Normatec Lymphatic Massage Boots

How Does It Work

Normatec are compression boots that use dynamic air compression to advance your wellness, recover faster, improve mobility and circulation.

It's a gentle form of massage that focuses on the lymphatic system, which is part of the immune system. Your lymph system includes organs, vessels, and tissues that move or drain a water-like fluid called lymph from other parts of your body into your bloodstream.

Lymphatic drainage massage is especially helpful if you have lymphedema, which happens when lymph fluid doesn't go back to your blood the way it should and stays in other parts of your body.

Your lymphatic system is an important part of your immune system. It keeps fluids in your body balanced and protects you against infections. Your lymphatic vessels, collecting ducts, tissues, and organs drain extra lymph fluid that leaks into your tissues from tiny blood vessels (capillaries). If your lymphatic system doesn't work right or is blocked, you'll end up with extra fluid in your tissues.

Your lymphatic system also includes:

Bone marrow. This soft, spongy tissue in your bones makes blood cells.

Thymus. Immune T cells mature in this organ in your chest.

Tonsils and adenoids. These structures in your throat and nasal cavity trap germs in food you eat and air you breathe.

Spleen. This large lymphatic organ under your ribs and above your stomach filters old or damaged cells from your blood.

Lymph nodes. These glands in your neck, armpits, and groin filter viruses or bacteria from your lymph fluid is it moves through them.

Mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT). The thin mucous membrane lining your tonsils, airways, small intestine, and appendix helps to find and rid you of germs.

Lymphatic drainage massage may help treat other health problems, too. Some conditions may improve more with the massage than others.

Studies have found some lymphatic massage benefits for conditions including:

Rheumatoid arthritis. If you have rheumatoid arthritis, you may have poor lymph flow as the disease gets worse. Along with tissue swelling, pain in the joints increases, joints lose their function, and the skin changes color. Lymph drainage massage can help ease these later-stage rheumatoid arthritis symptoms.

Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI). Chronic venous insufficiency is when the valves or walls of the veins that are in the legs don't work well. This makes it hard for the blood to flow back to the heart from the legs.‌ Lymphatic drainage massage can help increase the speed of blood flow in people with CVI.

The massage can make the femoral artery – the large artery in the thigh – perform better right after the session. It's unclear how long this impact lasts or whether the massage provides long-term relief from pain and swelling. Further research in this area would help shed more light on how well this massage technique works on CVI.

‌Fibromyalgia. Lymph drainage massage may help people with fibromyalgia. This condition causes inflammation of the skin nerves, discoloration of the skin, and tissue swelling. The massage has been shown to be better than connective tissue massage in treating depression, stiffness, and improving quality of life for those living with fibromyalgia.

Lipedema. This is the name for when you have lymphedema from fat in your lower body that blocks lymph from draining through your lymphatic system.