Abstract: A contractile stocking element (10) intended to form together with further stocking elements of the same type a compression sleeve for peristaltically treating patients' lower extremities, consists of a hose to be disposed around the patient's limb and which is made from flexible material, the hose being substantially more flexible in its longitudinal direction than in its transverse direction, and carrying a fabric strip (12) with hooking means of the Velcro-type (13) at the ends of the strip and being intended to constrict around the patient's limb upon establishment of a partial vacuum in the interior of the hose. The individual stocking elements of the compression sleeve are activated sequentially by a control arrangement with a sequence control circuit.