Since as far back as 3500 BC, healthcare professionals have used ice in the care of traumatic injuries–taking advantage of its unique ability to reduce pain and swelling in trauma-affected areas.
The science behind the innovative Breg Polar Care Wave draws not only on this exalted history of ice in healthcare but also the extensive body of contemporary research into cold therapy. Except this nifty machine goes one step further: it takes cold treatment out of the clinic and into a home setting.
Are you looking for at-home cold therapy? We explore the pros and cons of the Breg Polar Care Wave in the article below.
Doctors and physiotherapists often advise cold therapy to relieve the pain associated with sports injuries, certain surgeries, or the onset of a chronic pain episode. It’s even been shown to decrease the need for narcotics following surgery.
Bregs cold therapy units regulate the flow of ice-cold water into a pad that a clinician or patient can apply to the treatment area. Sure, you could simply fill a rubber water bottle with ice, but that won’t provide the consistently chilled water you need to see long-lasting benefits.
The difference with an innovative machine like the Breg Polar Wave Care System lies in the combination of cold therapy and compression and the fact that it’s designed for home use. The addition of a compression pad helps treat surgical or acute injury symptoms like pain, edema, and swelling. Not only can this hospital-grade unit be used by healthcare professionals, but it can also be used by athletes in training situations and by patients at home.
So what's included in this product? Some crucial Breg Polar Care Wave product features to take note of include:
The compressions pads that come with the unit offer multiple configurations to suit any body type or injury position.
If you’re stuck on the couch or in a hospital bed nursing an injury or recovering from surgery, then Breg Polar Care Wave is a likely treatment for you. In fact, your physician has probably already suggested icing the area in question. It’s a proven therapy method used by health practitioners the world over.
The Breg Polar Care Wave is helpful in all medical settings, from large, busy city hospitals and rehabilitation clinics to small private clinics with just a handful of therapists. But where it really shines is at home. Due to the unit’s ease of use and portable design, it can be carried to and set up almost anywhere–taking Netflix and chill to a whole new level.
Given the pad configurations available with this versatile Breg cold-therapy unit is best suited to use on the knees or shoulders. Still, patients could adapt it for ankle, foot, hip, or back injuries if needed.
Any good review of the Breg Polar Care Wave wouldn’t be complete without a how-to. Although this machine is so easy to use, it doesn’t need much explanation.
The basic steps are:
Once you press start, you’ll feel pressure at regular intervals along with therapeutic cold from the ice water constantly flowing through the pad.
If you’re a visual learner, watch this 10-minute-long video to see the Breg Polar Care Wave in action.
Like most cold therapy units, the Breg Polar Care Wave needs to be plugged into the wall to work. And remember, don’t exceed the recommended time limits for cold-packing. It could result in tissue damage. For these reasons, experts do not advise using cold therapy pads while sleeping.
Pro-tip: If you’re worried about falling asleep while using a Breg cold therapy machine, hook it up to a timer, such as those used for decorative string lights.
To clean your Breg Polar Wave Care, fill the cooler with water and a teaspoon of bleach. Securely connect the hose to the pad and run the machine for a complete cycle. Once finished, turn the device off and disconnect the plug from the wall.
Before taking the hose off the pad, roll the pad up to squeeze out any excess water. There’s even a simple storage system for the hose included with the unit.
If you want to keep the exterior, tubes, and pads of your Polar Wave looking new, wipe them down regularly with dish soap and water and a soft cloth. Never submerge the unit in water as only the interior of the cooler is waterproof.
The benefits of cold water therapy are well documented by the medical community.
Cold therapy works to reduce inflammation and swelling in your muscles by lowering the damaged tissue’s temperature. In turn, this also helps to relieve spasms and cramping.
If you’re looking to improve your circulation, cold therapy might be of benefit, too. It may increase blood flow to vital organs, especially if you use it in combination with a healthy diet and regular exercise. Studies have shown that it may even boost a sluggish metabolism.
The manufacturer has ensured the benefits of the Breg Polar Care Wave live up to the unit’s reputation and purchase price.
A benefits few that stand out from the crowd include:
The Polar Wave Care is also far cleaner than melting ice packs or leaking gel packs and saves you multiple trips to the freezer–which in turn helps you get a bit more rest.
As a leading manufacturer of cold-therapy products, Breg has a wide range of units to suit any budget, ailment, and area of the body.
The Polar Care Cube and Polar Care Kodiak are the handiest of Breg’s take-anywhere cold therapy systems. They’re both battery-powered and offer patients between 6 to 10 hours of continuous use–at home, at the sports club, in school health centers, and more. Use these products with an insulation barrier between the pad and the skin.
So what’s the difference between these premium products and the Polar Care Wave? It’s the only Breg unit that offers the mutual benefits of compression and cold therapy all in one portable package.
We frequently field questions from curious customers or those prescribed a cold therapy unit by their healthcare provider. Typically, they want to know how cold therapy works and how it can benefit their unique medical situation.
Your Breg Polar Care Wave was prescribed to you for treatment following surgery or physical injury. That’s because cold therapy reduces swelling, edema, and pain in the problem areas–especially in combination with compression as offered by the Polar Wave Care unit. Use it to help you recover faster.
Cold therapy has been proven to help control pain, diminish inflammation, and get the joints moving again. Numerous clinical studies show that patients get even more significant benefits when cold therapy is combined with compression.
A system like Polar Care Wave, which combines cold therapy with compression in one easy-to-use, portable unit, can speed up recovery time. Think of it as an investment in your journey back to good health.
Best of all, all cold therapy products sold by Ortho Bracing have a minimum 30-day warranty.
In most instances, insurance policies do not cover cold therapy and compression machines like Polar Care Wave. But it’s always worth checking with your insurance provider.
Before taking your Polar Care Wave or any cold therapy units home, ask your healthcare provider for detailed usage instructions. This includes how often and long to use it for, the level of pressure and water temperature, and how to inspect your skin for damage.
From Breg ice bags (which are much easier to use than ice cubes) to the innovative Y Adaptor for bilateral total knee replacement surgeries, Breg has you covered when it comes to getting the most out of your new Polar Care Wave.
And while the Polar Care Wave comes with the Breg universal cold compression pad, Breg also offers an entire family of pads to meet individual treatment needs. Depending on your injury’s location, you can get specialized knee, hip, back, and shoulder pads tailored to that body part’s specific contours.
Cold therapy is a proven way to reduce pain and swelling, improve metabolism, and heal the body after surgery or injury. The therapy is favored by many people, from professional athletes and sports coaches to busy stay-at-home moms. As you’ve seen in this Breg Polar Care Wave review, the Breg Polar Care Wave not only offers all the benefits of cold therapy but also combines it with clinically helpful compression for more impactful pain treatment.
Shop Breg and other top-quality orthopedic physical therapy products at Orthobracing–your trusted America-wide supplier of braces, compression sleeves, cold therapy systems, ultrasound, and more.
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