Wandering the Charles River Museum at Mass Innovation Nights this month, I laid eyes on what I consider one of the more intriguing contraptions I’ve seen demoed recently. What I saw was a volunteer sitting on a chair with his leg extended and wrapped in what looked like a big, inflated pant leg and boot. From the boot ran a white tube into a bucket shaped machine plugged into a nearby outlet.

Though I initially thought the man in the chair was getting fitted for a less than flattering spacesuit, what was in fact going on was a pulsating air massage by the NormaTec MVP (Most Valuable Pump).

Headquartered in Newton Center, NormaTec MVP has gotten its inflatable sleeves on some big names in the sports world. Among them, Celtics All-Star forward Kevin Garnett, 2009 Ironman winner Craig Alexander, and uber athlete Lance Armstrong. You can see pictures of them and other pro athletes wearing the nicknamed “space legs” on the MVP Facebook page.

The purpose of the NormaTec MVP is to naturally promote circulation via a technique called peristaltic pulse. By rhythmically inducing pressure on a limb, the MVP gives both the circulatory and lymph systems a kick in the butt, resulting in increased circulation of nutrients through the blood and as a result, faster recovery.

The effects of the MVP (and peristaltic pulse in general) make it ideal for athletes who are injured or just need a bit of muscle recovery after practice. Though I only saw an instance of a leg massage, there are also sleeves for the arms, and Gilad Jacobs, VP of NormaTech’s Sports Medicine Division, tells me a midsection wrap is coming soon.

The concept of promoting circulation through pressure intervals has actually been around since the 1960s, but NormaTec brings new innovation to the concept by creating a relatively compact, versatile product deigned to closely mimic the natural functions of the body. The “bucket shaped machine” mentioned earlier is the control center, allowing users to dial in the exact, optimal rate for the patient’s pulse and meaning the difference between increased natural circulation and simply getting squeezed by a leg-shaped balloon.

For more on the NormaTec MVP, check out their website: normatecsports.com, or follow them on Twitter @NormaTech_MVP.