If your doctor or therapist has prescribed compression, the next step is getting fitted, and most people walk in not really knowing what that means. A fitting is straightforward: a certified fitter measures the affected area(s), talks through your options, and gets you into the garment your clinician prescribed. Whether you're living with lymphedema after cancer treatment, dealing with venous problems or ongoing swelling, or recovering from surgery, the visit works the same way.

Your first visit usually takes about an hour. This is what happens, so you can show up knowing what to expect.

The short version

Before your appointment

Two small things make the biggest difference. First, try to book earlier in the day. Swelling tends to build as the hours pass, and measuring when the area is at its smallest gives you a truer fit (Mayo Clinic Store). Second, skip lotions and creams on the area that morning, since they interfere with both the measuring and how the garment sits against your skin.

Beyond that, wear something loose and easy to move in, and bring a few things:

If a question comes to you on the drive over, write it down. Most people forget half of what they meant to ask once the appointment starts.

What happens during the fitting

A fitting is more of a conversation than a procedure. Your fitter starts by asking about your situation: what your clinician told you, how your days go, whether you've worn compression before and how that went. That part matters more than it sounds, because the right garment depends on your life, not just your measurements.

Then come the measurements. Your fitter takes several around the affected area, at different points, not a single number (Mayo Clinic Store). Compression has to follow the shape of the area, and that shape is rarely an even taper. A handful of measurements is what separates a garment that works from one that slides or digs in.

From there it goes something like this:

  1. Your fitter walks through your options, ready-made or custom, and the styles that fit your prescription
  2. If a product is readily available or has been received, you'll try it on and the fitter will check that the fit is correct: snug without cutting in anywhere, no rolling, and no bunching
  3. They show you how to put it on and take it off, and how to wash and care for it

Before you leave, you'll know how to wear the garment and what to do if something feels off later.

Certified fitters, and what they do (and don't)

The person measuring you is a certified fitter, trained specifically to measure, fit, dispense, and adjust compression garments (Board of Certification/Accreditation). That's the reason a professional fitting beats guessing at a size online.

There's a line we hold, and it matters. A fitter doesn’t diagnose you, or decide your compression level. Your prescribing clinician does that. We fit and supply the garment your clinician ordered, at the level they set. You get product expertise from us and keep your doctor in charge of the medical side. If anything about your prescription looks off to your fitter, we check with your provider instead of changing it ourselves.

Ready-made vs. custom: which one you'll get

There's a common assumption that custom is automatically better. For most people, it isn't. Ready-made garments come in a range of standard sizes, and they fit the majority of patients well.

Custom comes in when your measurements or the shape of the affected area fall outside those standard ranges, or your stage of swelling cannot tolerate the fabric composition of a standard, circular-knit garment. If your proportions are unusual, or swelling has changed the shape of the area noticeably, a garment built to your exact measurements will fit better than anything off the shelf.

Your fitter recommends one or the other based on what your measurements show, not on what costs more. If ready-made fits you, that's what you'll get.

Insurance, your order, and what you'll pay

Whether you have commercial insurance, Medicare, or a Medicare Advantage plan, there are certain documentation requirements needed to cover compression garments. For a list of what's needed, please see the appropriate link below.
Commercial Insurance requirements
Medicare requirements

We verify your benefits before placing any orders, so you're informed of your coverage and out-of-pocket expenses. What you'll pay depends on your plan. For many plans that means a deductible and a share of the cost, and we'll walk you through your specific numbers before you commit to anything.

If you're on Medicare and want the details on what's covered and how often, we lay that out on our Medicare coverage page. [Internal link.]

What if it doesn't fit right?

You won't always know a garment is off until you've worn it for a day or two. If it rolls, pinches, or just doesn't feel right once you're wearing it at home, contact us.

Items billed to insurance can't be returned for a refund. If an off-the-shelf garment doesn't fit, depending on the vendor we may be able to exchange it for a different size within 30 days of receipt. Some manufacturers charge a restocking fee. If a custom garment doesn't fit as intended, we'll work with the manufacturer to remake it at no additional charge. We just need you to bring it in within two weeks of receipt so we can address any fit issues promptly.

A note on scope

This article is educational and isn't medical advice. P&H fits and supplies prescribed compression garments. Your clinician is the one who diagnoses your condition and sets your compression level. If you have medical questions about your treatment, those belong with your provider.

Where to find us

We fit patients in Cedar Park Monday to Friday, 8 to 5. For a fitting in South Austin, please call our office to coordinate a time.

If you're a patient, you can book a fitting here. If you're a provider, you can refer a patient here, and we'll handle the verification and fitting from there.

FAQ

How long does a compression fitting take?

Usually about an hour, with a little extra time for a first visit while you go over your order and options.

What should I bring?
Your order or prescription and any medical documentation from your provider (if not already sent), your insurance card and ID, and any garments you already use.
Does insurance cover compression garments?
Coverage depends on your plan, and we verify your benefits with you before ordering any products.
Does a compression fitting hurt?
A compression fitting does not hurt. Your fitter will simply take measurements of your affected area(s) and discuss options and products with you. If your garment is available at the time of fitting, you will try it on. A well-fitting compression garment should feel snug and supportive like a hug; without digging-in, restricting breathing, movement, circulation, or causing any pain.

How we put this together

We based this on current Medicare coverage information (Medicare.gov, verified September 2026) and the scope of practice for certified compression fitters (Board of Certification/Accreditation). P&H-specific details, including appointment length, custom turnaround, remake policy, and hours, were confirmed by P&H.

References