Cold Compression is a combination of cryotherapy and static compression, commonly used for the treatment of pain and inflammation after acute injury or surgical procedures. It combines the Ice and Compression principles of R.I.C.E. (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) to reduce pain and swelling from an injury to soft tissues. It is also recommended by orthopedic surgeons following surgery.
Cold compression therapy is particularly useful for sprains, strains, pulled muscles and pulled ligaments. It is one of the most common treatments in orthopedic medicine for acute injury management because it lowers the temperature of the injured tissue, which reduces the tissue’s metabolic rate and helps the tissue to survive the period following the injury. Cold should always be applied immediately following an acute sports injury. The sooner cold and compression is applied the better. Depending on how severe the injury is and the injury location cold only should be applied for the first 24 to 48 hours.
Game Ready® Cold Compression Systems and Wraps
Game Ready® cold compression systems and wraps are among the most highly recommended for compression cooling therapy because they offer cryotherapy, physical therapy and rehabilitation devices for sports injuries and physical therapy treatments. Game Ready® systems feature a patented, dual-action ATX™ (Active Temperature Exchange) design that enables the simultaneous circulation of ice water and air.
Active pneumatic (air) compression helps the body pump away swelling and stimulate the flow of oxygen-rich blood. Increased blood flow can slow cell death, limit tissue damage and aid in the removal of cellular debris and waste products. Compression cooling therapy can help your body heal more quickly by preventing tissue damage, encouraging healthy circulation, and stimulating tissue repair.
Benefits
Ice has been the primary cold source for years. But, now cold therapy systems are rapidly becoming the method of choice for doctors, trainers, and surgeons for acute injury management and as part of post-operative therapy because they offer so many benefits:
- Consistent therapeutic temperature – A constant exchange of cold water with warmer water ensures that the injury site receives the same cold temperature for the duration of the therapy session.
- Deeper cold – Consistent cooling allows the therapeutic cold to penetrate deeper, which means that more of the recovering tissue will benefit from less swelling, pain, and edema.
- Longer lasting cold – A deeper, consistent cooling effect lasts longer after the therapy session has been completed so the patient will continue to benefit from compression cooling therapy, even after the application of cold has stopped.
- Better coverage – Specialized wraps can cover more surface area than a simple ice pack. Wraps that conform to the patient’s body and have more uniform contact allow the therapeutic cold to reach all the damaged tissue in the injured area.
- Less pain – Better coverage and more effective cooling compression therapy means less pain during the recovery process, so patients can benefit more from physical therapy.
- Faster recovery – All of these factors combine to provide quicker healing and faster recovery from injuries or surgery. The faster patients can recover, the more quickly they can get back to their normal activities.
