Brace Direct BlueIce Cold Therapy Machine Cryotherapy for Pain Relief Ice Machine for Knee After Surgery Back Shoulder

I waited a month before writing this review to give a full experience: I tore my ACL and needed surgery. During the time I was waiting for my procedure I have been using this “ice heat therapy” to ice my knee. I have taken it on a road trip and was able to have it plug into my car as it has an outlet and use the 30 minute on 30 minute off cycle. It worked perfectly and I was even Driving! It made the road trip so comfortable compared to dealing with a bag of ice from the gas station trying to keep it on my knee for 6 hours. I use this same program while sleeping and it helps keep my swelling down. I like the fact you can “pause” the machine to use the restroom or make a quick sandwich. When not in use the pad takes the majority of the water out till it’s almost completely dry which is a BIG upgrade compared to my old school Berg machine my mom used for her knee surgery where you have to manually drain it and wait 10-15 minutes trying to get the water out. This style is a lot quieter as well as it not a plug vacuum system with a hose to create the flow of water. The mechanism is in the top of the icebox where the hose is connected. I keep the berg ice machine at my work for convenience of not hauling it in everyday. In the “ice heat” You can fit 3 16oz frozen water bottles at an angle but you need really really cold water to make it cold enough. Didn’t work for me but the option to is nice to have. The visual temperature on this is very helpful as well so I know when I need to refill of ice or swap out the entire thing. CON: The only issue I’ve had is when I first received an “O” ring was stretched out making it hard to try to connect the hose to the pad. It was a simple fix as I have them on hand from other various projects around my home. But a simple run to an auto store or a hardware store will fix this issue. I’ve had no other issues with this product and absolutely love it! Using it post surgery now and it helps that this product comes with multiple band lengths to help create the best fit around the brace and surgical wraps. Definitely worth getting this product. Read more

Great, but not perfect While I can’t speak to the long term durability, I can tell you that it is a game changer for the terrible pain in my feet when used cold, and soothes my husband’s bones when used with hot water. We use the giant blue ice found on Amazon, and it keeps the water ice-cold for at least 18 hours. The hot water cools more quickly, though. Is it perfect? No. The instructions are vague. You must check the hose connections before every use, because they do "wiggle" loose. Considering both good and bad factors, however, I feel it's well worth the money. Read more

I got this to ice my leg after my total knee replacement. It’s easy to use. I filled it with a combination of ice cubes and five frozen 12oz water bottles. Using the bottles makes lighter and easier when you empty the container. Take out the water bottles and you have less water weight to lift and pour out. I kept two sets of five bottles. I’d keep two sets in circulation. One set in the machine and another in the freezer ready to go. Read more

I had a partial knee meniscectomy and have been using this machine instead of ice packs for two days now and it is GREAT! The options of setting specific times and flow rate as well as the 30 minutes on and 30 minutes off loop makes it really easy, especially overnight so that you don’t have to monitor turning it on or off in the middle of the night while you sleep. We have been using a combination of frozen water bottles and ice for cooling. Ice and water seems to cool it more but it melts fairly fast so we have added the water bottles to help maintain the cold. The temperature monitor on the top is very helpful to know when you need to add ice. The knee pad is of adequate size for my use. I chose this machine because it does cold as well as heat. I haven’t tried the heat option yet but I am expecting it to function just as well as the cold option. The only thing I believe could be improved on this setup is the hose connection between the pad and the hose to the machine. It is hard to connect and make it click. If I were doing it myself it would be extremely hard, even with two good hands. Luckily my husband is there to help. I have used a different brand machine before and the connection was much easier to connect and disconnect. Just be aware if you are by yourself and using this for a hand, elbow or shoulder it would be almost impossible to connect by yourself. Good news is that the connection and pad do NOT leak when connected correctly. If it wasn’t for the connection, I would give this product a 5 star rating. It is doing a great job for my purpose and am anxious to try the heat option when I need it in the future. Read more

I am getting ready for shoulder surgery on Tuesday. I had a previous machine but it was broken when I lent it out to a friend. She replaced it with this Blue Ice. I am looking forward to using it as I am a nurse and ice therapy is the best medicine for pain swelling and recovery. I look forward to using this. The parts I have, is this universal for use on a shoulder. If it’s not, could you rush me overnight or asap a universal pad to use for my shoulder. Thank you!! Read more

I used this religiously after hip arthroscopy surgery. Well worth the price for the convenience and relief provided in the early weeks post op. Very easy to use and I used frozen water bottles instead of ice! Read more

Hose attachment is difficult and leaks easily. the o-rings are weak and deform easily due to how the hoses fit together. Would recommend replacing the quick disconnects with straight barb finttings. Read more