| One of the first things you should do when you get a | | | | Instant Cold Packs contain a liquid and another inner |
| muscle or joint injury is to apply cold therapy. Most | | | | pouch with chemicals. When you squeeze the pack |
| experts say that cold therapy should be applied as | | | | and burst the inner pouch the chemical reaction |
| soon as possible following a soft tissue injury and | | | | creates a cooling effect. The clear advantage of |
| repeated at regular intervals for 48-72 hours. | | | | these packs is that they don't have to be frozen |
| Cooling the injured area after an injury relieves pain | | | | ahead of time. The disadvantage is that they can only |
| and reduces bleeding, swelling and muscle spasms. | | | | be used once and the cold effect may not last as long |
| The cooling causes blood vessels in the area to | | | | as an ice bag. They are a must for any athletic bag. |
| constrict which means less flow of blood and other | | | | Ice Bags: |
| fluids that cause swelling. Applying the appropriate cold | | | | Ice bags are very simple and yet very effective. They |
| therapy soon after a muscle sprain or strain also | | | | are a material pouch with a water proof lining. Ice |
| improves the recovery time. | | | | cubes or crushed ice are then placed in the bag which |
| There are many ways that cold therapy can be | | | | can then be placed directly on the skin. These bags |
| applied. The best method may vary depending on the | | | | work well because they easily mold to the shape of |
| location and type of injury. | | | | the joint. Some of these bags come with a |
| Coldone Therapy Wraps: | | | | compression wrap. I keep one of these bags in my |
| Coldone cold therapy wraps are a neoprene wrap on | | | | athletic bag all the time because most athletic facilities |
| the outside with small pockets of freezable gel on the | | | | have ice available. |
| inner side. The Coldone wrap is stored in the freezer | | | | Cooling Gels and Sprays: |
| until needed so it's ready to be wrapped and fastened | | | | Gels such as Biofreeze or Cryoderm are applied |
| around the injured area. The best feature about | | | | directly to your skin to provide a cooling effect. These |
| Coldone wraps is they also provide compression to | | | | products also contain an analgesic to provide some |
| keep the cold in and the swelling down. The inner lining | | | | pain relief. They come in gels, roll-ons or sprays. The |
| of the wrap is linen which prevents cold shock and | | | | products do work, but the cooling effect is minimal |
| skin burn. This type of wrap can be purchased for | | | | compared to ice packs and only the superficial tissues |
| specific body parts or in a universal configuration. The | | | | are cooled. I primarily use them when I want to |
| only downside is that it needs to be frozen before you | | | | continue playing after the injury or for use on an |
| can use it. | | | | existing injury just before I participate in a sport. |
| Re-usable Cold Packs: | | | | Continuous Cooling Systems: |
| Re-usable cold packs are simple plastic pouches filled | | | | If you have had rotator cuff surgery or other joint |
| with a gel that can be refrozen. Needless to say the | | | | surgery, chances are you have used a continuous |
| pouch must be frozen before it can be used. You | | | | cooling device. They are simple in design but very |
| can't apply the frozen pouch directly to the skin | | | | effective since the cooling remains constant. Ice water |
| because it will cause ice burns. The pouch must be | | | | is continuously pumped from an ice and water cooler |
| used in a special wrap or over a cloth material before | | | | into a compression wrap placed around the injured |
| being applied. To apply compression you need to use | | | | joint. They normal are used for recovery after surgery |
| a quality wrap like the Fabrifoam nustim wrap. | | | | but can also be very effective for deep muscle |
| Instant Cold Packs: | | | | sprains. |