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How to get Pain relief with Cryotherapy

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Published on Wednesday, 07 September 2011 05:00

Written by Anne Moss Rogers

The CryoCuff ® device and the Polar Care Cub devices are examples of passive cooling devices. Both the ice packs and the passive cooling devices are essentially designed to provide cold therapy, also known as cryotherapy, with the primary difference being that water recirculation is more convenient and lasts longer with passive cooling devices such as the CryoCuff or Polar Care products.

Icing with ice packs or with a passive cooling device significantly reduces swelling and pain when used regularly after surgery. A physical therapist may also use ice baths and other methods of ice application based on the needs of a particular patient. This in turn, reduces the pain medication and narcotics you would take.

The passive cooling devices such as the CryoCuff consist of an insulated container filled with cold water that is attached to a compressive cuff. When the container is raised, the water fills and pressurizes the cuff. The amount of pressure is proportional to the height of the container. When body heat warms the water, the cooler is lowered and the water drains out. The cooler is then raised above the affected limb and cold water refills the compressive cuff.

The PolarCare Cub unit consists of pads held in place with elastic straps, which may also provide compression. The pads are attached to a built-in hand pump which circulates the water through the pads at the same time as increasing the compression around the joint.

Based on the results of a study in Sweden comparing epidural anesthesia after arthroplasty, CryoCuff seems to be a rational, effective, risk-free, and well-tolerated alternative to epidural anesthesia to reduce pain and morphine use after unicondylar knee arthroplasty.

So which one? Both come highly recommended.

Orthopedic surgeons will often recommend one or the other.

Aircast CryoCuff

• The CryoCuff does have to be lifted to recirculate the cold. This could be difficult with shoulder surgery but most manage.
• The CryoCuff has a better attachment for the elbow
• Lots of people like the specialized pads for CryoCuff better
• Provides good compression
• Needs electricity/power supply
• Customer support is great
• You must take care to order the complete unit and not just one part unless, of course you are ordering an additional attachment or replacing a part.
• Wrap attachment comes in sizes
• Provides up to 6 hours of cold therapy

Breg Polar Care Cub

CryoCuff for the shoulder review CryoCuff for the knee review

• To circulate the cold, you have to pump the Polar Care Cub
• The Porlar Care Cub is more portable
• Needs no electricity or power supply
• Some like the universal nature of the universal attachment pads
• Provides good compression
• Some feel the tubes are more insulated and last longer
• A lot less expensive that the CryoCuff. If you're on a budget, you'd be fine with this one.
• Customer support is great
• You must take care to order the complete unit and not just one part unless, of course you are ordering an additional attachment or replacing a part.
• Some of the wrap attachment come in sizes
• 2 quart cold therapy system

The Polar Care Cub is more portable. The Polar Care Cub circulates water with the use of a hand pump. So it's preference really. Both provide compression as well as cold to the area. And both come with a number of attachments for various body parts.

The ice wins, however you want to apply it. But typically, because of convenience, people tend to use the passive cooling devices more frequently.