ST-504 feature guide
What do the three ST-504 working modes change?
The three modes are controller programs. They are not three medical treatments. The main difference is chamber timing. The device inflates and releases its air chambers in a programmed order.
What it does
Read the feature as a device function.
What it does not prove
A setting or specification is not a guaranteed outcome.
Where to verify
Use the instruction for use for operating limits.
What do the three ST-504 working modes change?
The three modes are controller programs. They are not three medical treatments. The main difference is chamber timing. The device inflates and releases its air chambers in a programmed order.
Compare the modes by watching the display. Notice which sections inflate first. Check the current instruction for use for the exact buttons. This page explains device behavior. It does not select a personal treatment plan.
Read the mode names as a chamber sequence
“Sequence” describes a staged pattern. The chambers are addressed in an order. They do not all change at once. “Circulation” is a controller label. The label does not prove a clinical effect. “Whole” indicates a broader programmed area within the product design.
The useful question is simple. Which chambers does the manual list? How long does the program run? Do not choose a mode because its name sounds stronger.
Before comparing programs, check the sleeve and tubing. Follow the ST-504 setup guide. A loose connection can change the result. A shifted sleeve can also change the sensation.
What the user can observe during a session
Keep the observation concrete. Note the selected mode. Note the chamber order. Check whether the controller completes the cycle. Check whether the sleeve stays in place.
You can also record the session time. Note any visible change in the skin or device. These notes describe the equipment. They do not measure circulation. They do not diagnose a condition. They do not prove that one mode is better.
The device must remain easy to stop. Pause if the control behaves unexpectedly. Pause if the tubing or battery behaves unexpectedly. Do not change several settings at once. Use the troubleshooting guide for power, charging, display codes, or incomplete inflation.
How the modes differ from pressure levels and optional features
Working mode and pressure level are separate controls. A mode describes chamber timing. A pressure setting describes the selected intensity range. “Whole” does not mean maximum pressure. “Sequence” does not identify a pressure level.
For L1–L3, use the ST-504 pressure levels guide. Keep pressure questions separate from mode questions.
Heat and vibration are separate features. Do not use them as evidence of chamber order. Record each control separately. A warm sleeve does not identify the air sequence. Vibration does not show what the air system is doing.
A simple comparison method for first-time users
Use the same sleeve position for each comparison. Use the same connection check. Keep the battery condition similar. Use the same observation time.
Start with the documented operating sequence. Select one mode. Observe one complete cycle. Write down only equipment-level observations. Stop before changing the mode or pressure.
This method separates a mode difference from a fit problem. A slipped sleeve is a fit problem. Kinked tubing is an equipment problem. Low charge is also an equipment problem. Fix that problem first. Do not treat a changed sensation as proof about the mode.
When a mode question becomes a safety question
Mode labels cannot decide whether compression is suitable. This matters with a new symptom. It also matters after a procedure, with a wound, or with unusual numbness. The labels cannot override the instruction for use.
Use the ST-504 safety and contraindications guide for suitability, non-use, pain, skin change, or professional guidance.
Stop the session for unexpected pain, marked numbness, worsening symptoms, visible skin change, smoke, unusual heat, damaged tubing, or unexplained device behavior. Do not raise the pressure or switch modes to “test” a problem.
What this page can and cannot establish
This page explains controller vocabulary. It helps produce better equipment notes. It cannot establish a diagnosis. It cannot measure blood flow. It cannot guarantee relief.
Do not compare devices without matching chamber layouts, timing, units, and instructions. The current product manual controls operation.
For wider product context, see the ST-504 complete guide. Return here when the question is about the three working modes.
FDA medical device information provides general regulatory context; it does not replace the ST-504 instruction for use.