What is pneumatic compression therapy?

A dynamic or pneumatic compression system, is a compressor unit linked to a specialised garment which has various chambers (or pockets) which inflate and deflate with air pumped by the compressor such that the chamber of the garment applies direct pressure to the muscle area. The compression temporarily restricts blood circulation to the area and upon release, nutrient-rich blood rushes through the muscle tissue. The compression technique improves blood circulation, promotes lymphatic fluid movement, helps remove lactic acid, reduces inflammation, soreness, stiffness and improves flexibility thus stimulating recovery and enhancing performance.

Air Relax pneumatic compression system is supported by science

Air Relax designed its sport recovery system based on clinically proven methods to increase an athlete’s circulation, reduce fatigue and soreness and improve their preformance. We believe recovery should form an integral part of every club’s, athlete’s, coach’s training plan or physiotherapist’s service to sport orientated clients. Our team and network of professional triathletes, physical therapists, personal trainers, coaches and nutritional consultants combined with degrees in Molecular Medicine, Engineering and Physiology back the clinical research with their expertise to bring you the best in sports recovery and treatment technology.

The science

Research Studies

Compression Therapy Enhances an Athletes Pressure-To-Pain Threshold

Peristaltic pulse dynamic compression helps increase an athlete’s pressure-to-pain threshold and reduces muscular tenderness and stiffness which are common symptoms of fatigue and exercise-induced muscle microtrauma and edema.

Sequential Pulse Compression helps with Treatment of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS)

Exercise-induced muscle damage or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) affects an athlete’s performance at all levels due to sorenss, inflammation, decreased strength. The treatment of pneumatic compression increases blood flow to alleviate these symptoms. A 30 minute treatment can help manage DOMS.

Dynamic Compression Enhances Range of Motion

Flexibility is a key component of physical fitness in many sports and a 15 minute session of dynamic compression has been shown to improve an athletes Rang of Motion (ROM).

Pneumatic Compression Helps Reduces Blood Lactate Levels

Compression therapy improves recovery time between training sessions and competition. Results show that during the recovery phase, a dynamic compression system is more effective than passive recovery at removing lactic acid following anaerobic exercise.

Sequential Compression helps Decrease Muscle Fatigue after Acute Exercise

Pneumatic compression increases flexibility and reduces select skeletal muscle oxidative stress and proleolusis markers during recovery from heavy resistance exercise.

Shown To Increase Regional Blood Flow During Compression Treatment

Localised limb blood flow function in the arms and legs have been shown to significantly increase after 1 hour of dynamic compression.