Compression therapy is used to mitigate the post-operative limb swelling that is commonly associated with knee arthroscopy surgery too. It is also widely used to treat blood circulatory problems and even to improve athletic performance. But it does come with its own risk factors.
So is it good for legs? We have asked the same to the orthopaedic doctor in Mumbai Dr Chirag Patel and compiled the blog with his inputs. Read on to know the answer:
Benefits of Compression Therapy: Do They Outweigh Risks?
The mild squeeze compresses the muscles and pushes the blood to flow more efficiently and cuts down the risk of pooling inside the body. It is common to use compression for preventing swelling in case of trauma or injury but the compression can provide far more benefits:
Helps Treat Vein Problems: Poor blood circulation can make veins pop. Over time this circulation problem can build pressure inside the veins resulting in swollen or twisted veins. This over time can impede blood circulation to the heart. Compression therapy can alleviate this condition and even solve the issue without the need for any other treatments.
Reduces Swelling Related to Cancer Treatments: Cancer treatments that involve lymph nodes can cause arm, neck or leg swelling. When the body isn’t able to clear the liquid on its own, compression therapy can help drain the liquid.
May Help Reduce Cellulite: Cellulite can be a tough pill to digest for women. Researchers are still finding the causes of this condition which compression therapy can solve.
Improves Muscle Function, Flexibility and Athletic Performance: compression keeps the muscles warm which increases their performance and flexibility. This is found to help improves the athletic performance of the sportspersons which is why compression therapy is used by athletes to gain improvement in performance.
Improves Blood Circulation in Pregnant Women: Pregnancy can put a lot of strain on the lower back and abdomen of women reducing the circulation of blood. Using compression maternity pantyhose or even thigh-high stockings is found to cut down the risk of varicose veins or swollen feet caused by these circulation problems.
Risks of Compression Therapy
Like every other treatment compression therapy also has its risk- but its chance of occurrence is rare. These risks include skin irritation, fungal or bacterial infection, pain or discomfort, swelling of the toe or foot and tissue damage.
So to answer your question: Is compression therapy good for legs? The benefits far outweigh the risks which are rare and superficial in nature. So yes, compression therapy can be an effective treatment for circulation problems in legs only when performed by an expert vascular specialists.
Leg Compression
Though compression therapy is highly beneficial to treat circulation problems in the leg it must always be performed after consultation to ensure positive results. Individuals who perform compression therapy at home must remember that proper consultation is necessary to avoid the risk factors mentioned above.