An ice therapy machine is a device that uses cryotherapy (also known as “cold therapy”) to relieve an area of your body that is injured or in pain. While there are various types of cryotherapy treatments, an ice therapy machine offers treatment from the comfort of your own home.
Ice therapy helps numb nerve irritation, which makes it a perfect solution for those suffering from sports injuries, sprains, and muscle soreness.
Ice therapy machines have also been shown to relieve pain from arthritis, as well as treat mood disorders. This is due to the machine’s ability to release adrenaline, noradrenaline, and endorphins (Source).
Ice therapy has also been used to treat certain kinds of cancers like cervix and skin cancer by freezing and killing cancer cells (Source). Most ice-therapy machines come with an ice bucket, a cold therapy pad, and a hose to connect the two.
Prior to purchasing an ice therapy machine, you’ll want to consider whether you want a universal cold therapy pad or a wrap attachment. You’ll also want to consider the portability, noise level, and the length of the hose connecting the pad and the ice bucket.
Whether you’re an athlete, recovering from surgery, or just have muscle soreness, we definitely recommend a cold therapy system to help you get over the pain and get back to your normal routine.
What Is The Best Ice Therapy Machine?
The Ossur Cold Rush unit is the best ice therapy machine because it stays cooler than most units and is silent in operation. More importantly, it is effective in reducing localized pain and swelling following surgical procedures and trauma.
What is a Cold Therapy Machine and How Does It Work?
A cold therapy machine is specifically made for reducing body swelling and pain, using an extremely cold liquid. Cold therapy or cryotherapy machine delivers pain relief while helping injuries heal faster using freezing agents and ice water.
Cold therapy works by reducing blood flow to the affected area which alleviates pain by reducing swelling and inflammation. It also relieves pain by temporarily reducing nerve activity.
Applying cold therapy to the injury reduces the temperature of the damaged tissue which reduces the swelling. The cold also numbs the nerve receptors and reduces the pain in the damaged tissue area.
How Much Do Ice Therapy Machines Cost?
When looking for the best ice therapy machine, different machines will have different features, including water cooler-size, temperature controls, and wraps vs pad attachments.
These features determine how long you can use the machine if you can use heat therapy, and what types of injuries you can treat. Most ice therapy machines cost between $125 and $200.
Comparing The Best Ice Therapy Machines
| Ossur Cold Rush Cold Therapy System | ||
| Polar Active Ice System | ||
| Cryotherapy Arctic Water Therapy | ||
| ARS Aqua Relief Hot or Cold | ||
| Aircast Cryo Cuff System |
1. Ossur Cold Rush Cold Therapy Systems – Best Overall
The Ossur Cold Rush Cold Therapy unit is truly a quality product. This model comes with a large adjustable shoulder pad.
The shape and size of the pad make it adaptable to different body parts like the hips and knees. A durable yet quiet motor has four power settings which continuously delivers cold water for up to six hours. The Cold Rush has a strong flow rate but has only 30 decibels of sound, making it whisper quiet.
A high ice-to-water ratio means less heat transfer which means more consistent cold therapy pain relief. With a weight of only 4.6-pounds, your pain relief system is easily transportable and a good alternative to larger units.
The features are very neat, including localized pain relief, post-surgery treatment, and athletic therapy. The machine eliminates symptoms and reduces swelling.
Many physicians and therapists recommend the Ossur cold therapy machine to their patients.
Built with an ergonomic design, the Cold Rush includes intuitive controls and a carrying handle for easy operation. Insulated walls improve cooling, and a unique locking lid prevents spills.
Main Features
- Intuitive Control Knob
- Insulated Walls
- 6-Hour Ice Water Ratio
- Quiet Motor
- Locking Lid
- Convenient Carrying Handle
- Light 4.6-Pound Weight
- Lightweight, easy to transport
- Whisper-quiet motor
- Adjustable and versatile shoulder pad
- Three elasticized straps
- Plastic tubing easily crimps
- Condensation gathers around tubing
- Lid sometimes difficult to open
- Must refill ice every six hours
2. Polar Active Ice System – Best Ice Therapy Machine for Your Knee
Polar Active Ice is an easy to use, electric-powered system that lets you move around freely while wearing it. The 17-inch long by 14.5-inch wide system is easy to fill with ice and water.Polar Active Ice uses a non-motorized pump and five feet of water line, sending cold pressure to the injured area. The pump itself is insulated to keep the cold liquid from escaping. Compactly designed, the Polar’s reservoir is a 15-quart wheeled cooler.
With its user-friendly design, the Polar Active lets you control and regulate the temperature and flow rate. A built-in timer lets you set it and forget it for up to thirty minutes before the machine automatically shuts off.
Even with a design made for post-surgery pain relief, the Polar Active also works well for other injuries and treatments. A 44-inch, universal stretch belt, and U-shaped bladder make it adaptable to different body areas.
A black compressions wrap encloses the bladder while holding it in place on the injury area. The wrap insulates the injury for controlled condensation and cooling.
A soft cotton packing comes with the wrap for insulating the outer fabric and absorbing skin moisture. This added insulation protects the skin from injury by direct cold trauma.
Main Features
- Non-Motorized Pump
- Versatile Universal Bladder
- Adjustable Flow Rate and Temperature
- Universal Stretch Belt
- Black Compression Wrap with Soft Cotton Packing
- Lightweight, easy to transport
- Easy to use
- Made for post-operative and other injuries with inflamed or acute tissue injury
- Insulates target area
- Holds large amounts of ice and water
- 30-minute safety shut off timer to avoid injuries
- Easy drug-free pain relief
- A 6-month warranty
- More expensive than other products
- Timer is only 30-minutes and requires frequent resets
- Motor has a slight humming sound
- If used improperly can cause cold burns
3. Cryotherapy Arctic Water Therapy – The Cheapest Cryotherapy Machine
When looking for an affordable cold therapy machine, take a look at the Cryotherapy Arctic Ice Cold Water system. This AC-powered, conveniently portable machine gives you accurate water temperature control for efficient cold therapy.The small motorized machine is big on supplying cold therapy, using a specialized technique called constant circulation compression. The Arctic Ice also boasts two controls for on and off and for timing or constant and continuous settings.
Due to the Arctic’s smaller size, you’ll find the need for refilling more frequent. However, even with its compact size, the Arctic Water Therapy system delivers 6-8 hours of cold water with one fill-up.
The cold therapy machine includes a universal cooling pad that you connect to the six-foot insulated hoses.
Even with its drawbacks, the Arctic Ice Therapy system has an extremely sturdy and effective build.
Main Features
- 360° Cooling and Circulation
- Helps Reduce Swelling and Pain
- Locking Latch top
- 7 – 8 Hours Continuous Therapy
- Patented Semi-Closed Loop System
- Compatible with Different Pads
- Built-in temperature control and timer
- Portable
- Includes free pad
- Most affordable cryotherapy machine
- Velcro pad needs more durability
- Controls a little flimsy
- Must refill with ice after 8 hours
4. ARS Aqua Relief Hot or Cold System – Ice Therapy Machine for Post Shoulder Surgery
This high-performance system is easy to use and offers electric powered hot and cold therapy. A non-motorized pump delivers iced or heated water with a targeted blast to the injury area.The Aqua Relief system has a design for use on the head, limbs, and torso. This design allows the Aqua Relief user to alternate between hot and cold therapy treatments.
Manufactured by Pain Management Technologies, this unit features a large-volume with a low weight of only seven ounces. The large-volume reservoir continuously delivers hot or cold therapy for up to eight hours.
An anti-interference design keeps the user from opening the lid when in water therapy mode. Also, the reservoir has a shoulder strap that lets you transport the machine for added mobility during therapy.
A timer-controlled heating element is an added safety feature to avoid overheated water and accidental burns. Water temperature is adjustable with a high and low-temperature setting knob and a heat range of 105° to 120° Fahrenheit.
With the cryotherapy function, you get a temperature adjustment of 32° – 105° Fahrenheit. The cold settings work well for managing pain and inflammation. However, it’s inadvisable to use the cold function at it lowest setting for extended periods of time. Long periods of cold leads to sustained vasoconstriction which aggravates the injury and causes extreme pain.
Main Features
- 105° – 120° F Heat Setting
- High-Grade Universal Power Plug
- Includes Therapy Pad
- 12-Month Manufacturer’s Warranty
- Built-in temperature control and 60-minute heat timer
- Heat therapy for non-inflamed and chronic tissue injury
- Cold therapy for inflamed and acute tissue injury
- Safety shut-off in heat mode
- Continuous therapy for up to 8 hours
- Adjustable temperature and timer means chance of cold injury
- Wraps and other therapy pads are a separate purchase
5. Aircast Cryo Cuff System – The Most Portable Ice Therapy Machine
Included with the Cryo Cuff are the tube assembly, insulation disk, and plastic fittings and it works on either leg. By placing the cryo jug above the knee, you get cold water delivered directly to the cryo cuff.
Placing the jug below the knee circulates the water back into the jug where it’s re-cooled. The small size and portability of the Aircast Cryo Cuff let you easily carry it anywhere.
Aircast Cryo is inexpensive and an affordable alternative to using ice packs.
Main Features
- Non-Motorized Gravity Fed System
- Direct Water Chilled Delivery System
- 6-8 Hour Holding Capacity
- Highly portable
- Large water and ice capacity for the compact size
- Universal fit for left or right leg
- Compatible with all Cryo Cuff and Arctic pads
- Must manually press cuff for sufficient cooling
- Some users don’t care for the cheap look
How To Use an Ice Therapy Machine
Ice therapy machines work by moving cold water from a tank to and from an injured area on a repeating loop. In order to use them, you will need to first add ice to the tank and fill it all the way up alongside enough water to get it started.
After you have ice in your tank, attach the wrap or pad attachment to your injured area, creating compression. Turn the ice therapy machine on, and it will pump therapeutic cold water to your injury, treating your joint or limb to reduce swelling.
The best part is, as your body’s natural warmth begins to warm the water you are receiving, the machine pumps more water to your injury, constantly resupplying with more therapeutic cold. This makes ice therapy machines much more effective and expedient at treating injuries than other options like ice packs.
Why You Should Buy a Cold Therapy Machine
Using ice packs for injury does provide some relief from the pain and inflammation. However, this method is inefficient when using for long periods and very messy.
As the ice melts, ice packs drip and become soggy, making them inadequate cold therapy compression. A cold therapy machine delivers a deep-penetrating, long-lasting cold therapy with more efficiency than ice packs.
Benefits of a Cold Therapy Machine
Cold therapy machines use a padded area to deliver cold pain relief to the injured area. Many of these systems use motors for delivering a strong yet controllable ice flow to the injury.
Ice therapy machines have the capability of providing a therapy known as active compression. Active compression and the therapeutic cold combination make these machines superior to ice packs for pain relief and swelling reduction.Cold compression also promotes lymphatic injury drainage. Also, removes edema and increases blood flow circulation to the injury. Cold therapy helps promote body healing, naturally.
Ice therapy machines have the capability of providing a therapy known as active compression. Active compression and the therapeutic cold combination make these machines superior to ice packs for pain relief and swelling reduction.Cold compression also promotes lymphatic injury drainage. Also, removes edema and increases blood flow circulation to the injury. Cold therapy helps promote body healing, naturally.- Most universal wraps included with the cold therapy machine give more injury coverage than the traditional ice pack. Better coverage means the cryotherapy penetrates the injury area more broadly and deeply. With broader penetration, the user gets better relief.
- Cold therapy machines are easier to use while resting, giving you better healing effects. Some machines are configurable so you can get the benefits of cold therapy while you sleep. When using cold therapy during rest or sleep, your life returns to normal quicker. When you sleep or rest better, you heal faster.
- With a cold therapy machine, you can regulate the temperature better than you can with ice packs. Many cold machines have temperature control and safety regulating features which include auto-shutoff.Without a regulator, you can easily injure yourself with the condition known as vasoconstriction, which is common with ice packs. Temperature regulation gives you the cold sensation at safe levels throughout the cryotherapy session.
What to Look for in a Cold Therapy Machine
The Appropriate Run Times
When it comes to treating injuries or recovering from surgery, ice therapy machines do an amazing job. However, not all machines are created equal so you should shop around to find the best option for you.
When looking at motorized machines, look for long run times, especially if you plan using it through the night. Many of the motorized machines can work continuously for six to eight hours.
Some may work longer when running them on the lowest temperature setting which works well for damaged tissue. Since the machines have motors, they make noise which may make sleep impossible when using cold therapy.
Pad Vs. Wrap Attachment
Many machines come with a pad. When the site you want to treat is a joint, a pad may not work that well. Either look for a machine that includes a wrap attachment or one that has an option for buying a wrap. A wrap gives you better coverage for a more effective cold treatment.
Buyer’s Guide: Factors to Consider Before Buying
What Is Cold Therapy Used For?
Ice or cold therapy is used to reduce pain and inflammation and promote quicker healing. It does this by helping to lower the temperature of the injured tissue.
As a result, the tissue’s metabolic rate is reduced, and the tissue survives the period following the injury.
The idea for ice therapy originates from studies that show that the body activates a hunting reaction after 10 minutes of cold therapy.
This hunting response is a cycle of decreased blood flow and increased blood flow which increases the delivery of nutrient-rich blood and oxygen to the tissue.
Note that you should be very careful when selecting an ice machine. Excessive cooling or lack of temperature control when using the machine can result in frostbite or severe tissue damage.
What Happens If You Ice for Too Long?
Icing for too long causes more harm than good. As noted above, ice therapy involves constricting blood vessels and reducing blood flow.
If you ice for too long, the hunting response will not kick in which means you slow down the healing process. Medical experts advise that you should never ice for more than 20 minutes. The ideal time is, however, 10 minutes.
How Long Should You Ice After Surgery?
A key reason why people invest in ice machines is for use after surgery. Consider knee surgery, for instance. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons notes that swelling after knee surgery can last up to six months.
To help reduce inflammation and pain, surgeons recommend an ice pack or ice therapy. Immediately after the surgery, you are supposed to ice the knee three to four times per day for roughly ten to twenty minutes per session.
After the first few days and once the swelling has reduced a bit, then you can alternate between cold and heat to facilitate relaxation of the muscles and to ease stiffness.
However, if you are in doubt, please consult your surgeon. He or she will be able to tell you how long you should after surgery depending on the type of surgery.
Is Ice Therapy Safe?
Yes, when used correctly, ice therapy is incredibly safe. It has been used in various medical institutions for years. The problem arises when one does not follow instructions.
As a result, it is crucial that you take the time to read through the instructions and any manual that comes with the ice therapy machine.
What to Avoid in a Cold Therapy Machine
When you’re on a budget, buying a used machine is not a good idea. Buying a used machine has hazardous risks like poor temperature regulation and leaking tubes.
Besides the possible dangers, a used machine may not work or may not work as effectively. With no warranty, there is no way to get your money back should the machine break down.
Cold therapy machines fall under the category of regulated medical devices. This means that to ensure quality regulations are met, only licensed medical professionals sell these machines.
With proper storage and use, an ice therapy machine can last for years. Investing in a new, high-quality machine instead of used can help you get the best therapy for the money.
How Long to Use Your Ice Therapy Machine
Regardless of which machine you purchase, take precautions to avoid the risk of damaging the skin. Determine injury susceptibility by inspecting the treatment area about three to five minutes after turning the machine on. If there is no damage, continue checking at thirty-minute intervals.
Once you determine your skin can handle the therapy, always check for skin damage every one to two hours. The best way to avoid injury is to use an insulation layer between your skin and the therapy pad. It’s best to use a buffer anytime you use the machine longer than fifteen minutes.
Never use the machine on the coldest setting. Prolonged use at very cold temperatures may cause painful freezer skin burn. Besides skin damage, a cold machine can make changes to your blood pressure. Until you know how your body reacts, always monitor your blood pressure during your therapy sessions.
If you do see a change in your blood pressure, stop use immediately. The elderly can’t retain heat as well, so continued use can cause the blood vessels to constrict. Constriction can cause even more tissue damage.
Ready To Buy The Best Ice Therapy Machine?
It’s clinically proven that cold water therapy helps reduce injury and muscle pain while easing tight and stiff muscles. This type of healing helps remove the pain from working out, helping you exercise without discomfort.
If you have soft-tissue injury or are recovering from surgery, cold therapy can speed up your recovery time. Cryotherapy reduces swelling and prevents further damage to your muscles.
Cryotherapy is especially useful in reducing the need to rely on painkillers. An ice therapy machine is a convenient and easy way to get cold therapy right in the comfort of your home.
Ice therapy machines are particularly effective for controlling swelling in your body. You might sometimes find that your legs get tired and weak easily which can lead to loss of blood circulation and swelling.
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