If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best ice therapy machine, then I’d recommend the Vive Cold Therapy Machine as the best one.
Even with preventative measures, injuries are common in sports. A highly recommended treatment is using ice therapy machines.
Not all of them are made equal though, so we’re here to help you find the best ice therapy machine to manage your injury.
Check out our buyer’s guide and top-five reviews below.
Here are the top ice therapy machines we’ll be reviewing:
- Ossur Cold Rush Therapy System
- Vive Cold Therapy Machine
- Arctic Ice Cryotherapy Circulating Personal Cold Water Therapy Ice Machine
- Aqua Relief Cryotherapy and Hot Water Therapy System
- Aircast Cryo Cuff Cold Therapy Knee Solution
Ice Therapy Machines for Sports Injuries – What You Should Know
You may get overwhelmed seeing just how many ice therapy machines are on the market.
Understanding factors such as whether you need ice therapy, how the machines work, and why they’re more beneficial over traditional icing methods.
Should You Use Ice Therapy?
There has long been a debate if ice or heat is the best method for handling sports injuries. Both can work, but it all boils down to your type of problem.
Ice therapy is generally best at handling issues such as injuries to the lower back and legs from your knees to your ankles.
This is because ice therapy is known to better manage acute injuries compared to heat.
Acute injuries involve the likes of a direct hit of sorts, a fall, or any other traumatic incident. Ice can help control pain and inflammation.
Benefits of Ice Therapy Machines
Compared to ice packs, ice therapy machines work better at accelerating your healing. This is because they manage to combine compression therapy with a therapeutic cold treatment.
The compression can help increase blood flow to your injured tissues, which then can help speed up recovery.
Compression also helps reduce swelling and combats edema, which is a build-up of fluid that hinders your recovery.
Ice therapy machines use wraps to cover your injured area. This can provide you with greater coverage to penetrate more of the injured area with its cold treatment.
Meanwhile, the therapeutic cold treatment can numb your nerve endings.
By doing this, it disrupts the communication between your brain and your body so that you don’t feel as much pain.
Features to Look for in Ice Therapy Machines
Choosing the best ice therapy machine to manage your sports injury includes taking certain features into consideration.
We address some of the more common considerations that can help you come to a decision.
Size
This may be one of the first things you look for when browsing ice therapy machines. Machines are either bulky or more portable.
Of course, larger machines may hold a greater quantity of ice water, but they can be difficult to move around.
Smaller machines might have to be refilled more often, but they’re lighter in weight and easier to transport.
The size of the wrap is another aspect to keep in mind. What’s most ideal depends on where you need treatment.
Those of you who need treatment for your back or shoulder, for instance, might need something larger than those of you who need cold therapy for your ankle.
Noise Level
As it is a machine, there’s a chance it can make noise. However, quality ice therapy machines tend to operate quietly.
This way, it won’t disturb you, especially if you decide to undergo treatment throughout the night.
Auto-Off Function
You are able to use ice therapy machines longer than you would an ice pack because the cold isn’t directly close to your skin.
As mentioned before, some people use it in their sleep at night.
However, there is still a way to overuse the ice and go too long, which is where an auto shut-off feature comes in handy.
Too much exposure to ice treatment can cause the blood vessels to restrict, cutting off blood flow to your injured area, causing harm to your healing process.
By having an automatic shut-off function, you won’t have to worry about getting sidetracked or falling asleep since the machine will always cut off at the right moment.
Tube Connection
The tube that connects the wrap or pad to the machine should be a good length.
With enough give, you don’t have to have the machine so close by to use it, allowing you to rest in various comfortable positions while you ice.
This tube should also be made of reliable material so that it won’t succumb to leaks or any other damage.
Best Ice Therapy Machine – Top 5 Reviewed
Finding an ice therapy machine for home use can be tough and easily overwhelmingly. Understandably so!
So that’s why we’ve hand picked a few of the top ice therapy machines out there to make the search a bit easier. Here they are!
Ossur Cold Rush Therapy System
The Ossur Cold Rush Therapy System has a high ice-to-water ratio while maintaining a compact size and weighing just 4.6lbs.
Inside, the walls are insulated in an effort to keep everything cold longer.
What further helps maintain the coldness is the brushless motor.
Minimal heat transfer is produced from the motor to the container, allowing the water to stay cool longer, up to six hours if run continuously.
Also, the motor is designed to operate quietly, only putting out 30 decibels.
Although this is a rather expensive model, it does feature a design that allows for interchangeable pads.
They’re all purchased separately, but the pads available range from ones for your shoulder to ones for your ankle.
These pads don’t feel as though they’re made from high-quality material, so it’s uncertain how long they’ll last.
For the safety purposes, the lid has a locking mechanism. This can help prevent spills. However, it may become a bit difficult to get the lid off at times.
Pros
- Stays cool for long periods of time
- Interchangeable pads
- Quiet operation
Cons
- Lid is difficult to open
- Pads don’t seem to last long
Vive Cold Therapy Machine
The Vive Cold Therapy Machine features a large flexible pad that offers a contoured shape in an effort to fit your body.
It’s universal in a sense as it can fit the knee, hip, ankle, leg, arm, elbow, and shoulder.
Placement at times might be awkward though and difficult to manage on your own.
Sometimes, this awkwardness might be due to the stiffness of the hose. Even so, the hose is extra long, which might help make things more comfortable.
Also, once you do manage to fit it, the three elastic straps do well at securing it in place.
It may be the best ice therapy machine with basic, yet effective safety features. The carry handle is solid so that you can pick it up and go without worry.
There is also a built-in timer that shuts off at 30-minute intervals.
You’ll also notice an indicator when the ice needs changing. The clear container might allow for an easier time pouring to the fill line.
For the treatment process, the water may stay cold for hours, more so thanks to the insulated tubing.
If you don’t want to use the 30 minutes, you can cycle through less time for a personalized therapy experience.
Pros
- Ice change indicator
- Extra long hose
- Safety features
Cons
- Pad is sometimes awkward
- Hose seems a bit stiff
Arctic Ice Cryotherapy Circulating Personal Cold Water Therapy Ice Machine
The Arctic Ice Cryotherapy Ice Machine is made to accommodate various wraps and sizes.
You can get the machine and then buy the additional accessories based on your ice therapy needs.
There is even a universal wrap if you don’t want to have several different kinds. These pads may have some trouble holding their shape after awhile though.
It functions silently thanks to the whisper-quiet motor. The cryo-cool system manages to circulate cold water for up to five hours.
You can set the machine up to work continuously or to operate in increments. This may be useful in building up your own cold therapy routine.
One thing to look out for while using this product is that the connector might leak around the o-ring.
Also, it can be a bit tough at times to connect and disconnect the hose. This machine might require a break-in period before you get comfortable using it.
Pros
- Whisper-quiet motor
- Cold lasts awhile
- Works with various pads
Cons
- The connector might leak
- Pad may not hold its shape
Aqua Relief Cryotherapy and Hot Water Therapy System
The Aqua Relief Cryotherapy and Hot Water Therapy System is one of the more versatile machines available.
Not only can you use it for the usual cold therapy, but you can utilize its warming function when you need heat therapy instead.
It’s uncertain how long this machine may actually last though.
The pump already has a short life, but the hose seems a bit low in quality as well and prone to breaking over time.
While the machine does work, it’s able to deliver ice treatment in a comfortable temperature range that shouldn’t get too cold.
With just cold water, the machine should last for up to five hours. However, with ice water, it may be able to work up to eight hours instead.
To personalize your ice treatment, you can use the 15-minute increment system. There is also an auto shut-off feature so you’ll remain safe even if you forget or fall asleep while you ice.
Pros
- Good versatility
- Increments and auto-off feature
- Comfortable cooling temperature
Cons
- Low-quality hose
- Pump might stop working
Aircast Cryo Cuff Cold Therapy Knee Solution
The Aircast Cryo Cuff Cold Therapy Knee Solution has an anatomically-designed cuff that aims to provide a comfortable experience.
This may also help ensure you have a safe experience as it tries to help reduce tissue damage.
The cuff is also large in size so that it may fit various users. It’s universal too so you can use it for your left or your right knee.
It does well at maintaining a cold temperature for awhile. Because of its design, it doesn’t ice the back of the knee, but you may turn it around if you need to.
Since this is based on gravity, the machine should be elevated higher so the ice water can actually drip through the connection hose and into the pad.
There is no automated refresher for this though so you have to manually empty and refill the machine once it runs through.
When you are readjusting everything, you may want to take caution with the hose. The quick release valve may potentially leak.
Pros
- Large cuff style
- Maintains cold temperatures well
- Anatomically-designed cuff
Cons
- Quick release valve might leak
- Must manually refresh
Final Thoughts
Ice therapy is a proven and effective way of managing sports-related injuries.
If you want something that can treat you longer than your standard ice pack, then consider adding a cold machine to your treatment arsenal.
From the products we researched, we think the Vive Cold Therapy Machine is the best ice therapy machine for sports injuries.
It provides targeted relief featuring a universal pad. The hose is extra long so you can sit or lay in various positions while you ice.
It has a solid carrying handle so you can move it around with ease, and it shuts off after 30 minutes for safety. You can still set it to run a shorter amount of time, if desired.
This holds plenty of ice water, 6L worth, and it maintains the cold for a good deal of time. With the clear container, you can readily see if you’ve reached the fill line.
There’s even an ice indicator so you know when it needs changing.
