Patent ID: 8764690

Claim:
A method for applying compression to the limb of a patient using a sleeve having: (1) an internal sleeve passage having a length along which a limb may be situated, and (2) chambers arrayed along the length of the sleeve passage, the chambers including at least: (a) a distal chamber, (b) a proximal chamber, and (c) a central chamber therebetween, the method including the ordered inflation/deflation steps of: a. inflating the distal chamber to a distal chamber inflation pressure while the proximal chamber is deflating or in a deflated state; b. inflating the central chamber to a central chamber inflation pressure while the distal chamber remains inflated to at least the distal chamber inflation pressure; c. inflating the proximal chamber to a proximal chamber inflation pressure while: (1) the central chamber remains inflated to at least the central chamber inflation pressure, and (2) the distal chamber remains inflated to at least the distal chamber inflation pressure; and d. deflating the inflated distal and central chambers while the proximal chamber remains inflated to at least the proximal chamber inflation pressure.