Compression boots aren't right for everyone. Don't use them, and talk to your doctor first, if you have, or might have, a blood clot (DVT), heart failure, poor blood supply to your legs, numbness from nerve damage, or an infection, wound or skin condition on your legs. After recent surgery or a leg injury, or if you're pregnant, ask your doctor or midwife first. Read your user manual too.
- Don't use them, and talk to your doctor first, if you have, or might have, a blood clot, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, numbness from nerve damage, or an infection, open wound or skin problem on your legs. Ask first after a recent operation or leg injury too.
- Ask your GP, doctor or midwife if you're pregnant, have diabetes, take medicines that could affect your circulation, have fragile skin, or are under medical care.
- Stop the session if you feel pain, numbness, tingling or pins and needles, or your toes change colour. Chest pain or trouble breathing: call triple zero (000).
- The manual for your model comes first. Read its warnings, start at the lowest pressure and increase gradually only if it stays comfortable.
Below: who should get advice first, the signs that mean stop, and what a careful first session looks like. Like all our compression boot guides, it's general information. It isn't medical advice and doesn't replace advice from your GP or another qualified health professional.
Who should check with a GP before using compression boots
The lists below draw on an international expert consensus on medical compression[2] and on healthdirect, the government-funded Australian health information service[1]. Where a precaution has no source number, it's our own. These lists aren't complete for any one model, so read your user manual too. If your doctor has prescribed compression stockings or another treatment, keep following their advice.
Don't use them, and talk to your doctor first, if you have, or might have:
| Situation | What it means and what the sources say |
|---|---|
| A blood clot in a leg (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) | The main signs are pain and swelling near the clot, usually in the calf or thigh. The area may feel sore or look red or discoloured. Some clots cause no symptoms[1]. If you think you may have a DVT, see your doctor straight away[1]. |
| Heart failure | The expert consensus lists severe heart failure among contraindications for sustained compression, such as stockings and bandages[2]. healthdirect also lists heart failure as a risk factor for a DVT[1]. |
| Peripheral artery disease (poor blood supply to the legs) | It blocks blood flow in your arteries, most often in the legs and feet. Signs include painful cramping in the leg muscles with activity, cold lower legs or feet, colour changes in the feet and sores that don't heal[3]. |
| Numbness or loss of feeling in your legs or feet (peripheral neuropathy) | Diabetes is the most common cause. Reduced feeling raises the chance of skin injuries[4], and it can hide the pressure or pain that would normally tell you to stop. The expert consensus lists severe diabetic neuropathy with loss of feeling among contraindications for sustained compression, such as stockings and bandages[2]. |
| An infection, open wound, recent skin graft, rash or skin condition such as dermatitis, or an inflamed, painful vein on your legs | Keep compression off skin that's broken, infected or inflamed until you've had medical advice. The expert consensus lists skin irritation and the spread of a bacterial or fungal infection among problems reported with medical compression[2]. |
| Recent surgery, or a recent leg injury such as a fracture | These aren't on the consensus list, but both raise the risk of a DVT[1], so get medical advice before using compression boots. |
Ask your GP, doctor or midwife first if you:
- are pregnant. Pregnancy is one of the risk factors for a blood clot that healthdirect lists[1], and we didn't find Australian guidance on using air compression boots at home during pregnancy (search of 5 October 2026).
- have diabetes, take medicines that could affect your circulation, or have any condition affecting your heart, veins, arteries, legs or feet. Diabetes is the most common cause of peripheral neuropathy, nerve damage that can reduce feeling in the feet[4].
- have thin, fragile or easily broken skin. The consensus notes that pressure damage is a particular problem in older or sun-damaged skin[2].
- know you're allergic to a material the sleeves are made of. The consensus lists a confirmed allergy to the compression material among contraindications for stockings and bandages[2].
- are under medical care for any condition, or simply aren't sure.
Warning signs: when to stop a session
Firm pressure is part of how compression boots feel. Stop the session, take the boots off and seek medical advice if you notice:
- pain, rather than firm pressure
- numbness, tingling or pins and needles
- toes or feet that turn pale, blue or dusky, or feel cold
- burning, blisters or broken skin
- feeling unwell, dizzy or faint.
Pressure on the nerve that runs just below the outside of the knee has been reported to cause numbness and a weak foot that drags (foot drop), with compression bandages, stockings and pneumatic compression devices[2]. It's one reason numbness or tingling is a sign to stop, not to push through.
Compression boots side effects: what's been reported
Most published information on side effects comes from patients using medical compression (stockings, bandages and pneumatic devices), not from healthy adults using boots at home.
- Skin irritation, discomfort and pain. The 2020 international consensus names these as the less serious problems reported most often with medical compression[2].
- Serious problems. The consensus also describes nerve injury, pressure damage to the skin, and tissue damage linked to the wrong use of, or faulty, pneumatic compression devices. It cites a case report of compartment syndrome (a dangerous build-up of pressure inside the leg muscles) involving a malfunctioning pneumatic boot[2].
We didn't find large studies tracking side effects of home compression boots in healthy adults (search of 5 October 2026). That gap is why the manual, the GP check and the stop signs above matter. For studies on compression boots more broadly, see what the research shows, and what it doesn't.
What a careful first session looks like
- Read the manual for your model, including its warnings and its list of people who shouldn't use it.
- Run through the GP lists above. If anything applies, wait until you've had medical advice.
- Check your legs. Don't use the boots if there's broken skin, a rash, an infection or a new sore where the sleeves sit, and get medical advice before using them again.
- Check the fit. Choose the size the manufacturer recommends for you, close the boots fully, and make sure nothing is folded or twisted under the sleeve.
- Start at the lowest pressure level. Increase gradually, and only while it stays comfortable.
- Follow the manual for session length and how often to use them, and use the automatic timer if your boots have one.
- Check your skin afterwards. Marks that don't fade, blisters or broken skin are a reason to pause and get advice.
Why your manual is the reference
Compression boots differ in design, sizing, pressure range and settings, so a general guide can't cover every model. The manufacturer's user manual sets out the warnings and limits for the boots you own. If your manual lists a condition that isn't on our list, follow the manual. If the manual and this page seem to differ, follow whichever is more cautious and ask your GP before using the boots. Lost the manual? Ask the seller for a copy before your next session.
Quick answers
Are compression boots dangerous?
They aren't suitable for everyone, and we can't tell you how often problems happen with home boots: we didn't find large studies in healthy adults (search of 5 October 2026). Serious problems described in the research on medical compression include nerve injury and pressure damage to the skin[2]. Check the lists above, read your manual and stop at the warning signs.
Can compression boots cause blood clots?
The 2020 consensus lists blood clots among the complications reported with medical compression. It describes clots in surface veins in people with varicose veins, where a badly applied stocking or bandage digs in like a tourniquet[2]. We didn't find data on this for air compression boots used at home (search of 5 October 2026). If you've had a clot before, or have risk factors such as pregnancy, recent surgery, the contraceptive pill or hormone replacement therapy[1], ask your doctor before using them. Don't use compression boots if you have, or might have, a blood clot (DVT). If you think you may have one, see your doctor straight away[1].
Can I use compression boots while pregnant?
Ask your doctor or midwife before using them. Pregnancy is one of the risk factors for a blood clot that healthdirect lists[1], and we didn't find Australian guidance on using air compression boots at home during pregnancy (search of 5 October 2026). Check what your manual says too.
Sources
5 sources
- healthdirect Australia. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Last reviewed May 2025. healthdirect.gov.au/deep-vein-thrombosis
- Rabe E, Partsch H, Morrison N, et al. Risks and contraindications of medical compression treatment: a critical reappraisal. An international consensus statement. Phlebology. 2020;35(7):447–460. Funding: SIGVARIS (editorial and medical-writing support). pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7383414
- healthdirect Australia. Peripheral vascular disease. Last reviewed August 2024. healthdirect.gov.au/peripheral-vascular-disease
- healthdirect Australia. Peripheral neuropathy. Last reviewed March 2026. healthdirect.gov.au/peripheral-neuropathy
- healthdirect Australia. Contact us: healthdirect helpline 1800 022 222. healthdirect.gov.au/contact-us