Learn How Cold Therapy Can Affect Post-Injury and Post-Surgery Recovery, Plus Help Relieve Chronic Pain

Cold Therapy Benefits

COLD
What are the benefits of cold therapy?
Decreased swelling and inflammation
Decreased narcotic usage ^4,5,6,7,8
COMPRESSION
What are the benefits of active compression?
Mechanically flushes swelling from the affected site
Stimulates tissue repair to encourage the healing process^10,11,12,13
COLD & COMPRESSION
What are the benefits of combined cold and active compression compared to cold therapy alone?
Better pain control
Greater likelihood of independence from narcotic use
Improved range of motion during post-op recovery
Improved post-operative recovery
May contribute to better short-term clinical outcomes^4,5,6,7,8

Learn More About Cold Therapy

Many doctors recommend cold therapy because it is instrumental in recovery after surgery, injury or strenuous activity. By slowing blood flow to a specific area, cold therapy helps to reduce pain, inflammation and swelling. Cold therapy has also been shown through clinical studies to help reduce the requirement and use of narcotics because of its ability to help manage pain and discomfort. ^1,4

Why do I need cold therapy after surgery or injury?

After an injury or surgery, your body initiates a biological response to try and remove or heal damaged cells. This response is called inflammation, which is a defense mechanism in the body. Pain and swelling are the uncomfortable symptoms of inflammation, but the good news is that they show that the body is trying to heal itself. Although inflammation is a good indicator of the start of the healing process, it can persist longer than needed and consequently cause more harm than benefit. ^1,2,3

That’s where cold therapy comes into play. Applying ice, cold gel packs, a motorized cold therapy system or a motorized cold and compression system can help reduce inflammation, pain, stiffness and swelling and help you recover more quickly. These cold therapy systems have also been shown to reduce the need for narcotic pain medications that can be addictive. This is an important benefit in the midst of the rising opioid crisis in the United States. ^4,5,7,8

More on Cold Therapy

Glossary

FAQs

Other Cold Therapy Resources

Physiquality.com

SportsInjuryClinic.net

WebMD.com

See what others are saying about cold therapy

“I don’t know how I was able to recover from previous surgeries without this amazing ice machine.”

Tinapatient

“This cooling machine is state of the art! I used it every day, and thanks to the device I was able to recover much sooner. The doctor promised me I could move my arm above the shoulder after four weeks, and I was able to do it in two.”

Karsten R.patient

“I really think ice and compression are what controlled my swelling, which made it so much easier to bend and use my new knee.”

Lucy S.patient

“Breg Polar Care saved me. After my surgery, I was not in pain, I wasn’t irritable—it kept my complaining to a minimum.”

Luis G.patient

Breg Cold Therapy Products

Polar Care Wave™

motorized

With both cold therapy and active compression it remains cold for 6-8 hours and has two temperature and compression level settings

Polar Care^® Glacier™

motorized

Remains cold for 10-13 hours with whisper-quiet pump technology

Polar Care^® Kodiak^®

motorized

Intelli-Flo® pads control temperature to each pad and remains cold for 6-8 hours (battery sold separately with 10-hour life)

Polar Care^® Cube™

motorized

Economical motorized cold therapy with uniform pad temperature and remains cold for 6-8 hours

Polar Care Packs

manual

Dual-upright that dynamically unloads the knee when pain is at its peak

VPULSE^®

motorized

3 treatment modalities – cold therapy and 2 different types of compression

Souces

https://www.brownmed.com/blog/cryotherapy/4-health-benefits-of-cold-therapy/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279298/
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/248423.php
Waterman et al: Efficacy of Combined Cryotherapy and Compression Compared with Cryotherapy Alone. The Journal of Knee Surgery. Vol 25. No. 2, 2012.
Murgier J., Cassard X.: Cryotherapy With Dynamic Intermittent Compression For Analgesia After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction. Preliminary Study. Orthopaedics and Traumatology Surgery and Research, 2014.
Murgier J. et al: Cryotherapy With Dynamic Intermittent Compression Improves Recovery From Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty. Journal of Arthroplasty, 2017.
Leegwater, NC et al: Cryocompression Therapy After Elective Arthroplasty of the Hip. Hip International, 2012.
Su E.P et al: A Prospective, Multi-Center, Randomized Trial To Evaluate the Efficacy of a Cryopneumatic Device on Total Knee Arthroplasty Recovery. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, 2012.
Knight KL. Cryotherapy in sport injury management. 1995. Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL.
Sabiston KB et al. The effects of intermittent compression and cold on reducing edema in postacute ankle sprains. Journal of Athletic Training. 1992;27(2):140.
Hubbard TJ, Denegar CR. Does cryotherapy improve outcomes with soft tissue injury? J Athl Train. 2004;39(3):278-279.
Schaser K-D, Stover JF, Melcher I et al. Local cooling restores microcirculatory hemodynamics after closed soft-tissue trauma in rats. J Trauma. 2006;61(3):642-649.
Dahl J, Li J, Bring DK-I, Renström P, Ackerman PW. Intermittent pneumatic compression enhances neurovascular ingrowth and tissue proliferation during connective tissue healing. A study in the rat. J Orthop Res. 2007;25:1185-1192.
Hochberg J: “A Randomized Prospective Study to Assess The Efficacy of Two Cold Therapy Treatments Following Carpal Tunnel Release”, Journal of Hand Therapy 2001.
Saito N, et al: “Continuous Local Cooling For Pain Relief Following Total Hip Arthroplasty”, The Journal of Arthroplasty, 2004.
Morsi E: Continuous-Flow Cold Therapy After Total Knee Arthroplasty, The Journal of Arthroplasty, 2002.
Singh H et al: “The Efficacy of Continuous Cryotherapy On the Postoperative Shoulder: A Prospective, Randomized Investigation”, Journal of Shoulder Elbow Surgery, 2001.
Bech, M et al: “Device or Ice: The Effect of Consistent Cooling Using a Device Compared With Intermittent Cooling Using an Ice Bag After Total Knee Arthroplasty.” Physiotherapy Canada, Volume 67, Number 1.
Block, JE: Cold and Compression In the Management of Musculoskeletal Injuries and Orthopedic Operative Procedures: A Narrative Review, Dove Press Journal/Open Access Journal of Sports Medicine, July 6 2010.

Learn How Cold Therapy Can Affect Post-Injury and Post-Surgery Recovery, Plus Help Relieve Chronic Pain

Cold Therapy Benefits

COLD

What are the benefits of cold therapy?

COMPRESSION

What are the benefits of active compression?

COLD & COMPRESSION

What are the benefits of combined cold and active compression compared to cold therapy alone?

Learn More About Cold Therapy

Why do I need cold therapy after surgery or injury?

More on Cold Therapy

Other Cold Therapy Resources

See what others are saying about cold therapy

Breg Cold Therapy Products

Polar Care Wave™

With both cold therapy and active compression it remains cold for 6-8 hours and has two temperature and compression level settings

Polar Care^® Glacier™

Remains cold for 10-13 hours with whisper-quiet pump technology

Polar Care^® Kodiak^®

Intelli-Flo® pads control temperature to each pad and remains cold for 6-8 hours (battery sold separately with 10-hour life)

Polar Care^® Cube™

Economical motorized cold therapy with uniform pad temperature and remains cold for 6-8 hours

Polar Care Packs

Dual-upright that dynamically unloads the knee when pain is at its peak

VPULSE^®

3 treatment modalities – cold therapy and 2 different types of compression

Souces

Ask your doctor about cold therapy risks

Learn more about Cold Therapy

Learn How Cold Therapy Can Affect Post-Injury and Post-Surgery Recovery, Plus Help Relieve Chronic Pain

Cold Therapy Benefits

COLD

COMPRESSION

COLD & COMPRESSION

Learn More About Cold Therapy

Why do I need cold therapy after surgery or injury?

More on Cold Therapy

Other Cold Therapy Resources

See what others are saying about cold therapy

Breg Cold Therapy Products

Polar Care Wave™

With both cold therapy and active compression it remains cold for 6-8 hours and has two temperature and compression level settings

Polar Care® Glacier™

Remains cold for 10-13 hours with whisper-quiet pump technology

Polar Care® Kodiak®

Intelli-Flo® pads control temperature to each pad and remains cold for 6-8 hours (battery sold separately with 10-hour life)

Polar Care® Cube™

Economical motorized cold therapy with uniform pad temperature and remains cold for 6-8 hours

Polar Care Packs

Dual-upright that dynamically unloads the knee when pain is at its peak

VPULSE®

3 treatment modalities – cold therapy and 2 different types of compression

Souces

Ask your doctor about cold therapy risks

Learn more about Cold Therapy

Polar Care^® Glacier™

Polar Care^® Kodiak^®

Polar Care^® Cube™

VPULSE^®