Wear and tear on the knee is a painful truth many face. For such a small part of the body, it can have a major impact on your quality of life. Being mobile means moving your knee joint countless times a day and having to endure discomfort with every step is not a reality anyone should have to accept.
In many cases, ACL repairs and knee replacement operations are essential to restore mobility, but the recovery process can be slow and painful. But maybe, just maybe, it doesn’t have to be.
An ice machine for post op knee surgery drastically reduce pain and helps speed up recovery. These units are no longer expensive devices owned by specialized therapists. They are small, mobile units that you can use daily in the comfort of your own home.
We have put together a collection of the top ice machines to help you recover from surgery faster and with less pain. Regardless if your objective is to walk comfortably again or run a marathon, these machines will get you to your goal in record time.
Polar Products Active Ice Therapy System 2.0
The Polar Active Ice Therapy System 2.0 come with a cooler and knee pad included. It is a quiet and high-efficiency portable pump that provides effective and even cooling to the area after an operation or injury. It is comfortable and easy to use.
The unit works by continuously pumping water through the pad that attaches to your leg with the supplied straps. All you have to do is fill the cooler with ice and water as directed in the instructions and then turn it on. The temperature can be controlled by adjusting the settings on the unit.
The Polar 2.0 System is specifically designed for post-surgery, when pain relief and the reduction of swelling is essential. It has a universal U-shaped bladder and an elastic belt that fits perfectly around different knee sizes. The cooling pad can also be used on other parts of the body.
The 9 Quart cooler has a handle and a hinged lid that snaps into place, keeping it tightly sealed to prevent leaking. It uses an AC Power wall adapter to draw power. It works with a timer that allows 30 minute session at a time before it needs to be reset. This is an important safety feature to prevent skin damage.
- Dimensions: 16 x 9.5 x 8.5 inches
- Weight 5.5 lbs
- Pad Included
The 5 feet of insulated water pipes have quick disconnect couplings. This allows you to unplug the pad from the main line if you want to move around without removing the pad and straps.
This is a great all in one purchase if you are looking for a Cold Therapy unit to manage pain and swelling after an operation or injury.
Optional Extra: Polar Ice Machine Therapy System Battery Pack
If you need to use your machine where a power point is not always available. You have the option of picking up a Battery Pack for the Polar Ice Therapy System. This brilliant lithium-ion battery pack accessory allows you to use the cooler while away from home or even driving. It provides up to 6 hours of use, allowing you to keep mobile while managing your pain.
Kit Cold Rush Portable Ice Machine
The Ossur Cold Rush Machine includes the Cooling Knee Pad. The unit is durable, quiet and compact Cold Therapy system. Its portable design makes it well suited for hospital or home use. Like the Polar, it has a locking lid to help prevent spills.
The durable motor is the same as motors used in much larger mobile cooling units. The insulated cooler has been designed to block heat transfer from the motor unit to the ice water storage area. This allows the device to deliver even cooling, for up to 6 hours.
- Dimensions: 12 x 9 x 10 inches
- Weight: 4.6 pounds
- Pad Included
The pads deliver continuous cold therapy to the area. As with the Polar unit, it can also be used on other parts of the body like the hip, ankle, shoulder, back or hand.
Cold Rush Compact System for Post Knee Surgery
The Ossur cold rush is a smaller, more compact version of the original Cold Rush design and is super quiet. This makes it conveniently portable and easy to use at home, work or in hospitals. Having your own unit can prove much cheaper that hospital rentals.
It is easy to fill and works just like above units, pumping the cold water in the cooler through the pipes and into the pad.
As with the Polo, the cold rush pads must not come in direct contact with your skin so always use a lining to prevent skin damage.
- Dimensions: 18 x 10 x 12 inches
- Weight: 4.6 pounds
- Pad Included
Recover Tips After a Knee Operation
- Focus on range of motion. It is more important to get your leg as straight as possible and to bend as far as possible. While the joint is healing, scar tissue is forming so this range of motion is important to avoid scar tissue build up. It is less important to focus on walking quickly and building strength, this should be viewed as a second phase of your recovery.
- Keep your pain management under control. Use Cold Therapy and medication as prescribed by your doctor.
- During rehabilitation and exercise, don’t try to progress too quickly. Further to point one; motion before mobility. Take it slow to avoid possible hurting your joint or slowing your recovery.
- Do not compare your progress to other people’s progress. If you do both knees at the same time, expect them to recover at different rates. Each joint should be allowed to recover at its own pace.
- Don’t stop therapy too soon or avoid it completely. Therapist know how to stretch your joints to acceptable limits without causing damage, but drastically improving range of motion.
Ice Therapy Benefits & Tips
- Pads should never come in direct contact with the skin, always use a protective wrap, a liner or a towel to ensure you do not over-cool and damage your skin. A towel can be used between the pad and your skin to ensure there is no direct contact between the two.
- Do not over cool an area. Use for 30 minute sessions and check your skin in-between sessions. Excessive cold can cause frostbite.
- These therapy units are much more convenient and less messy to use than conventional ice packs. Keep your freezer stocked with ice and all you need to do is drop it in the cooler when you need to use your machine. You can also freeze small bottles of water and simply drop them in the cooler. Refreeze them once they have melted.
- Cold therapy decreases the need for anti inflammatory medications by reducing pain symptoms and surgery swelling.
- Consult your doctor to ensure you use the system according to your specific needs.
- A post knee surgery ice machine is commonly used for both knee replacements and ACL repairs (Anterior Cruciate Ligament).
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