The best ice machine after knee replacement gives you cold and compression and a knee wrap you can wear for weeks. At OrthoBracing, the Game Ready GRPro 2.1 is $3,499.34 with a knee wrap, and the Breg Polar Care Wave Knee is $389 with a knee pad. Always follow your surgeon's icing plan.
This guide covers which machine to pick, a week-by-week icing plan, straight vs articulated Game Ready knee wraps, and how to protect your skin. Comparing machines for other knee surgeries too? See our guide to ice machines for knee surgery.
What Is the Best Ice Machine After Knee Replacement?
Pick a machine with cold and compression, since swelling after a knee replacement is heavy and lasts for weeks. Game Ready gives the most control over pressure and cold, at $3,499.34 with a knee wrap. The Breg Polar Care Wave Knee adds compression for far less, at $389 with a knee pad.
| Machine | Compression | Cold | Knee wrap or pad | OrthoBracing price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game Ready GRPro 2.1 + knee wrap | Yes, adjustable (4 pressure settings) | Yes, 34°F to 50°F with enough ice | Straight or articulated knee wrap | $3,499.34 (straight) or $3,579.82 (articulated) |
| Breg Polar Care Wave Knee | Yes (low or regular) | 2 cold settings | Knee or large knee pad; bilateral kit | $389 with knee pad; $589 bilateral |
| Aircast Cryo Cuff IC (knee) | Yes, intermittent (pump in lid) | Ice water | Knee cuff in small, regular or large | $209.99 with knee cuff |
| Breg Polar Care Cube | No, cold only | Ice water | Standard or XL knee pad | $215 with knee pad |
OrthoBracing prices checked November 4, 2026. Game Ready specs are from the Game Ready GRPro 2.1 user manual.
Cold-only machines like the Cube are a budget option, but they don't squeeze swelling out of the knee. The Breg Wave, Game Ready and Aircast Cryo Cuff all give cold plus compression. For a deeper side-by-side of the top two, read Breg Wave vs Game Ready, or shop our ice machines for knee replacement.
Shop Game Ready for knee from $3,499.34Shop the Breg Wave Knee from $285
How Do You Use an Ice Machine Week by Week After Knee Replacement?
Ice the most in the first few days and the first two weeks, when swelling peaks. Then ice after physical therapy, walking and exercises as swelling settles. Game Ready's manual says the most common advice is about 30-minute sessions, at least 4 times a day, with at least 30 minutes off in between. Your surgeon's plan comes first.
| When | What icing usually looks like | Compression |
|---|---|---|
| Before surgery | Get your prescription (Game Ready needs one), set the machine up at home, and try the wrap on once so you know how it fits. | Not in use yet |
| Days 1 to 3 | The most icing. Many people use it around the clock in sessions, with breaks so the skin can warm up. Keep the leg raised when you can. | None or low for the first 24 to 48 hours |
| Weeks 1 to 2 | Swelling is usually at its peak. Ice after walking, exercises and physical therapy, and before bed. | Low to medium if it feels comfortable |
| Weeks 3 to 6 | Fewer sessions as swelling settles. Most people ice after therapy and after a busy day. | Whatever feels comfortable |
| Week 6 and on | As needed after activity. Swelling can come and go for months, so it helps to keep the machine. | As needed |
A typical pattern only, not medical advice. Your surgeon's plan comes first. Session and compression guidance is from the Game Ready GRPro 2.1 user manual, checked November 4, 2026.
A few habits help at every stage: keep the leg raised while you ice when you can, ice right after therapy, and don't skip the breaks between sessions. Our step-by-step Game Ready guide covers setup and settings, and how long to use cold therapy after surgery has more on session length. For more recovery tips, see how to reduce your knee surgery recovery time.
Straight or Articulated Knee Wrap: Which Should You Choose?
Both Game Ready knee wraps are one size and fit either leg. The straight wrap ($461.95) suits a knee kept mostly straight. The articulated wrap ($542.43) is shaped to bend with the knee, which helps once you're working on bending it in therapy. If your surgeon prefers one, choose that one.
| Straight knee wrap | Articulated knee wrap | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Straight, 17 inches long | Shaped to bend with the knee |
| Fit | One size, fits a leg up to 32 inches around at the top, either leg | One size fits most, either leg |
| Good for | Early days when the knee is kept mostly straight | Range-of-motion work and moving around |
| Wrap only | $461.95 | $542.43 |
| With control unit | $3,499.34 | $3,579.82 |
Fit details are from Game Ready's wrap specs and our Game Ready wrap size guide. Prices checked November 4, 2026.
Each wrap has an inner heat exchanger and a washable outer sleeve. Not sure about sizing for another body part? Use our Game Ready wrap size guide.
Is an Ice Machine Safe After Knee Replacement?
Yes, for most people when used as directed. Keep a barrier, such as your dressing or a thin cloth, between the wrap and your skin, take breaks between sessions, and check your skin often. Stop and call your surgeon if you notice numbness, blisters, color changes or pain that gets worse.
- Cover the incision. Game Ready's manual says an open wound must be dressed before you use the wrap.
- Check your skin every session for redness that doesn't fade, blisters, numbness or white or blue patches.
- Use the temperature control. One OrthoBracing reviewer got a severe burn from a cheap machine with no temperature adjustment, then bought a Game Ready. Read the story in our Game Ready review.
- Ask your surgeon first if you have signs of a blood clot (deep vein thrombosis), poor circulation, Raynaud's or cold sensitivity, diabetes, or very high or low blood pressure. Game Ready's manual lists these as reasons not to use the device, or to use it only under a clinician's care.
- Keep compression gentle for the first 24 to 48 hours, as described above.
What does the research say? A Cochrane review of 22 trials (1,839 people) found low-certainty evidence that cold therapy in the first 48 hours after knee replacement may slightly reduce pain and blood loss and slightly improve knee bend. Source: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, "Cryotherapy following total knee replacement" (updated October 30, 2025), checked November 4, 2026. For a summary of one smaller trial, see Cryo Cuff and cold therapy after total knee replacement.
Should You Rent or Buy an Ice Machine for Knee Replacement?
Knee replacement recovery is long, so buying often makes sense: weekly rental fees add up over 6 weeks or more, and you keep the machine for the other knee or a later injury. OrthoBracing doesn't rent machines. We sell new Game Ready systems from $3,037.39 and the Breg Wave from $285.
See the full cost math in Game Ready rental vs buying.
Do You Need a Prescription, and Can You Use Insurance?
The Game Ready GRPro 2.1 needs a prescription, so ask your surgeon for one at your pre-surgery visit. OrthoBracing doesn't bill insurance, but all OrthoBracing products are FSA/HSA eligible, and you can send your receipt to your plan for possible reimbursement. Coverage varies by plan, so check with yours first.
Read more in Game Ready prescription, insurance and HSA/FSA.
Ice Machine After Knee Replacement FAQ
What is the best ice machine after knee replacement?
For most people, the best ice machine after knee replacement gives both cold and compression and has a knee wrap you can wear for weeks. At OrthoBracing, the Game Ready GRPro 2.1 is the premium pick at $3,499.34 with a knee wrap, and the Breg Polar Care Wave Knee is the value pick at $389 with a knee pad.
How long should I use an ice machine after knee replacement?
Follow your surgeon's plan. Most people ice the most in the first two weeks, when swelling is worst, then keep using the machine after physical therapy and activity while swelling settles. Swelling after a knee replacement often lasts for weeks, so many people use their machine for 6 weeks or longer.
How many times a day should I ice after knee replacement?
Use it as often as your surgeon tells you. Game Ready's user manual says the most common advice is at least 4 sessions a day of about 30 minutes each, with at least 30 minutes off between sessions so your skin can warm back up.
Can I use compression right after knee replacement surgery?
Start gentle. Game Ready's user manual says the usual advice is no pressure or low pressure for the first 24 to 48 hours after surgery, then medium or high only if it feels comfortable. Don't use high pressure if you're confined to bed, and follow your surgeon's instructions.
Should I get the straight or articulated Game Ready knee wrap?
Both fit either leg and are one size. The straight wrap ($461.95) suits a knee kept mostly straight. The articulated wrap ($542.43) is shaped to bend with the knee, which many people like once they're working on bending it in therapy. If your surgeon has a preference, follow it.
Can I ice both knees after a double knee replacement?
Yes. The Breg Polar Care Wave bilateral knee kit ($589 at OrthoBracing) comes with a Y-connector, so one cooler can treat both knees at the same time. With Game Ready, each knee needs its own wrap.
Shop the Game Ready GRPro 2.1See Game Ready knee wrapsShop the Breg Wave Knee
This guide is general information, not medical advice. Always follow your surgeon's instructions for cold therapy after knee replacement.