Compression diligence
This is the standard a compression supplier satisfies in writing before purchase, and the basis on which an installed unit is verified. The dose in compression is pressure, so the decisive answers are about delivered pressure, calibration and sequencing, rather than the headline programme list.
The verdict is green, amber or red. A manufacturer with a real product answers these quickly, and hesitation, redirection to marketing language, or commercial sensitivity, is itself the verdict.
What pressure is actually delivered, in mmHg, against what is displayed, and how is it calibrated and maintained?
The dose in compression is pressure. Displayed and delivered pressure can diverge, and an uncalibrated unit is guessing.
Is compression sequential, peristaltic or uniform, and how are zones controlled?
The pattern of compression, and not only its strength, drives the intended circulatory effect.
What cycle durations and protocols are recommended, for what outcome, and on what basis?
Duration and pattern make the protocol. Without them the device is a sensation, not an intervention.
What size range is available, and how does fit affect the pressure actually delivered to the limb?
A poorly fitted garment delivers a different pressure than the display shows, so sizing is a dose issue and not only a matter of comfort.
How are vascular contraindications, including clot risk, screened, and what pressure safety limits apply?
Compression is contraindicated in several vascular conditions. Screening is a safety requirement.
How are shared garments cleaned between users?
Garments contact skin and sweat. A cleaning regime is a basic hygiene requirement for shared use.
What is the expected pump and valve life, and how does delivered pressure drift over time?
Pumps and valves wear and delivered pressure drifts, so a unit correct when new under-doses later.
Is delivered pressure independently verified, and for each claimed benefit, what evidence supports it at the actual pressures and protocols used?
Compression has a moderate but real evidence base for recovery and circulation. Claims should match it and not overreach.
Assigning the verdict
The pattern matters more than any single answer. Where this set escalates to verification, the questions above become the measurement plan: delivered pressure confirmed on the bench with a calibrated gauge across the cycle.
How a verdict is reached sets out the wider framework, and the modality taxonomy places this channel among the other nine.