I’ve been told that gel packs don’t get cold enough for thorough icing, and was wondering what most of you use when an injury arises? Other than simply using a bag of ice, do any of you use frozen vege’s or anything else that can just be thrown back into the freezer for it’s next use?
How long do you typically ice; 10, 15, 20 minutes???
I use Dura*Kold wraps. They stay cold a long time, add some compression, and have velcro so that you can secure them in place and not worry about them. I ice my right knee after every long run and can’t imagine having to sit still to ice with regular old ice packs.
Here’s their website: http://www.dura-kold.com/dkprod.htm
Water in a dixie cup… Freeze it… Gently roll it around the injury/pain for 15… Take a break 15-20… Wash & repeat. I prefer to do it this way because it’s almost like giving yourself a cold massage. When I’m lazy I throw the bag on but it doesn’t have the same effect.
If you like to sit around and lap while icing this is not the method of choice. This is cool for injuries or post-workout knees. 
Which wrap do you use for knee icing … the athletic knee wrap, leg/knee wrap ??? Lots of choices on the website.
I had bad luck with their shipping last time, but I have had great luck with the suppleflex gel packs from Severn River Thermics. www.suppleflex.com
It is a gel matrix which does undergo a phase transformation so it does get cold enough, but stays flexible. If you leave them in the freezer for several days they will get more solid, but 5 - 10 minutes out and they will conform very well. I use an ace bandage to hold them in place and have used them for ankles, calfs, knees, hamstrings, ITB, hip flexors, shoulders, and my wife broken collarbone. All this and I only have two sizes. I recently bought more so we alsways had them available but my first two have lasted about 4 years with no leaking.
My wife is an athletic trainer and she has always told me 20 minutes of ice. After that your body starts to compensate for the cold by sending more blood flow and the inflamation control is reversed. Also be careful of direct skin contact and frostbite.
Sorry, I wasn’t sure what you needed it for. I use the Dura*Kold Arthroscopic Knee Wrap in size large as its big enough to wrap around my entire knee which is important to me because after two knee surgeries as I get swelling both on-top of my kneecap and behind the knee. And its not so big as to prevent me from moving around with it on. Hope this helps.
I use "hot cold therapy pack from Chirotec and they are plenty cold enough. To ice my knees I cut the toe off of a tube sock and pull it up over my knee. I then mold the ice pack around my knee on the outside of the sock and fold each end of the sock back over the pack. Holds it in place with compression and the pack is nt right next to the skin.