Cryotherapy

Information about Cold Therapy for Patients

Two of the most unpleasant side effects of orthopedic trauma or surgery are pain and swelling.  These conditions can affect the healing process and can lead to longer rehabilitation times.  Cold therapy (cryotherapy) is widely recognized as one of the most effective treatment methods to combat these issues.  Cold therapy helps reduce pain and swelling and facilitates rehabilitation.While some people are happy with just using ice bags or bags of frozen peas, these can be messy and difficult to keep in place.  In addition, we have seen people get skin burns due to icing with bags.  A cryotherapy unit is a mechanical device that circulates cold water through a pad that is applied to your affected joint (they are secured by Velcro pads).  The advantages of cryotherapy units include:

  • temperature regulated circulation (safer)
  • maintains a more constant temperature (more effective)
  • stays in place more easily than ice bags
  • provides compression to help get extra swelling out of the joint

We are pleased to offer you the following cryotherapy units for purchase at a discounted price compared to local medical supply outlets.  We will not bill your insurance for cryotherapy units.    Please note that these are re-usable if you or a family member were to have another injury/surgery.  Please also note that these are optional to your care.

It is important not to use these units for more than 30-60 minutes at a time.  Patients with the following issues should also avoid cryotherapy: circulation issues, people who are unable to respond to cold (eg. stroke, neuropathy, loss of consciousness), and allergy to cold.

We are pleased to offer the following options.  All are provided with a multi-purpose pad, which are suitable for the following areas: knee, shoulder, ankle, thigh, leg/calf, forearm and elbow.  This pad attaches to your joint by Velcro straps to stay in place.  All units need to be filled with ice and water.

DonJoy IceMan $225

This is our most popular cryotherapy unit.  The IceMan, made by DonJoy, is designed to maintain a constant cool temperature over the joint or extremity where you are having pain. You are able to set the temperature and the device will maintain it by continuously recirculating the icewater flowing to the pad.  It plugs into a wall electrical outlet for operation.

Breg Polar Care Kodiak $275

Cryotherapy Brighton MI

The Kodiak is our most versatile cryotherapy unit.  It has better temperature control than the IceMan and is better sealed to help prevent against any leaking.  It is also a little smaller.  It also plugs into an outlet for operation.  Probably its biggest advantage is that it has a battery pack which makes it portable.

Polar Care Cub $135

This is our "economy model" cryotherapy unit. It provides continuous cool water flow to a pad; this helps to relieve pain and swelling. Since it does not require electricity, it can be used outdoors (at sporting events, etc.). It is provided with a universal wrap-on pad. It utilizes a hand pump to recirculate the cold water in the pad – you need to squeeze this every 5-10 minutes to move the water through the pad.

DuraSoft DuraKold Packs

These cryotherapy devices provide a cost-effective cold therapy solution for your injured or recently operated joint. These pads are designed specifically for the joint (knee, shoulder or foot/ankle) they are designated to treat. Comfortable wrap-around pads hold the cryo-packs in place.

"DuraSoft" refers to the comfortable gel-soft cushioning in the wraps. The pads attach via velcro, so they are easy to apply, even for people who have recently had surgery. The cryo-packs are re-usable; simply throw them in the freezer and they are ready to go again. These cryo-packs are professional grade so they stay colder longer than off the shelf cryo-packs.  We have three packs available designed specifically for the shoulder, knee and foot/ankle.

All models come with two cold packs that you can rotate in and out of the freezer for continuous therapy

Shoulder $60.00
Knee $60.00
Foot/Ankle $60.00

Say No To Pain Request an appointment

  • Important: Please include non-medical questions and correspondence only.