling.

Dr. Collin Sheehan, owner of South Central Chiropractic in Shrewsbury, says the use of compression therapy by professional athletes has been a driving force in its growing popularity.

“You see all these top athletes using it, and they’re not getting paid for it. They just love the product and what it can do for them to get them back on the field.”

How it works

After putting on the leg stockings or arm sleeves, the device is hooked up to a number of tubes. Then you begin feeling pressure comparable to an automatic blood pressure machine at a pharmacy.

“I believe we are one of the few places around York County that has the full body compression therapy,” Sheehan said. “You can use it for your legs, hips and arms.”

 The machine takes time to calibrate to your body and then goes through numerous cycles of compression and decompression.

“It’s a compression therapy. It reduces inflammation, helps blood flow back into the tissue, helps with swelling and gives better range of motion,” Sheehan said.

Does it hurt?

The machine is controlled by a wired remote that the patient uses to adjust pressure or focus on a specific area. The pressure is gauged on a zero-to-10 scale.

“We start most people off at a 4 or 5, and then you can increase or decrease to your liking,” Sheehan said.

How often should you get treatment?

Sheehan said the frequency of treatment depends on lifestyle, but he stressed that compression therapy works for people of all walks of life.

“For your top-tier athletes, it can be almost a daily thing.  For high school athletes, a good time to use it would be after a game or a practice where they go really hard. It also works for regular Joes that are just trying to boost recovery,” he said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re training for a 5K or a marathon.”

Who can’t use it?

Sheehan said anyone with deep vein thrombosis or clotting issues should talk with a doctor before considering compression therapy.  He also said people with open sores or fractures should avoid the therapy.

Cost

The cost for compression therapy is $1 per minute. Sheehan suggests sessions no less than 30 minutes.

“It’s actually pretty reasonable for the type of therapy you are getting,” he added.

Compression therapy currently isn’t covered by health insurance.

“It’s still a relatively new product,” Sheehan said.  “I think, with time, it will be covered by a lot of medical insurances.”

Afterward

After a treatment, you can see some compression lines on your legs, but those fade quickly.

The treatment is aimed to make the treated area feel fresh and energized almost immediately after a session.

“Your legs might feel a little bit lighter and your workouts might not seem as hard,” Sheehan said.