The garment is what makes a pressotherapy unit work: the machine supplies air and the garment applies it. This section covers the shorts, extensions, air hoses and model-specific parts that go with the units in the pressotherapy range.

Everything here is chosen by compatibility rather than by preference, and that is the criterion this page is organised around.

Compatibility is per model, not per brand

This is the point that saves a return, and it works on three levels at once.

The number of chambers in the garment has to correspond to the outlets on the unit. A garment with more chambers than the machine has outlets will not sequence as intended.

The connector is not standardised. Manufacturers use their own fittings, and even within one manufacturer the connector can differ between generations of the same range. A hose that physically attaches is not proof of compatibility if the chamber count does not match.

And the reference is model-specific. Accessories in this category are listed against the units they fit, which is why the model number of the machine — not just the make — is what the selection starts from.

Garments: shorts, sleeves and belts

Each covers a different area, and each is sized rather than adjustable without limit.

Shorts cover the hip and upper leg region. Boots cover the leg from foot to thigh. Arm sleeves and abdominal belts complete the set for the units that support them.

The sizing works on length and circumference, and the adjustment range is limited: a garment that leaves a gap does not compress evenly, and one that will not close cannot be used at all. Measuring before ordering is the step that avoids both.

Extensions exist for exactly this reason: they add circumference to a garment that is otherwise the right length, and they are supplied in pairs matched to a specific garment reference rather than as a universal item.

Air hoses and connectors

The hose is the part that is handled at the start and end of every session, and the one that is most often replaced.

What to check is the number of channels, which has to match the chamber count of the garment, and the fitting at each end. A hose is not a generic component: a six-chamber belt needs a six-channel hose with the correct connector at both the machine and the garment side.

Where a hose develops a leak, the symptom is usually uneven inflation rather than an audible escape, because the pressures involved are low. If one chamber consistently fills less than the others, the hose and its connectors are the first thing to check before the machine.

Wear and replacement

Garments are the consumable of a pressotherapy system, and they fail in predictable places.

The seams and internal chamber welds take the load of every inflation cycle. The connectors are handled twice per session. Over time a garment loses pressure at one of those points, and again the symptom is uneven inflation rather than a visible tear.

Because the garment is in direct contact with skin, it also carries a cleaning routine: it cannot be autoclaved, so it is either wiped with a product the manufacturer states as compatible or used with a disposable liner underneath. Alcohol-based products degrade lower-grade coatings, and the seams show it first.

What to check before ordering

• The model number of the unit, not just the manufacturer
• Chamber count of the garment against the outlets on the machine
• Connector type at both ends of the hose
• Length and circumference of the garment, measured rather than estimated
• Whether an extension exists for the garment reference in use
• Cleaning method the manufacturer states for the garment material

Frequently asked questions

Are pressotherapy accessories interchangeable between machines?

No. Connectors are not standardised between manufacturers, and even within one manufacturer they can differ between generations of the same range. Beyond the fitting, the chamber count of the garment has to correspond to the outlets on the unit, so a hose that physically attaches is not proof of compatibility. The selection starts from the model number of the machine rather than the make.

How do I choose the right garment size?

By measuring length and circumference before ordering. The adjustment range is limited: a garment that leaves a gap does not compress evenly, and one that will not close cannot be used. Where the length is right but the circumference is short, extensions exist for that purpose, supplied in pairs matched to a specific garment reference rather than as a universal item.

What does an extension do?

It adds circumference to a garment that is otherwise the correct length. Extensions are matched to a specific garment reference and are supplied in pairs, so the reference of the garment in use is what determines which extension fits.

How many channels does the air hose need?

As many as the garment has chambers. A six-chamber belt needs a six-channel hose with the correct connector at both the machine side and the garment side. The hose is not a generic component, and it is the part handled at the start and end of every session, which is why it is the most frequently replaced.

One chamber inflates less than the others. What is it?

Usually the hose or a connector rather than the machine. At the pressures involved a leak does not make an audible escape, so the symptom appears as uneven inflation. The hose and its connectors are the first thing to check, followed by the seams and internal welds of the garment, which are where it fails with use.

How is the garment cleaned?

It is in direct contact with skin and cannot be autoclaved, so it is either wiped with a product the manufacturer states as compatible or used with a disposable liner underneath. Alcohol-based products degrade lower-grade coatings, and the seams are where it shows first.