EP2793795B1

EP2793795B1 - Pressotherapy system and pressotherapy suit

Info

Publication number: EP2793795B1
Application number: EP12821186.9A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Laura BRUNI
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2011-12-19
Filing date: 2012-12-14
Publication date: 2018-07-04
Anticipated expiration: 2032-12-14
Also published as: ES2689772T3; EP2793795A1

Description

Technical field

The present invention relates to a pneumatic pressotherapy system and a pneumatic pressotherapy suit that make it possible to improve the performance of conventional prior art pressotherapy systems.

Background art

As is known, pneumatic pressotherapy is a technique known since the 1950s. It is based on the application of pressure exerted by inflatable elements on edematous tissues, for the purpose of obtaining a reduction in the volume of the limb through an increase in blood and lymph drainage in centripetal direction. The methods with which this pressure is applied greatly influence the result obtained: the type of apparatus used, the compression sequence and the pressure applied are only some of the parameters that must be taken into consideration to ensure a therapeutic response adequate for the clinical stage of the pathology and for the tolerability of the patient.
In general, pneumatic pressotherapy systems provide for the use of single inflatable elements to be applied to parts of the patient lying on a bed. For example, there are used elements to be applied to the feet, leg sleeves that surround the whole leg from ankle to thigh, a band that surrounds the buttocks and groin, a band that surrounds the torso at abdominal level, arm sleeves. Each inflatable element has internal air chambers in contact with the body, the inside of which is in fluid dynamic connection, by means of suitable ducts, with a compressor and an electronic management and control unit.
The pressure present inside the inflatable elements is transmitted to the surface of the skin equally in all points and in all directions, in accordance with Pascal's law.
The draining effect is obtained only if this pressure is applied in such a manner as to determine a pressure gradient in distal-proximal direction (sequential compression) and if compression phases are alternated with release phases (intermittent compression).
Pressotherapy has different experimentally proven effects, including an increase of venous and lymphatic flow rate, the release of beneficial substances, and beneficial effects on edemas.
More in particular, with regard to the increase in venous and lymphatic flow rate, it has been discovered that the pressure applied produces a decrease in the caliber of venous and lymphatic vessels in the area subjected to compression but also, due to the movement of fluids, a distension of the vessels in the area immediately downstream; the overall effect is an increase in the velocity of blood flow inside the venous vessels and of lymphatic flow inside the lymphatic collectors. In practice, the effect is based on a physical action that acts on the venous and lymphatic circulation, causing it to become more efficient and consequently improving the most frequent aesthetic conditions: cellulite, fluid retention, etc.
Moreover, the tensile and stretching forces generated in the area subjected to distension produce, as physiological response of the endothelial cells, the release of substances with antithrombotic, profibrinolytic and vasodilatory action.
Moreover, with regard to edema, the pressure applied circumferentially to the skin is transmitted to the subcutaneous tissues, causing an increase in interstitial pressure; this modifies the transmural pressure producing a reduction of filtration and an increase in capillary reabsorption, with a reduction of the interstitial lymphatic load. Analogously, the increase in interstitial pressure promotes the absorption of interstitial fluids toward the inside of the initial lymphatic capillaries, increasing the initial lymphatic flow. Ultimately, pneumatic pressotherapy produces both a reduction in lymphatic load and an increase in lymphatic flow, with consequent reduction of edema.
US 3,589,366 discloses inflatable Bermuda-type shorts for exercising.

Object and summary of the invention

The object of the present invention is to develop a pressotherapy system which allows improved effects to be obtained on the patient relative to prior art pressotherapy systems.
Another important object of the present invention is to develop a pressotherapy system which allows the beneficial effects of pressotherapy to be achieved more rapidly relative to prior art pressotherapy systems.
A further important object of the present invention is to provide a pressotherapy system which allows further benefits to be obtained relative to the benefits that can be obtained with prior art pressotherapy systems.
These and other objects, which will be more apparent below, are achieved in accordance with the provisions of the appended claims. The invention relates to a pressotherapy system, comprising a suit to be applied in a pressotherapy process to be used in an erect standing position and while walking. This suit comprises an abdominal band joined to leg sleeves, a plurality of air chambers inside said abdominal band and said leg sleeves, and means for inflating and deflating said air chambers; the system provides for the performance of pressotherapy, by means of the suit, while walking.
Preferably, the leg sleeves extend only to above the knee.
It can be said that in practice the invention provides for a suit to be applied to allow pressotherapy to be performed in an erect standing position and while walking. Appropriately, the suit contains a certain number of air chambers, for example 14, 15, 16 or more, and is composed of a suitably high abdominal band, for example 30 cm, with a suitable circumference, for example 150 cm, joined to leg sleeves on the front part, where the ducts for inflating and deflating the air chambers are grouped. The suit is closed at the back with Velcro.
The leg sleeves comprise the buttocks and thighs, and only extend to above the knee.
Wearing this suit, pressotherapy is associated simultaneously with walking, and therefore the metabolic process of lipolysis is accelerated to a greater extent relative to conventional pressotherapy, producing greater benefits for venous and lymphatic drainage, as it makes use of the action of the foot and calf muscles, which are free.
According to another aspect, the invention relates to a pressotherapy suit that can be used in the system as presented above.
More in particular, the invention relates also to a pressotherapy suit for pressotherapy to be performed in an erect standing position and while walking, comprising an abdominal band joined to leg sleeves and a plurality of air chambers inside said abdominal band and said leg sleeves.
Preferably, said leg sleeves comprise the buttocks and the thighs of the user.
Preferably, said leg sleeves extend only to above the knee.
Preferably, the suit is formed by a pair short knee-length pants, which comprise said leg sleeves, said pants extending upward by means of said abdominal band, said air chambers being defined inside said pants and said abdominal band.
Preferably, said suit comprises a lumbar band joined to said leg sleeves, inside which there are present a plurality of air chambers.
Preferably, the suit comprises two longitudinal separations which extend vertically for the whole of the height of the suit and which divide each leg sleeve and the related portion of suit which from the leg sleeve extends upward, into two parts, there being present means for reversible connection of the flaps of said two parts to allow easy opening and closing of the suit and facilitate the step of putting on the suit.
Preferably, said longitudinal separations are produced along the sides of the suit or on the rear part of the suit or on the front part of the suit.
Preferably, said two longitudinal separations divide the part of the suit that extends upward from the leg sleeves into two parts, a first containing at least the central portion of the abdominal band and a second containing at least the central portion of the lumbar band.
Preferably, each leg sleeve has stiffening means of the "inner thigh" portion thereof, adapted to oppose the thrust of the air chambers, present in the same leg sleeve, toward the outside of the inner thigh of the leg sleeve.
Preferably, said stiffening means comprise a sheet arranged between the outer lining of the leg sleeve and the air chamber(s) at the inner thigh area of the leg sleeve.
Preferably, the suit comprises support means of said suit on the body of the patient at least in an erect standing position.
Preferably, said support means of said suit comprise a belt to be tightened around the waist of the patient.
Preferably, each leg sleeve has at least two air chambers arranged at different heights along said leg sleeve, arranged to jointly surround substantially the whole of the thigh of the patient during use, optionally with the exclusion of gap areas relating to said longitudinal separations; preferably there being present for each leg sleeve two said air chambers in succession from the bottom upward, starting from a position adjacent to the lower edge of the leg sleeve.
Preferably, said leg sleeves are joined in a common central crotch.
Preferably, said means for inflating and deflating said air chambers comprise ducts leading to said air chambers for the passage of air.
Preferably, said belt covers the connection points of said ducts to the air chambers of said abdominal band.
Preferably, said belt covers the connection points of said ducts to the air chambers of said lumbar band.
Preferably, the suit comprises grouping means of said ducts coming from said air chambers; preferably said grouping means being provided on the front part of said suit.
Preferably, said leg sleeves comprise respective longitudinal pockets, open at the top to house part of the connection ducts to the air chambers present on the same leg sleeves.
Preferably, the suit comprises valves for the ingress and egress of air into and from said air chambers.
Preferably, said valves intercept said ducts.
Preferably, said abdominal band and said lumbar band comprise a plurality of said air chambers in succession along the extension of said bands.
Preferably, each leg sleeve has at least two air chambers arranged at different heights along said leg sleeve, adapted to substantially surround the whole of the thigh of the patient during use, with the exclusion of gap areas relating to longitudinal separations produced along each leg sleeve and relating to part of the suit above, there being present for each leg sleeve an air chamber located only in the front position, in a position corresponding approximately to the groin area of the patient when the suit is worn.
Preferably, for each leg sleeve there are present two said air chambers in succession from the bottom upward, starting from a position adjacent to the lower edge of the leg sleeve and a single air chamber for the groin area.

Brief description of the drawings

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the description of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 represents a schematic view of a user who is using the system according to the invention;
Fig. 2 represents a schematic front view of a user who is wearing a pressotherapy suit according to the invention;
Fig. 3 represents a schematic front view of a pressotherapy suit according to the invention, with the belt open;
Fig. 4 represents a schematic back view of a pressotherapy suit according to the invention, with the belt open;
Fig. 5 represents a schematic top view of a pressotherapy suit according to the invention, open laterally and without the belt;
Fig. 6 represents a schematic sectional view of a portion of suit according to the invention, wherein the inner lining, the outer lining and an air chamber are visible;
Fig. 7 shows a schematic front view of a portion of the leg sleeves according to the invention, wherein a leg sleeve is cross sectioned to show the inner components.

Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention

With reference to the aforesaid figures, a system for pressotherapy is indicated as a whole with the number 10.
This system provides for a suit 11 to be applied in a pressotherapy process. This suit 11 corresponds, for example, to a pair of short pants above the knee of the user, which thus comprise a pair of leg sleeves 12 extending from above the knee to join in the crotch area 13 of the pants, and an abdominal band 14 joined to the leg sleeves 12.
For example, the abdominal band 14 extends on the front part of the suit from a groin band 12A below (delimited by dash-dotted lines; these lines are purely indicative of an area and must not be interpreted as limiting) which extends from the crotch 13 to the end of the pubic area, in practice at the start of the abdomen. This groin band 12A extends both forward and backward and therefore surrounds the user. The abdominal band 14 extends upward and is dimensioned to extend to an area at the height of the ribs, and in any case to cover the abdomen of the user. In practice, the leg sleeves end with this groin band, and therefore the leg sleeves 12 comprise, when the suit is worn, the thighs and the buttocks of the user.
The term front part (or simply front) is intended as the part of suit on the side of the user corresponding to the stomach area, while the term rear part is intended as the part of suit on the side of the user corresponding to the back area. The term lateral part is intended as the side of the suit corresponding to the side of the user, i.e. between the front and back parts.
Leg sleeves 12 and abdominal band 14 are in one piece, i.e. represent a single garment to be worn (the suit). This means that the leg sleeves 12 and abdominal band 14 are joined to each other.
Preferably, from the groin band 12A, on the rear part of the suit, a lumbar band 15 extends upward, for example for a height substantially equivalent to that of the abdominal band 14, which covers the lumbar area of the user when the suit is worn.
Naturally, the indications of physical parts of the user such as knee, abdomen, abdominal, lumbar, ribs, groin, buttocks, thighs, etc. refer to parts of a suit constructed for a given medium size of user and must not be considered limiting. For example, when a user who is smaller than medium size wears a suit of larger size, the various elements will not be exactly in the body positions indicated above; for example, the leg sleeves may be slightly below the knee and the abdominal band may end above the ribs.
To perform pressotherapy, inside the leg sleeves, abdominal band and lumbar band there are respectively present a plurality of air chambers 17A, 17B, 17C (for the leg sleeves), 18A, 18B (for the abdominal band) and 18C, 18D (for the lumbar band); the air chambers of the leg sleeves will generically be referred to below also only with the number 17, while the air chambers of the lumbar and abdominal band will generically be referred to below also only with the number 18.
The air chambers 17 and 18 are operatively connected, through ducts 19, with means 20 to inflate and deflate said air chambers, according to the prior art, which comprise a compressor integrated in an electronic management and control unit 21 of the system. The arrangement of the air chambers 17 and 18 will be explained in more detail below.
Preferably, the suit 11, or the pair of pants, has two longitudinal separations 22 which extend upward, vertically dividing each leg sleeve 12, with the related portion of suit above, into two parts (for example, see Figs. 3 and 5).
Along flaps 22A of these two parts, and/or in proximity thereof, there are present means 23 for reversible connection of the same flaps 22A. For example, these reversible connection means 23 comprise complementary strips of Velcro.
Therefore, the leg sleeves with abdominal band can be opened and closed easily to facilitate the step of putting on the suit.
Preferably, these longitudinal separations 22 are produced on the two sides of the suit (or of the pants), and extend from the bottom of the leg sleeve 12 upward, along the whole of the leg sleeves, including the groin band, separating the abdominal band 14 from the lumbar band 15 (in practice, the two portions of suit above the groin band divided by the separations 22 comprise at least the central portions of the respective lumbar band 15 and abdominal band 14).
In other embodiments, these longitudinal separations 22 can be produced on the rear part of the suit, or on the front part.
In this example, along the abdominal band 14 there are present elements to adjust the overlapping position of the closing flaps 22A, for example Velcro inserts 22B, so that the user can adjust the dimensions of the "circumference" of the part of the suit relating to the waist. Therefore, the lumbar and abdominal bands with respective air chambers may overlap in the joining area produced by the Velcro, depending on how "tightly" the user adjusts the suit.
Preferably, the structure of the suit is composed of an outer lining 24, an inner lining 25, stitched to each other so as to define between them pockets 26 for housing the air chambers 17 and 18 (for example, see Fig. 6).
For example, for each leg sleeve, there are present two air chambers 17 arranged at different heights along the same leg sleeve, in succession from bottom to top, a first air chamber 17A arranged at the lower edge of the leg sleeve, so as to be positioned immediately above the knee when the suit is worn, and a second air chamber 17B immediately above the first chamber (which can optionally overlap the chamber 17A for a brief portion thereof). When the suit is worn, these chambers preferably surround the leg of the user, optionally with the exclusion of gap areas relating to said longitudinal separations 22 (it is evident that the ends of these chambers may overlap each other if the user greatly overlaps the flaps 22A of the longitudinal separations).
Preferably, the second chamber 17B can end at a height in proximity of the crotch 13.
Appropriately, there is present a third air chamber 17C located on the front part of the suit, on the groin band, substantially corresponding to the groin of the patient, when the suit is worn.
Access to the air chambers 17A and 17B is, for example, produced by means of a cut (not shown in the figures) of the outer lining made in proximity of the respective flap 22A of the related longitudinal separation 22.
Inside the abdominal band 14 there are present air chambers 18A and 18B, preferably four in number. Analogously, there are present air chambers 18C and 18D, preferably four in number, in the lumbar band 15. These air chambers 18 extend in height preferably substantially for the whole of the height of the respective abdominal and lumbar bands.
Preferably, the ducts 19 that carry air to the central air chambers 18A can be directly connected to one another, so that the air enters the chambers 18A simultaneously. The same applies to the ducts that connect the pair of air chambers 18B, the pair of air chambers 18C and the pair of air chambers 18D.
Access to these chambers 18, i.e. in the related space between the inner lining 25 and the outer lining 24 of the suit, is obtained, for example, along the upper edge of both the lumbar and abdominal bands, for example by means of a zip that runs along the edge.
On the outer lining of the suit, at each air chamber 17 and 18, there are present connection points 27 of the ducts 19 (which are appropriately composed of flexible tubes) with the same chambers. In these connection points there are present valves 28, for the ingress and egress of air into and from the respective air chambers.
According to the invention, the system provides for use of the suit, i.e. the performance of pressotherapy, in an erect standing position and while walking.
Advantageously, the system comprises support means 16 of the suit 11 on the body of the patient at least in an erect standing position. These means prevent the suit, in relation to the force of gravity and to the movement of the user while walking, from slipping to the ground along the body of the user. For example, these support means 16 are obtained by means of adjustment of the amplitude of the circumference of the waist of the suit obtained by means of the connection means 23.
Preferably, the support means 16 comprise a belt 29 to be tightened around the waist of the patient. Preferably, this belt overlaps the abdominal band 14 and the lumbar band 15 to cover the connection points 27 of the ducts 19 to the air chambers 18 of the two bands. For example, the connection points 27 of the two abdominal 14 and lumbar 15 bands are located inside a central band 30 delimited between reversible fixing means of the belt 29 to the abdominal band, such as Velcro strips 30A on which the belt is reversible fixed, in a position such as to grip the waist of the user as required. Therefore, in this example the belt 29 has a dual function: that of helping to support the suit on the user and that of covering the connection points of the ducts and therefore also that of grouping these ducts together, maintaining the system more compact and thus facilitating walking.
It is therefore evident that the suit can also comprise grouping means of the ducts coming from the air chambers 17 and 18, which are indicated as a whole with 31. The belt 29 groups the ducts at the abdominal and lumbar bands, both on the front and on the back part of the suit.
Preferably, on each leg sleeve 17 there is present a longitudinal pocket 32, for example open at the top and which contains the connection points of the air chambers 17 and in which the connection ducts 19 of these air chambers are arranged. The inside of this pocket 32 is for example accessible by means of an edge 32A thereof constrained, for example, through Velcro to the outer lining of the related leg sleeve. In this pocket 32 there is present, for example, an access to the third air chamber 17C.
The ducts exit from the pocket 32 and are passed under the belt. The bundle of all the ducts is then moved away from the suit (with the ducts leading to the compressor) and held together inside a sheath 33.
The support means 16 can also comprise suspenders 34, for example fastened to the upper edge of the suit (edges of the abdominal and lumbar bands).
Each leg sleeve 12 has stiffening means 35 of the "inner thigh" portion 12A (see Fig. 7), adapted to oppose the thrust of the air chambers 17A and 17B toward the outside of the leg sleeves. For example, these stiffening means 35 comprise a sheet (or several sheets or splints) made of rigid (or semi-rigid) material arranged between the outer lining 24 and the air chamber 17A (and/or 17B) at the inner thigh area 12A of the leg sleeve 12. This sheet 36 in any case has a certain degree of flexibility or in any case can be shaped, to be arranged between air chamber and lining maintaining a shape preferably adapted to surround the inner thigh.
It must be noted that the leg sleeves extend substantially to the knee. It is understood that it is the operative part of the leg sleeve that extends to the knee, i.e. the air chambers. Therefore, in preferred embodiments, the suit can be provided with cloth, woven or nonwoven fabric that extends from the leg sleeve from the knee area to the ankle, to produce long pants, with the fabric part from the knee to the ankle having no technical function (no air chambers are present), Therefore, walking is still possible.
As stated, the suit 11 allows pressotherapy to be performed in an erect standing position and while walking. It is the association of pressotherapy with walking on which the invention is based. In fact, it has been found that when pressotherapy and walking are performed simultaneously, they synergically produce a greater number of benefits than when these actions are performed singularly, benefits which are achieved in particularly short times.
These effects include a noteworthy reduction in venous pressure in the ankles, the reduction in stasis and in the accumulation of interstitial fluids, stimulation of the production of nitric oxide by the endothelial cells, stopping of the inflammatory state of adipose tissue, actively combating edematous-fibrosclerotic panniculopathy (cellulite), return of triglycerides into the bloodstream making activation of lipolysis possible, acceleration of weight loss.
Moreover, the simultaneous association of pressotherapy with walking by means of the suit allows alleviation of muscle pain following sporting activities, caused by micro-lacerations of the muscles (repeated muscular work), preparation of the muscles prior to prolonged aerobic activity, optimal pre-training warm-up and the production a lymph draining action that facilitates muscle recovery after stress from sporting activity. Moreover, the simultaneous association of pressotherapy with walking by means of the suit allows a cooldown action to be obtained after training.
Further, this association promotes the elimination of lactic acid, decreasing muscle recovery time (in fact, lactic acid returns rapidly to the heart and, by means of the cardiac muscle fibers, is transformed rapidly into glucose).
Therefore, the invention also relates to a sports training method that provides for the use of a pressotherapy suit as claimed and for walking or running with said suit during a pressotherapy session.
Moreover, the simultaneous association of pressotherapy with walking by means of the suit allows the prevention of cardiovascular risks. In fact, by managing to act on excess weight, it is also possible to obtain prevention of some chronic diseases often associated, such as hypertension, diabetes mellitus and dyslipidemia, all factors involved in the increase of cardiovascular risk.
Further, the simultaneous association of pressotherapy with walking by means of the suit allows a redistribution of body fat to be obtained and consequently reduces a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In fact, the quantity of fat present in the abdominal cavity (central obesity) is closely linked to an increase in cardiovascular risk.
Fig. 1 also shows means 37 to allow walking. These means 37 comprise a "treadmill", i.e. a means to allow walking while remaining substantially in once place.
It is understood that the above description represents only non-limiting possible embodiments of the invention, which may vary in forms and arrangements without departing from the scope of the concept on which the invention is based. Any presence of reference numerals in the appended claims has the purpose of facilitating the reading thereof, with reference to the description above and to the accompanying drawings, and does not in any way limit the scope of protection.

Claims

A pressotherapy system (10), comprising
- a treadmill (37) for walking while remaining in once place,

- a suit (11) to be applied in a pressotherapy process to be used in an erect standing position and while walking, wherein said suit (11) comprises an abdominal band (14) joined to leg sleeves (12) and a plurality of air chambers (17, 18) inside said abdominal band (14) and said leg sleeves (12),

- means for inflating and deflating said air chambers (17, 18), said system providing for pressotherapy to be performed, through said suit (11), while walking, said means comprising a compressor integrated in an electronic management and control unit (21) of the system, ducts (19) leading from said compressor to said air chambers (17, 18) for the passage of air; and valves (28) for the ingress and egress of air into and from said air chambers, intercepting said ducts.
The system according to claim 1, wherein said suit (11) is formed by a pair of short knee-length pants, which comprise said leg sleeves (12), said pants extending upward by means of said abdominal band (14), said air chambers (17, 18) being defined inside said pants and said abdominal band (14); said suit (11) comprises a lumbar band (15) joined to said leg sleeves (12), inside which there are present a plurality of air chambers (18C, 18D) associated with said means for inflating and deflating said air chambers (18C, 18D); preferably said leg sleeves (12) comprise the buttocks and the thighs of the user; preferably said leg sleeves (12) extend only to above the knee.
The system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said suit (11) has two longitudinal separations (22) which extend vertically for the whole of the height of the suit (11) and which divide each leg sleeve (12) and the related portion of suit (11) which from the leg sleeve (12) extends upward, into two parts comprising flaps (22A), there being present means (23) for reversible connection of said flaps (22A) of said two parts to allow easy opening and closing of the suit (11) and facilitate the step of putting on the suit; preferably said longitudinal separations (22) are produced along the sides of the suit or on the rear part of the suit or on the front part of the suit; preferably said two longitudinal separations (22) divide the part of the suit that extends upward from the leg sleeves (12) into two parts, a first containing at least the central portion of the abdominal band (14) and a second containing at least the central portion of the lumbar band (15); preferably each leg sleeve (12) has at least two air chambers (17A, 17B) arranged at different heights along said leg sleeve (12), arranged to jointly surround substantially the whole of the thigh of the patient during use, optionally with the exclusion of gap areas relating to said longitudinal separations (22); preferably there being present for each leg sleeve (12) two said air chambers (17A, 17B) in succession from the bottom upward, starting from a position adjacent to the lower edge of the leg sleeve (12).
The system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein each leg sleeve (12) has stiffening means (35) of the "inner thigh" portion (12A) thereof, adapted to oppose the thrust of the air chambers (17A, 17B), present in the same leg sleeve (12), toward the outside of the inner thigh of the leg sleeve; preferably said stiffening means (35) comprise a sheet (36) arranged between the outer lining (24) of the leg sleeve and the air chamber(s) (17A, 17B) at the inner thigh area (12A) of the leg sleeve (12).
The system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said suit (11) comprises support means (16) of said suit (11) on the body of the patient at least in an erect standing position; preferably said support means (16) of said suit comprise a belt (29) to be tightened around the waist of the patient and/or suspenders (34) preferably fastened to the upper edge of the suit.
The system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said leg sleeves (12) are joined in a common central crotch (13).
The system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said leg sleeves (12) comprise respective longitudinal pockets (32), open at the top to house part of the connection ducts (19) to the air chambers (17) present on the same leg sleeves (12).
The system according to claims 1 and 5, wherein said belt (29) covers the connection points (27) of said ducts (19) to the air chambers (18) of said abdominal band (14).
The system according to claims 2 and 5, wherein said belt (29) covers the connection points (27) of said ducts (19) to the air chambers (18) of said lumbar band (15).
The system according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising grouping means (31) of said ducts (19) coming from said air chambers (17, 18); preferably said grouping means (31) being provided on the front part of said suit (11).
The system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said abdominal band (14) and said lumbar band (15) comprise a plurality of said air chambers (18) in succession along the extension of said bands.
The system according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein each leg sleeve (12) has at least two air chambers (17A, 17B) arranged at different heights along said leg sleeve, adapted to substantially surround the whole of the thigh of the patient during use, with the exclusion of gap areas relating to longitudinal separations (22) produced along each leg sleeve and relating to part of the suit above, there being present for each leg sleeve (12) an air chamber (17C) located only in the front position, in a position corresponding approximately to the groin area of the patient when the suit is worn; preferably for each leg sleeve (12) there are present two said air chambers (17A, 17B) in succession from the bottom upward, starting from a position adjacent to the lower edge of the leg sleeve (12) and a single air chamber (17C) for the groin area.