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The link below is a shortcut to the Hyperice company website.  The article contains a number of videos and resources, about products, use and benefits of each.  Here at Sculpted MD Training & Recover Center, we have compression sleeves for Legs, Hips and Arms, as well as the Hypervolt percussion massage device.

How to use Hyperice devices

Article courtesy of: LCG Health Wellness & Recovery
Original article link availalbe here: https://lcgboston.com/benefits-of-normatec-therapy/

The Benefits of NormaTec Therapy

They may look like space boots, but NormaTec devices won’t take you to the moon. They will, however, propel you to a faster warm-up and workout recovery. Compression therapy has been hot in the health and fitness industry for decades. NormaTec compression boots have added a whole new level of sophistication, technology, and science to the age-old compression wear products typically found on the market. Read on to learn more. 

What is NormaTec?

Okay, so far, we know that NormaTec boots look like something that an astronaut would wear and that they are some sort of fancy shmancy compression device. But, what makes them different from a brace or even an Ace Bandage? The answer is a whole lot of technology. But don’t worry, you don’t need to purchase an in-home device to enjoy the many benefits of NormaTec. Treatment sessions are now available at many health groups nationwide, including our own! If you are located in the Boston area, book now.

You are probably wondering, “What does NormaTec do?” The technology we are referring to is compressed air on the interior of the boots. They can be programmed to perform pulse massage patterns up and down your legs, increasing blood flow, improving athletic performance, speeding up recovery after training, and relieving pain. Can your Ace Bandage do that? …We didn’t think so.

Who is NormaTec for?

NormaTec is for anyone who has legs and uses them. Seriously! While this kind of treatment will likely appeal mostly to athletes and those who are physically active, the benefit of NormaTec compression doesn’t end there. Anyone who experiences soreness from working on their feet or standing all day, or anyone prone to inflammation, can find relief in NormaTec recovery. If you work in a production or packaging warehouse, you know what we are talking about. If you work in a restaurant or hospital, running from table to table, patient to patient, you know what we are talking about. If you suffer from lymphedema (AKA chronic swelling), then you definitely know what we are talking about! Luckily, there is a solution.

How does NormaTec Work, and What Are the Benefits?

Sometimes, soreness is the result of the overuse of a muscle or joint. (This is typical in athletes.) Other times, the culprit of pain or fatigue is lactic acid. If we use running as an example, the faster you run, the more lactic acid your body produces and consumes. When you hit your maximum speed or maintain a high speed for too long, your body will produce more lactic acid than it can consume (or “clear”) from your bloodstream. 

In layman’s terms, the acid more or less builds up and gets stuck. This will prevent your muscles from being able to contract fully. When that happens, your mobility is compromised, and you aren’t going to be running anywhere. This affects your speed and your overall performance. When left as is, that build-up of lactic acid will leave you feeling very sore until your body can naturally flush it out. NormaTec treatments will speed up the lactate clearance process, reducing soreness, improving range of motion, and allowing your muscles to, once again, be able to contract fully.

NormaTec can also lower Oxidative Stress. If you aren’t aware, Oxidative Stress occurs when your body has an imbalance of free radicals and antioxidants. Free radicals can enter your system from external sources (such as environmental sources, like pollution or radiation). Sometimes they are created internally, either during normal metabolic processes or temporarily during natural immune responses. (In the latter scenario, this usually manifests in inflammation while your body is fighting an illness or infection.) 

Cells in your body naturally produce some of the necessary antioxidants to fight the free radicals in your system. Your diet can also aid in adding antioxidants (and, who doesn’t love blueberries?) If you are not watching what you eat, staying active, or if you are a victim of environmental factors, your balance can quickly get out of whack. Oxidative Stress can contribute to faster aging and many other health complications. Given that the entire West coast has basically been on fire for the past several weeks, creating terrible air quality nationwide (Hello, free radicals. Please be gone now!), we know that some of you really understand what Oxidative Stress feels like. Luckily, another awesome benefit of NormaTec is that it lowers your Oxidative Stress levels.

Another benefit of treatments is an increased level of RPS-6, which is an essential protein for rebuilding and repairing muscles. When you exercise, the fibers in your muscles tear. Your body rebuilds them, and they come back stronger. With added levels of RPS-6, this process can occur much faster. The treatments also increase eNOS, which is a precursor to Nitric oxide. Among other beneficial cell processes, Nitric oxide widens blood vessels (this is known as vasodilation), increasing the flow of oxygen and nutrients to your muscles. This greatly enhances athletic performance. 

NormaTec Compression Therapy also increases peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator (okay, now say it really fast, five times in a row!) Only joking; it is shortened to PGC1alpha. This plays a key role in regulating cellular energy metabolism, as it participates in the regulation and metabolization of both carbohydrates and lipids. As your PGC1alpha levels rise, you will experience an increase in energy (and, therefore, stronger athletic performance). Users will also experience a thermography impact on the treated and contralateral limb. This is an indicator of improved systematic circulation.

So, what do you say? Is it time to ditch the compression braces and Ace Bandages? Those devices temporarily prevent blood from flowing to a particular area. When they are removed, the blood rushes back to that area, which provides a momentary sensation of relief. With NormaTec boots, the manipulation of blood flow and stimulated response is constant and calculated. The benefits are much greater and longer-lasting.