Founded in 2010, OMT-Fysioterapia Huttunen is a physiotherapy clinic based in Nokia, Southern Finland. Since the beginning, we have specialised in treating musculoskeletal disorders. Our Finnish motto is “Hyvinvointisi asiantuntijat yhdellä oven avauksella”, meaning that our services bring together wellbeing experts specialising in many different areas of health and wellbeing, all under one roof. In addition to orthopaedic manipulative physical therapy (OMT), we provide physiotherapy, sports massage, acupuncture, nutrition and sports coaching and testing at our clinic. Thanks to our broad range of specialisations, we can help customers in many different situations. However, what happens beyond the clinic is also important.

Although people often come to us for treatment for a specific injury or condition, we always emphasise the importance of looking at the person’s overall situation. For example, even if two people have very similar symptoms, their symptoms may have very different underlying causes. For this reason, treatment planning and provision must be individualised based on the client’s goals. However, the biggest impact on a person’s health is their own activities, both at work and during leisure time. With this in mind, we wanted to offer our customers more ways to improve their wellbeing, for example by promoting recovery after strenuous physical activity. And Cloudboots are a very effective tool for achieving this.  

Use of compression treatment in our clinic

Compression therapies have long been used in healthcare for treating various injuries. Their effects in the management of inflammation, swelling and pain have been widely researched.

After surgery or injury, it is typical for swelling to occur due to increased internal bleeding and the accumulation of tissue fluid in the affected area. This often causes pain and stiffness of the tissue, and can sometimes even lead to loss of muscle function. Tissue stiffness and pain make it difficult to move and heal from the injury. This type of tissue swelling is normal immediately after an injury or surgery, but manual therapy, the right kind of exercise, and compression treatment can help to speed up recovery.

In physiotherapy, we use compression therapy as a supportive treatment, depending on the customer’s needs. For example, the initial phase of rehabilitation after knee replacement surgery focuses on reducing swelling. This allows for better joint mobilisation and activation of the muscle, and a return to exercise or training. The same principle applies to the treatment of injuries that do not require surgery.

Compression therapy is suitable for many uses, but in the case of certain cardiovascular conditions and skin diseases its suitability should be assessed case by case. In addition, if a person has blood circulation problems, they should check with their doctor before beginning compression therapy.

Supporting recovery

Our clients include people who engage in all levels of physical activity. For professional athletes and people who work under heavy strain, for example, the need for effective recovery is emphasized. Severe physical strain increases the activity of the body’s inflammatory mechanisms and slows down metabolic activity in the tissues. This, in turn, leads to delayed recovery and increased risk of injury.

The mechanisms are also quite similar if a person is immobile for one reason or another, but in such cases the swelling is caused by the lack of muscle activity. This leads to impaired blood circulation, causing fluid to accumulate in the lower limbs.

Our clients mainly use compression therapy to promote recovery, both after sports and everyday physical strain. The way Cloudboots legs and pants are used is planned with each customer individually. We offer a range of treatments in our facilities, and our clients are also welcome to try out different Cloudboots models. After injury or surgery, we often use the Active model, which is also popular for home use. For athletes and frequent travellers, the Rogue model is very practical because of its battery power.

Artikkeli Cloudboots: the ideal aid for professionals julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran CLOUDBOOTS.

When choosing the right size for the boots, the most important measurement is the inside leg length. Since the proportions of the body vary significantly from person to person, the height of the user may not have anything to do with the size of the boots. The easiest way to measure the inside leg length is to stand next to a wall without shoes and with a book as high between your legs as possible and to measure the distance between the floor and the back of the book.

If your inside leg length is 82 cm or less, the best boot size for you is M. If your inside leg length is more than 82 cm, the best boot size for you is L. If you are between sizes, we recommend choosing the longer boots. The boots in size L are suitable for inside leg lengths of up to about 95 cm. Since July 2022, our selection also includes boots in size XL, which will be perfect for those volleyball and basketball players who have been enquiring after our products in their size. If you are in doubt about which size to get, you can request a test period, come visit us and test the products on site or contact us. We are happy to help you find the best size!

You should pull the boots as high up to your crotch as possible. Only the tips of your toes should be visible, so that your entire leg and foot are treated. If you have several users of different sizes in your family and only wish to get one device, choose the size based on the tallest user. In all the models, individual chambers can be closed so that, for example, a person with a shorter inside leg length can also use L-sized boots without any problems. The dimensions of the boots are provided below.

Artikkeli CHOOSING THE RIGHT SIZE julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran CLOUDBOOTS.

We at Cloudboots were wondering how we could make compression therapy even more effective. The first thing was to add compression boots and shorts to our range. Then we thought about combining the benefits of these two great products and added compression pants to our range. If you need compression on more than just the legs, choose pants, as they put a comfortable pressure on the lower back and stomach and particularly on the gluteal muscles. 

The large gluteal muscles extend the hip, for example, whereas the medial and small gluteal muscles are in charge of abducting the thighs. The gluteal muscles play an important role in our everyday lives, and we couldn’t stand or walk without them. In sports requiring explosive strength, the role of the gluteal muscles is much bigger than that of quadriceps, for example. 

Why on earth should this particularly important muscle group be overlooked?

Both the Cloudboots boots and pants are available for all our models.

Artikkeli BOOTS OR PANTS? julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran CLOUDBOOTS.

• Choosing the right size is key. Click here to find the size that suits you best.

• If you are using Cloudboots for recovery after a workout, try to start the treatment within an hour afterwards.

• Before you start, make sure that the pressure hoses are not twisted, and do not sit on them. 

• Compression therapy is most effective lying down or with your feet up. This will ensure that there is no backflow, and that the metabolites in your leg muscles flow in the right direction.

• Make sure you stay hydrated. The use of Cloudboots intensifies the circulation of fluids in the body, which for many people results in them needing to go to the toilet more frequently. Make sure you drink enough before, during and immediately after the compression treatment. 

• Take your time when using your Cloudboots. Always aim for a treatment session of between 30 and 60 minutes.

• Do not set the pressure too high. Everyone experiences the pressure produced by the Cloudboots individually, and high pressure won’t always give the best results. Always remember that the treatment is supposed to feel good! Finding the right pressure is an individual matter, which depends on how your body feels that day, and of course on your leg circumference.

• If some parts of your legs or feet are particularly sore, you can deactivate the chambers in those areas. This is good if you feel that a muscle group is too sensitive for the Cloudboots to massage this time round. Also note that if you are using Cloudboots belonging to someone who’s taller than you, you can always close the top chamber so that you can pull the pants higher so that they won’t be too long. 

Then it’s on with the Cloudboots and feet up on the sofa!

Artikkeli TIPS FOR USE julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran CLOUDBOOTS.

Compression treatment with Cloudboots devices can be categorised as follows:

• Warm-up before a workout

You can use compression therapy as a light muscle warm-up in preparation for a workout. For warming up, the most effective way is to set the Cloudboots to apply light pressure to the whole leg. Pre-performance pressure treatment should be kept short to maintain muscle tension; we recommend no more than 15 minutes for this.

• Restorative treatment immediately after training

This is where Cloudboots really come into their own. The sooner you get your Cloudboots legs or pants on after a workout, the sooner you’ll start to recover from the strain. Naturally, studies have been carried out on the use and effects of compression treatment, but we want to market our products based on good vibes and customer feedback. 

Broadly speaking, restorative pressure treatment can be divided as follows:

In the light preparatory phase, the muscles are prepared for pressure therapy. This can be done with program A, using light pressure, for ten minutes or so.

In the actual treatment, you can increase the compression. We recommend using Lymph mode, or Pulse mode in addition to Lymph in the case of the Cloud8 ROGUE model. This is where you can use your own maximum pressure – that is, the highest level you’re comfortable with. You can vary the length of the actual treatment, but we recommend that this session lasts at least 25 minutes.   

In the final stage, it’s a good idea to reduce the compression considerably and let the machine do its job with your favourite programme for a few more cycles.

• Relaxing treatment 

After a long day at work, stretching out on the sofa with your Cloudboots on is just what the doctor ordered. Set your favourite compression programme, then relax and let the treatment do its work. Set the pressure to a value significantly lower than your own preferred maximum. After all, the idea here is to relax! We recommend that this section also lasts at least 30 minutes. 

Things to keep in mind: The treatment cycles described above are suggestions only – over time, you’ll find the treatment routines, times and programmes that are just right for you. Always remember that the treatment is supposed to feel good. “Grin and bear it” is most definitely not the Cloudboots philosophy.

Here is a routine 45-minute Cloudboots session used by Henri Puputti of the Tampere-based Finnish baseball club Manse PP, the Finnish baseball champion in 2021:

“In the Finnish championship season, we often had matches on consecutive days, so the help from Cloudboots to recover was sorely needed. We first tried different mains-powered models, but some of the team wanted more pressure. For this season, we decided to go with the Cloud8 ROGUE model. This was also a better choice for us on account of their being easier to travel with. We use Cloudboots pants as well as boots. The boots are my own favourite.”

I usually start the treatment with low pressure (level 4 to 6), because it takes a while for my feet to get used to the treatment. I mostly use the lymph programme for about 25 minutes, increasing the pressure towards the end to level 7 or 8. I then switch to a full leg squeeze, which I do for about ten cycles (about 10 min) with as much pressure as I can comfortably tolerate without grinding my teeth (level 8–10). Then I lower the pressure and go back to either the lymphatic drainage programme or the three-chamber massage programme for the last ten minutes.”

Artikkeli TREATMENT PROGRAMMES julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran CLOUDBOOTS.

A) WARMING / ONE-CHAMBER MASSAGE: pressure is applied one chamber at a time from the toes up towards the hips.

B) LYMPHATIC MASSAGE: the pressure moves from the toes towards the hips. The pressure is release altogether once all the chambers have been filled.

C) WHOLE-LEG PRESSURE: all chambers are filled simultaneously and emptied at the once 

C) TWO-CHAMBER MASSAGE: the pressure moves from the toes to the hips, two chambers at a time. Chambers one and two are filled first, and the pressure in them is maintained. The pressure is then released from chamber one, and chamber three fills. The pressure in chamber two is then released and chamber four fills. The programme continues to be applied and released in this way up to chamber 8.

E) THREE-CHAMBER MASSAGE:: the pressure moves from the toes to the hips, three chambers at a time. Chambers one, two and three are filled first, and the pressure in them is maintained. Chamber one is then emptied and chamber four is filled. Chamber two is then emptied and chamber five is pressurised. The programme continues to be applied and released in this way up to chamber 8.

F) PULSE mode is equivalent to a three-chamber massage, but the last chamber to fill is pulsating compression therapy before moving on to the next chamber

Artikkeli CLOUD8 ROGUE PROGRAMMES julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran CLOUDBOOTS.

You’re likely to be one of those people who like to change out of their work clothes at home into something more comfortable. Or you’re coming straight from the gym, you’re probably already wearing clothing from flexible material. This is important because, for one thing, the treatment does not feel as comfortable in jeans, as the material itself tightens during the treatment and can make it less effective. Also check that there’s nothing in your pockets. Keys or the like would cause discomfort when the compression starts.

If you put on your Cloudboots right after your workout, remember to stay hydrated during the compression treatment. For many people, pressure therapy causes an increased need to go to the toilet, so drinking enough is important. 

If you use Cloudboots pants, avoid eating before the treatment. Since the pants extend to the lower abdomen and back, the treatment will cause discomfort in the lower abdomen on a full stomach. 

The appropriate duration of treatment is anywhere from 25 to 50 minutes. You can also use your Cloudboots for longer if you wish, but keep in mind that the muscle tone you’ll need for the next day’s workout might be lacking if you use the compression treatment for much longer than 50 minutes or so. 

After the treatment, it is a good idea to remove the pressure hose assembly from the compressor and pack the boots away until you next need them. As you’re likely to be a frequent user of your Cloudboots, you should not remove the pressure hose connectors from the boots or pants. 

Artikkeli Before and after Cloudboots treatment julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran CLOUDBOOTS.

A) WARM-UP / REGULAR MASSAGE: the pressure moves one chamber at a time from the toes to the hips. Emptying and filling of individual chamber, one chamber at a time.

B) LYMPHATIC TREATMENT: the pressure moves from the toes towards the hips. The pressure is release altogether once all the chambers have been filled.

C) TWO-CHAMBER MASSAGE: the pressure moves from the toes to the hips, two chambers at a time.

D) PRESSURE ON ENTIRE LEG: all chambers are filled/released at the same time

E) COMBINATION PROGRAM (B/C) the device runs programs B and C alternately

F) COMBINATION PROGRAM (A, C and D) the device runs programs A, C and D alternately

Artikkeli CLOUD6 LITE & CLOUD8 ACTIVE PROGRAMS julkaistiin ensimmäisen kerran CLOUDBOOTS.