1/4 Intermittent Pneumatic Compression Therapy Treatment

Four separate appointments across two weeks of treatment which will include massage and wrapping/bandaging.

Today I had my first stage of the two week intermittent pneumatic compression therapy treatment. Prior to the appointment, I was apprehensive as this was the first type of treatment aside from compression garments which I was receiving. Before the appointment I completed a full SLD massage therapy treatment. The IPCT treatment began by putting on a loose cotton leg protection my skin for during the massage. Then (as shown below) a large sleeping bag like machine called an inflatable auxiliary sleeve was attached and secured around my leg. As the machine was turned on, ball like pressures of air move up my leg starting at the foot and slowly working up to my thigh. Each time it reached my thigh the machine would stop and the pressures would repeat back at my foot, increasing pressures with each round. This is a sequential treatment which repeated for only half an hour and was completely pain free. Following the pressure massage, my leg was coated in surgical emollient before bandaging. To start wrapping, the end of my foot and toes were wrapped in a thin bandaging material so that they wouldn't swell during the full leg wrap. After this, a padding was wrapped around the base of my leg up to my knee which was taped in place before being covered with a self adhesive plaster. Once the bottom of my leg was complete, I has to stand up and have a small bend in my knee while they repeated the same bandaging process around my knee and thigh, up to my groin area. There is little mobility which allows walking but I cannot bend my leg more than 90° as this causes discomfort and numbness across my foot.