Cold Therapy Comparisons

Things to Consider before buying

Body Part

When choosing the right cold therapy unit the first question we ask is what body part is injured. Depending on which body part is injured makes a difference on which unit to choose. All the units cost about the same but some have better pads for certain body parts.

Shoulder - The Ossur Cold Rush, the Breg Polar Care Cube and the Breg Kodiak have sized shoulder pads which makes them the best choice for shoulder rehab.

Knee - The Breg Polar Care Cube and the Cryo Cuff I/C units are good choices for knee rehab. They all have sized knee pads. The Cryo Cuff I/C Breg VPulse and Breg Polar Care Wave also have intermittent compression (I/C).

Ankle - Although all our cold therapy units would be great for ankle rehab, the Breg Polar Care Wave offers active compression which is typically an important part of rehabbing ankle injuries. The Cryo Cuff I/C and has intermittent compression (I/C).

Hip - Breg Kodiak and Breg Polar Care Cube are the most common choices for Hip rehab due to the excellent hip pad and it's coverage area.

Lumbar - The Breg Kodiak and the Breg Polar Care Cube are the most common choices for Lumbar(lower back) rehab due to the excellent pad coverage area.

Foot - The Cryo Cuff I/C unit is highly recommended for foot rehab specifically after Bunion surgery because the Cryo Cuff I/C Forefoot pad is excellent. We also recommend the Breg VPulse Foot/Ankle pad with added compression.

How To Use a Cooler

Every cooler unit works the same simple way. First add water. Inside each unit is a fill line for water and ice (Use frozen plastic water bottles in combination with ice to save on ice cubes). Then use the frozen water bottles or ice to fill the unit to the ice fill line (Keep water chilled in the refrigerator for best results). Now attach your wrap to the feeder hose. We recommend letting the unit sit with the cold water and ice for approximately 5-10 minutes before turning the unit on. This allows the water to get very cold before the unit starts moving the water through the pad. Plug in your unit with the power cord. Attach the wrap to your body with the elastic wraps provided with your body part wrap (Place any type of fabric as a barrier between bare skin and wrap). Turn on the unit. The motor will automatically pump the cold water continuously through the pad to provide consistent cold temperature to the pad.

Note: The unit itself is NOT a refrigeration device it is an insulated cooler with a motorized pump that maintains very cold temperatures for several hours.

Feeder Hose Length

The feeder hose that comes with the unit is about 5 feet long with the exception of the Ossur Cold Rush which is 6 feet long. This hose connects to the body wrap. Place the unit on a chair or table beside you and the hose can reach any body part. We recommend keeping the cooler unit level with your body (not on the floor) so that the motor does not have to work as hard to pump the water through the pad. If you need that extra foot in hose length consider the Ossur Cold Rush.

Noise

All the coolers are remarkably quiet just giving off a faint motor hum while working but the Ossur Cold Rush is absolutely whisper quiet. Breg Polar Care and Breg Kodiak are the next quietest. The Iceman Classic, the Clear3 and the Cryo Cuff I/C units are slightly more audible.

Weight

When full of ice and water cold therapy units weigh 15 lbs on average with the exception of the Cryo Cuff I/C Motorized unit which weighs about 7 lbs when full.

Flow Control

All of our units have automatic flow control built into the unit to deliver optimum cold temperature. The Ossur Cold Rush has an adjustable flow control dial.

Compression

The Cryo Cuff I/C Motorized unit does provide Intermittent Compression(I/C) allowing for slight compression. New on the market, the Breg Polar Care Wave Compression System and VPulse systems both provide both cold therapy and active compression to reduce pain and swelling. Unlike most other cold therapy devices, the Breg Wave does not require an additional barrier between the pad and the skin.

For professionals and athletes our Game Ready Pro cold therapy unit is the best combination compression and cold therapy unit on the market.

Helpful Hints

Use a simple T-shirt as a barrier between bare skin and the wrap or pad when using a machine.
Place a towel beneath your cooler unit during use. Cold temperatures will sometimes cause slight condensation on the cooler.
Use frozen plastic water bottles in combination with ice (make sure to remove the label and glue from the bottle).
Store water in the refrigerator so water is already cold when poured into the unit.

Warranty

Source Ortho is an Authorized Manufacturer Distributor which means all of our products are backed by the manufacturer's warranty. All cold therapy units above have a 6 month warranty and all wraps are backed by a 1 month warranty.