Question 1

What is cold therapy?

Accepted Answer

Cold therapy is a generic term for using cold as a modality to decrease pain and swelling following injury or surgery.  There are many ways to utilize cold therapy ranging from ice packs and bags of frozen peas to sophisticated machines which contour to the affected body part, regulate temperature, and provide compression as well.

Question 2

What are different types of cold therapy?

Accepted Answer

There is a large spectrum of products which fall under the cold therapy category.  Oftentimes people have common cold and gel packs stored in their freezer which can be effective ways to provide cold therapy to an injury such as a bruise, ankle sprain, or cut.  There are also more robust forms of cold therapy which are electronic.  Some use ice and some don’t.  The main feature of an electronic cold therapy machine is that it circulates cold water through a pump.  There is usually a wrap which has been designed for a specific body part such as a shoulder, knee, of lower back.  This allows for the most effective delivery of cold therapy to the maximal amount of surface area.  There are also controls in place to regulate the water temperature to decrease the risk of frostbite.ific range as prescribed by your doctor.  Unlike active range of motion where you move your arm or leg through muscular control, passive range of motion lets the machine do the work.  The patient relaxes during the motion, allowing the machine to help restore motion which has been limited or compromised immediately following surgery.

Question 3

What does cold therapy do?

Accepted Answer

Cold therapy decreases pain and swelling following injury or surgery.  It oftentimes also decreases the need for narcotics and other opioid pain-relieving drugs which can be a real benefit following surgery.

Question 4

What is cold therapy used for?

Accepted Answer

Cold therapy is a modality to decrease pain and swelling after surgery or injury.  It can significantly reduce pain and inflammation as well as decrease the use of pain medication, which can be addictive.

Question 5

What is a cold therapy unit?

Accepted Answer

A cold therapy unit is a machine that circulates cold water through a pad to decrease pain and swelling.  The pad is a closed-loop system, so your clothes never get wet.  There are many different cold therapy units, some requiring ice, and some do not.  The pads used with the cold therapy unit are specifically designed for certain body parts, such as a shoulder, knee, back, hand, or ankle. When the pad fills with cold water, the pad also provides mild compression to help with swelling as well. The Kinex ThermoComp is one of our most frequently prescribed cold therapy units. It provides continuous iceless cold and can be paired with stabilizing orthotics for the shoulder, knee, or back.

5 Benefits of Cold Therapy

1 - Manage Pain

2 - Accelerate Recovery

3 - Reduce Joint Inflammation

4 - Minimize Opioid Demand

5 - Improve Patient PT Engagement

What is cold therapy?

What are different types of cold therapy?

What does cold therapy do?

What is cold therapy used for?

What is a cold therapy unit?

Where is cold therapy offered?

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