It is not easy to recover from orthopedic injuries. Pain from a simple workout injury to knees, shoulders, or back can trouble you for months and even years. The rehabilitation process after orthopedic surgeries can be painful and tedious. Cold therapy can ease up the pain from such physical trauma and speed up your recovery.

But not all cold therapy is the same. The most effective way to dispense cold therapy is through special machines designed for the purpose. Ice therapy machines or cold therapy unit is the modern variations of ice packs, cool washcloths, and frozen pea packs.

What is an Ice Therapy Machine?

An ice therapy machine is a device to dispense ice or cold therapy. These machines come equipped with a pump, a pad, and mechanisms to deliver cold therapy in a modern and efficient manner. Some brands make ice therapy machines with advanced technology for maximum impact. For example, the pads deliver cold therapy deep inside the tissues without risk of injuries. The self-priming pump makes it very easy and convenient to use these machines.

Not all ice therapy machines contain the same modern technology though. For instance, the IsoComforter ice therapy machines have a uni-flow mechanism for uninterrupted water flow while others brands may not have this technology.

Ice therapy machines provide an easy and convenient way to benefit from cold therapy.

Benefits of Using Ice Therapy Machines for Speedier Recovery

There are various ways using an ice therapy machine can speed up your recovery. To appreciate the benefits of these machines, it is necessary to understand the advantages of using cold therapy.

Cold therapy is applying ice or cold water over injuries and surgical wounds. The cold temperature can temporarily stop blood supply on the treatment area, which can reduce swelling. The cold can also numb nerves surrounding the injury and hamper the electrical communication between the brain and the treatment site. Without nerve impulses, the swelling (which is the body’s natural response to injuries) can begin to subside. Without swelling on the injuries, you can also begin to experience less pain.

But to benefit from ice therapy, the cold must penetrate properly inside the tissues. It must also be administered regularly until healing occurs. You can’t expect to receive full benefits of cold therapy from ice bags. It is also not possible to use ice packs for prolonged periods of time.

Ice or frozen pea bags are uneven. These packs can touch the skin but the cold won’t reach the tissues properly. In the IsoComforter ice therapy machines, even though the pads contain ridges for ideal contact with the skin; the design is optimal for efficient cold penetration.

With ice therapy machines, you also don’t need to deal with water pooling on the treatment site, your clothes, or your bed. There is also the risk of infection due to water dripping from ice packs. With ice therapy machines, there is no risk of infections or injuries. These characteristics of machines aid in speedy recovery in many ways. First, you can use ice therapy for long periods of time. Second, the ice therapy is more efficient with machines. Third, you also get the benefit of using a convenient therapy during your long rehabilitation process.

You can use ice therapy machines anytime and anywhere if you invest in a portable unit. Yes, portability is another benefit of using ice therapy machines. It means you can continue with your therapy in the car, in your office, or anywhere you need to use it. With cold therapy, uninterrupted use is essential to extract its full benefits. Unhindered application is only possible with ice therapy machines. There is simply no easy way to use ice packs when traveling or in the workplace.

When the cold therapy is efficient and optimal; you can hasten the recovery process after any orthopedic trauma be it a knee replacement surgery, a rotator cuff injury, a shoulder fracture, or muscle soreness. With faster reduction in swelling and pain, it is possible to commence physical therapy sooner than possible without cold therapy.