Which Cold Therapy Unit Is Right For You?

The use of cold therapy machines is increasing in popularity for their ability to decrease pain and recovery time from surgery or injury. Prescribed for many as a post operative treatment, Cold Therapy has many benefits including speeding up recovery time as well as reducing pain and inflammation.

How Does A Cold Therapy Machine Work?

A Cold Therapy Machine is essentially a cooler with a motor and pad attachment. It works by filling the cooler with ice and then topping off with water. Once the unit is tuned on, it begins pumping ice cold water through the attached pad to deliver effective cold therapy to a specific area of the body. Typically used post surgery or injury, the use of cold therapy is proven effective at reducing swelling and pain, as well as decreasing recovery time by up to 3 days.

Is A Cold Therapy Machine More Effective Than An Ice Pack?

We get this question a lot, and we understand why. A cold therapy machine is a much larger investment than a simple ice pack. So, is a cold therapy unit worth the price? Absolutely! While a cold therapy unit can range in cost between $100 - $500 or more, they are absolutely worth the investment.

Provides Longer, Colder Treatment

The major benefit of using a cold therapy machine vs. an ice pack is the length of treatment you will be able to receive. Whereas an ice pack will tend to get warm rather quickly, many cold therapy machines are able to provide consistent cold therapy treatment for 6-10 consecutive hours, depending on your unit.

Delivers More Effective Cold Treatment

Not only does a cold therapy unit offer a much longer treatment time, it also is better able to form to the area of treatment to provide more effective therapy. For instance, applying an ice pack to your shoulder can be difficult as they are not as malleable when frozen and may be hard to hold in place. However, a cold therapy machine has specific pads made to fit specific areas of the body making for a more proper fit. Each cold therapy pad will also come with straps to easily secure the pad onto your body which makes wearing it a cinch.

Many Cold Therapy Units Offer Compression

In addition to providing effective cold therapy to treat post-op or injury, many cold therapy units also provide a level of compression. While all units will provide an aspect of passive compression, there are many other cold therapy units available that offer intermittent cold therapy with intermittent active compression for added treatment benefits to reduce swelling.

The Top Cold Therapy Units

There are many cold therapy units on the market which can make choosing the best cold therapy unit for you difficult and overwhelming at times. We’re breaking down our top selling cold therapy units to help you choose the best unit for you!

Longest Run Time: The Breg Kodiak Cooler

If you are looking for a cold therapy unit to provide you with cold therapy for long periods of time, the Breg Kodiak Cold Therapy Unit is the one for you. Providing up to 8-10 hours of consistent cold therapy, the Kodiak has one of the longest run times on the market. Not to mention it comes with 6 pad options and an optional battery pack for use if plugging it into an outlet is not an option.

Get it here starting at $159.00.

Most Reliable: The Breg Polar Care Cube

Reliable and compact, the Breg Polar Care Cube Cold Therapy Unit offers up to 6-8 hours of cold therapy. The Polar Care Cube offers a high flow rate and comes with 6 pad options. While the unit itself comes with a 6 month manufacturer warranty, you probably won't need it as these units are durable and built to last.

Get it here starting at $129.00.

Most Pad Options: The Aircast Cryo Cuff IC Cooler

We love the Aircast Cryo Cuff IC Cooler for many reasons, one of them being the extensive pad options it offers. The IC Cooler is able to provide powerful cold therapy from the shoulder all the way down to the foot. It also offers intermittent compression, making it a great option for those undergoing ankle or foot surgery. As a bonus, it is less expensive than many other cold compression units on the market.

Get it here starting at $114.25.

Best Intermittent Compression: The Breg Polar Care Wave

Designed to reduce pain and edema to optimize patient recovery, the Breg Polar Care Wave is our top choice for intermittent active cold compression. With 6 pad options and adjustable levels of compression, the Wave is the top choice for many recovering from knee as well as foot and ankle surgery or injury.

Get it here starting at $249.00.

The Most Quiet: Ossur Cold Rush

Known to have the most quiet motor and the best ice to water ratio of any cold therapy unit on the market, the Ossur Cold Rush Cold Therapy Unit is a top choice for many. The Cold Rush comes with 8 pad options, a 4-6 hour run time, as well as a durable, whisper quiet motor making it a great option for home use. While it is already a lightweight unit, it does come in a compact version that is great for travel!

Get it here starting at $174.99.

We understand that choosing the best cold therapy unit for you can be difficult with so many options. Should you have any questions about the cold therapy machines we offer, our customer service team is standing by and happy to help. You can call us at 866-425-3209, email at sales@sourceortho.com , or chat with a knowledgeable customer service rep on sourceortho.net.

Ready to purchase your cold therapy unit? Use coupon code COLD10 for $10 off of your order of $100 or more!

Already have a cold therapy unit and looking to get the most out of it? Check out our post on our go-to cold therapy hacks!