The science of compression

How compression supports better recovery

Air compression has been studied for decades. Here’s what the research tells us, and how we’ve built it into Compression and Compression PRO: four overlapping chambers that squeeze from foot to thigh, with up to 250mmHg on PRO.

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  • Try it for 60 days

The evidence

Decades of research.

Researchers have studied air compression around the legs since the 1930s. The idea of copying the calf muscle pump from the outside goes back more than 50 years.

Sports scientists started looking at it for recovery more recently. That research is younger and smaller, and it grows every year.

  • 1970the year researchers first described an air legging built to copy the calf muscle pump
  • 17studies in one 2024 review of compression for sports recovery
  • 20–30minthe most common session length in that review

Source: PubMed search for pneumatic compression in titles and abstracts, October 2026. Review: Maia et al., 2024.

How Compression PRO is designed

Built to move from foot to thigh

Your calves do a lot of squeezing on their own. Every time you walk, they tighten and relax with each step. When you sit or rest, that rhythm stops.

Compression boots work on the same idea from the outside. Four overlapping chambers fill in order, from your foot up to your thigh, then let go, so the squeeze always travels in one direction.

Pressure sensors read every chamber in real time and adjust it to the shape of your leg, so the squeeze stays even from top to bottom.

12 pressure levels

40mmHg, gentle250mmHg, firm

A Compression PRO boot standing upright, with its four air chambers outlined: foot, calf, lower thigh and upper thigh.
  1. 04Upper thighFills last
  2. 03Lower thighOverlaps the calf
  3. 02CalfOverlaps the foot
  4. 01FootFills first
  • 4Overlapping chambersFoot to upper thigh
  • 250mmHgMaximum pressureAdjustable from 40mmHg
  • 3ModesSequence, Circulation and Combination

Why pressure matters

A firmer squeeze, when you want it

Pressure is what you feel. Compression PRO runs from a gentle 40mmHg to a firm 250mmHg across 12 levels, and Compression goes up to 200mmHg. Start gentle and build up to the squeeze that suits you.

One cycle, chamber by chamberSEQUENCECIRCULATIONCOMBINATION
Upper thighLower thighCalfFootStart of cycleTime →All releaseUpper thighLower thighCalfFootStart of cycleTime →SequenceCirculationUpper thighLower thighCalfFootStart of cycleTime →
  • Chamber inflated
  • Chamber released

The science

What is sequential compression?

Choose a mode to see how the chambers fill

Sequential pneumatic compression is the scientific name for what the boots do. Air chambers wrap the leg and inflate in order, starting at the foot, then release.

The order is the point. A squeeze that starts at the foot and travels up the leg feels like one smooth wave, rather than four separate squeezes.

Sequence, the default. Each chamber inflates to your chosen pressure and releases before the next one starts. Short, rolling bursts of compression that never hold one area for long.

Circulation. Chambers fill one after another, foot first, and hold until all four are inflated. Then they release together. The longest, most continuous squeeze of the three.

Combination. Sequence and Circulation in one alternating cycle: a rolling wave, then a full build from foot to thigh, then round again.

Inside your legs

What happens when the boots inflate?

Four steps, from the first chamber filling to the release. Tap a step, or use the arrows.

01Foot02Calf03Lower thigh04Upper thighFoot to thigh01Chamber 1 fills at the foot02The squeeze travels up the leg03Valves stop blood slipping back04Veins refill, ready to go again

01The foot chamber fills

Air fills the chamber around your foot first and presses gently all the way round.

02The squeeze moves up

The next chambers fill in turn, calf then thigh. Because they overlap, the squeeze travels up the leg as one smooth wave.

03The squeeze reaches the thigh

The wave carries on through the overlapping chambers, so you feel one smooth squeeze from foot to thigh.

04The chambers release

The chambers let go and your legs get a moment's rest. Then the wave starts again from the foot, working much like your calf muscles do when you walk, while you sit back and rest.

Step 1 of 4
Step 2 of 4
Step 3 of 4
Step 4 of 4

Why compression

The benefits of compression

A simple way to help your legs feel fresher. Here is what people reach for it for.

  • LIGHTER LEGS

    Legs that feel lighter

    4chambers, working from foot to thigh

    After a long run, a long shift or a long day on your feet, let the boots work the heaviness out while you put your feet up.

  • RECOVERY

    Bounce back after training

    15–60minute sessions

    Make it part of your cool-down, so your legs feel ready for the next session sooner.

  • PRESSURE

    A squeeze you can feel

    250mmHg at the top setting

    Twelve levels, from a gentle 40mmHg to a firm 250mmHg. Start easy and build up.

  • UNWIND

    Time to switch off

    3modes to choose from

    A slow, rhythmic, massage-like squeeze that makes it easy to sit back and switch off.

  • FULL BODY

    Hips and arms too

    +2attachments for Compression PRO

    Add the Hip attachment for your glutes, hips and lower back, or the Arm attachment for your shoulders, arms and hands. Same controller, same wave.

Meet Compression PRO

Four chambers. One wireless recovery system.

Compression PRO pairs up to 250mmHg of adaptive pressure with four overlapping chambers, in a wireless design you can take anywhere.

Shop Compression PRO

  • Up to 250mmHg

    Our most powerful compression yet, adjustable across 12 levels from 40mmHg, with a pump built for faster inflation.

  • Four overlapping chambers

    Foot, calf, lower thigh and upper thigh. Each one overlaps the next, so the squeeze never stops short.

  • Wireless, with a 3-hour battery

    A touch-screen controller shows live pressure, your timer and the active chamber. No plug needed mid-session.

  • Ready for hips and arms

    Add the Hip and Arm attachments to take the same compression beyond your legs.

Why Compression PRO?

More pressure, for less.

Compression PRO compared with other leading compression boots
FeatureOther leading brandsPulsio Compression PRO
Maximum pressureUp to about 110mmHgUp to 250mmHg
Pressure rangeAbout 20 to 110mmHg40 to 250mmHg, in 12 levels
PriceAbout £550 to £900£399.99
WirelessVariesUp to 3 hours per charge
Hip and arm attachmentsVariesBoth available

Other leading brands: the best-known premium compression boots sold in the UK, from their published specifications and UK prices, October 2026.

Compression PRO boots and controllerCompression PRO in use on the sofaCompression PRO in use after a gym sessionThe Compression PRO touch-screen controllerCompression PRO with the Hip and Arm attachments

Compression PRO

Pro-level compression, from foot to thigh.

Compression PRO brings up to 250mmHg of adaptive pressure across four overlapping chambers, wirelessly, wherever you recover.

£399.99Sizes X-Small to Large

  • Up to 250mmHg12 levels from 40mmHg, so you can start gently and build up.
  • Four overlapping chambersFoot, calf, lower thigh and upper thigh, in one smooth wave.
  • Three modesSequence, Circulation and Combination, with 15 to 60 minute sessions.
  • Wireless and full-bodyUp to 3 hours per charge, with optional Hip and Arm attachments.

Four chambers. 250mmHg. One wireless recovery system.

Shop Compression PRO
  • Free UK delivery
  • Try it for 60 days

What the evidence says

What the research says

Summaries of studies and reviews looking at air compression for recovery.

SMALL BENEFITSorenessMuscle function

Muscle soreness

After exercise

17 studies319 people

Across 17 studies, compression after exercise gave small improvements in muscle function and in how sore people felt.

Maia et al., 2024
SHORT-TERMFatigueSoreness

Muscle fatigue

After a 161km ultramarathon

1 trial72 runners

One 20-minute session after the race lowered how fatigued runners’ muscles felt straight afterwards. It made no difference to soreness or running times over the next week.

Hoffman et al., 2016
EARLY EVIDENCERange of motion

Flexibility

Forward splits

1 trial9 people

Fifteen minutes of compression improved forward-split flexibility more than the same session with the leggings left uninflated.

Sands et al., 2014

The studies used different devices, pressures and session lengths. They did not test Pulsio boots, but help explain the wider research behind air compression.

FAQ

Your questions, answered

Need help choosing? Our UK team is happy to talk it through.

Get in touch
Can I try it at home first?

Yes. Try it for 60 days, and if it isn’t right for you, send it back for a full refund.

How long is a session?

Compression PRO sessions can be set from 15 to 60 minutes, in 5-minute steps. Compression offers 20, 25 or 30 minutes.

Which mode should I use?

Sequence is the default: short, rolling bursts, one chamber at a time. Circulation builds from foot to thigh and holds before releasing. Combination alternates the two. Try each and use the one that feels best.

How much pressure should I use?

Start low and build up. The squeeze should feel firm but comfortable. If it ever feels painful, or you get tingling or numbness, lower the pressure or stop.

Is it safe?

Air compression is non-invasive. Don't use it over broken skin or a fresh injury.

If you have a medical condition, are pregnant or have recently had surgery, check with your GP before using it.

What is the difference between Compression and Compression PRO?

Both have four overlapping chambers, three modes and smart pressure sensing. Compression PRO goes up to 250mmHg across 12 levels, is wireless with up to 3 hours per charge, and works with the Hip and Arm attachments. Compression goes up to 200mmHg, isn’t wireless and doesn’t take the attachments.

What size do I need?

Both come in X-Small, Small, Medium and Large, and suit most people between 5’0” and 6’4”. Check the size chart on the product page. If you are between sizes, size down.

Is there research behind air compression?

Yes. Air compression has been studied for decades, and sports scientists have been testing it for recovery since the 1990s. In sport, studies often find people feel less sore or less fatigued after a session, though the effects are small and not every study agrees. The studies on this page used a range of devices, pressures and session lengths. They did not test Pulsio boots.

What are the key specifications?
  • Up to 250mmHg, 12 levels from 40mmHg
  • 4 overlapping chambers: foot, calf, lower thigh, upper thigh
  • 3 modes: Sequence, Circulation, Combination
  • Sessions from 15 to 60 minutes, in 5-minute steps
  • Real-time pressure sensing
  • Wireless controller, up to 3 hours per charge
  • Works with the Hip and Arm attachments

Pulsio compression boots are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.