Have you ever seen someone wearing a tight-looking sock on their arms or legs? Did you wonder why they were wearing it? If so, there’s probably a good chance it was a compression sock. Compression socks are one instrument used in order to deliver compression therapy. Compression therapy is a form of treatment used to help blood flow and circulation, in addition to a variety of issues such as swelling and vein problems.  

There are several ways someone can implement compression therapy. Compression socks are probably one of the most common and widely used methods to perform this type of treatment. However, thanks to the advances of technology these days, there’s a much more efficient and powerful way. The Normatec (Hyperice) air compression system is a patent precision pulse technology that delivers compression therapy. It helps to increase circulation, revive muscles, and reduce swelling.  

What is Compression Therapy? 

Before we get into the details about why the Normatec is so great, let’s first dive into more specifics on what compression therapy actually is. Compression therapy uses controlled pressure to increase blood flow in certain areas of the body and increase blood flow to the heart. It also supports your veins and decreases swelling.  

Common conditions or symptoms that compression therapy helps treat include: 

• Lymphedema (swelling) and pain in the legs 
• Wounds (specifically ulcers)  
• Vein problems 
• Prevention of blood clots after surgery  
• Nausea and dizziness  

A variety of people can benefit from implementing compression therapy. Compression therapy can be helpful for people who stand or sit for long periods of time; women who are pregnant and are experiencing vein issues; people with varicose veins; athletes who participate in rigorous training; long distance runners; older adults who suffer from chronic venous insufficiency (CVT) or reoccurring ulcers; people who have suffered acute injuries such as an ankle sprain, shin splints or knee injury; diabetics and more.  

A variety of methods can be used to deliver compression therapy. As mentioned, one of the oldest and most popular ways is through a compression sleeve or sock. Compression wraps and bandages are also an option. But the one in particular we want to discuss today is a mechanical compression device, called Normatec, that uses dynamic air compression to create a restorative massage and improve mobility. 

How does Normatec Compression Therapy work? 

Normatec was designed by an MD, PhD. It is the most scientifically proven device to increase circulation, and reduce swelling and inflammation. Normatec’s compression therapy increases circulation and helps maintain a full range of motion in the muscles. This also helps increase the safety and efficiency of performing an exercise or motion. It is also a great device to help warm up the muscles faster. This prepares them to perform and receive treatment.  

Normatec is proven to help with lymphatic drainage, decrease pain and soreness and reduce the likelihood of DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness). Top athletes and sport medicine professionals love using Normatec to take their performance and recovery to the next level.  

Why do chiropractors use Normatec Compression Therapy? 

But don’t be confused. Normatec isn’t just for athletes. Our doctors use compression therapy on a variety of types of patients and have seen tremendous results. A chiropractor will use Normatec technology for: 

• Exercise/sports recovery: help reduce soreness from working out, training program, delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) 
• Edema/lymphatic drainage – systematic like diabetes or acute injury such as ankle sprain, shin splints, or knee injury 
• Post-surgery swelling  
• Increase flexibility and range of motion: research that shows that compression therapy can help increase flexibility and range of motion. This can have beneficial impacts on athlete performance.  

How does Normatec Compression System work? 

Normatec works by using inflatable “sleeve-type” attachments that you wrap around your legs, arms or hips. Once you have placed the inflatable sleeves on your desired body part/muscle group, a control unit is used to set the time, pressure and zones. 

Even though you can order a Normatec to have at home, there are several benefits to using this type of device at a chiropractor’s office. One of the benefits of using Normatec at a chiropractic office is that a doctor can know the right amount of time and types of pressure to apply depending on the injury or area of concern. They can also use this type of treatment in conjunction with other treatments to build the most effective and successful treatment plan. Not to mention, these great and powerful devices aren’t cheap! Lastly, if you are using Normatec for an acute injury or single-occurring event, you might not want to pay a bunch of money to use it just one or two times.  

Natural Treatment 

Compression therapy is a great natural and holistic form of treatment. Similar to dry needling, cupping, or cryotherapy, its goal is to help encourage the body’s natural ability to heal itself. As natural treatment providers, we want to ensure that our patients are not only receiving the best kind of treatment but also the safest. We love implementing these types of technologies in our clinics because not only do they work, but they don’t risk further drug-dependency issues and work to get to the root cause of the problem. We want our patients and athletes to perform their best (naturally)!   

Get Treated at Kaizo Health  

Our goal at Kaizo Health is to always get you back to feeling 100%. Not only will our doctors provide treatment to help you be pain-free, but we also have a dedicated team that will work with you and your insurance to make sure you get the most from your benefits so that you can experience relief for as little cost to you as possible. If you are ready to experience relief from the pain, make an appointment to see us now.  

At Kaizo Health, our world-class team of chiropractors in Rockville, MD; Landover, MD; Fort Washington, MD; and Fairfax, VA, practices an evidence-based approach combining chiropractic care and guided, individualized rehabilitative exercises prescription. We provide the treatment and resources you need to recover your health and strength as best-in-class, state-of-the-art chiropractors. We are here to help! In the meantime, make sure that you check out our blog for more information on the chiropractic field, as well as our free virtual self-assessment chiropractic web app here.