Reusable Gel Ice Packs for Shoulder & Back with Compression Band

• Pain relief: although cold has an analgesic effect, this translates into numbness of the skin. Actually, it is not only this effect that is desired, the low temperatures in the body reduce the amount of blood flow that circulates in the affected part and makes the pain receptors better resist this symptom when there are injuries. It is not recommended to use this product on open wounds.
• Reduce inflammation: inflammation is a natural process of the body that responds when there are injuries in soft tissues, but when these tissues are inflamed there will be constant pain until it begins to relax. With the cold pack you can accelerate the relaxation of muscles, ligaments and tendons. It supports the body while a drug treatment is provided and then you can continue to apply if you respect the times of use.
• Accelerates recovery: in case of minor injuries such as sprains and bruises, this cold gel pack helps to reduce the annoying symptoms that will prevent you from returning to your sport or physical activity immediately. These simple injuries should not be an impediment for you to continue with your day and we advance you that the bag we offer has a Velcro strap that fits the shoulder and back without slipping to keep you active while the area recovers completely.
• Injury prevention: it is only advisable to use cold after any sport or training when you know that any part of your body is sensitive by previous injuries and you want to have relapses. As the shoulder has a great mobility, any strong or sudden movement will cause the injury to return. The gel pack allows you to avoid new injuries if you apply it after training or intense physical activity at work.
• Compression: as we mentioned, this model of gel bag has a Velcro strap that fits your back and allows you to use it at any time of the day, although because of its size you can not hide it easily if you need to leave the house, it is better then if you rest a little while it takes effect. This tape also offers compression, which helps pain and swelling go down quickly.
• Improves athletic performance: in fact, with the cold gel pack you can avoid new and recurring injuries, so you can train longer and avoid forced inactivity due to injuries. The more you train, the better athlete you will be and the higher level you will be able to train for important competitions. Avoiding injuries reduces the likelihood of increased wear and tear on joints and cartilage, which cannot regenerate on their own.
• Improves blood circulation: this bag also transmits heat, but you should always be careful to distribute the temperature well in the gel it contains. The heat dilates the vessels and veins in the affected area, causing more blood flow to circulate to keep the muscles and other tissues of the shoulder and back active. In cases such as vascular difficulties and stiffness, it is better to apply heat because the blood better carries the components that the tissues need.
• Reduction of bruises: there are traumas and falls that leave internal skin hemorrhages that can last several weeks if there is not the necessary initial approach. By applying cold with this bag, you achieve that the bruises in the shoulder do not expand more, which then leave pain to the touch when the back has this type of blows, it hinders the twisting of the body.
• Cellular activation: whenever we want to quickly overcome a moderate ailment such as tears, we must try to promote cellular activation and this will be achieved with constant heat, provided we take care of the times of use that later you will have in detail. The heat makes the damaged cells begin to regenerate because more nutrients and oxygen is carried to the muscle groups where the damage has occurred.

Cold therapy

• When to apply cold? When there is a slight physical injury, you can use cold without any problem. When we talk about minor injuries, we refer to sprains, bruises and tears involving the shoulder and lower back. Keep in mind that it is not necessary to use this bag every time you exercise or do any intense activity at work, you just need to know if there are past injuries that may recur, then it is advisable to use cold to avoid relapses. It is important for you to know that you should not use ice, this gel pack and any form of cold if there are shoulder and back injuries or if there are pains without inflammation, in the latter case it is better to apply heat. Do not use if there are allergic reactions on the skin or the presence of fungus.
• How to use cold? To do cold therapy with the gel pack is very simple, you just have to place the bag in the freezer or refrigerator for two hours before using it, so you ensure that there is a correct concentration of cold in the gel material that transmits this temperature change. Afterwards, take out the bag and allow it to rest for two or three minutes. About the period of use, depending on the injury you have, you can use this bag for 10 and 15 minutes, but you should never exceed 20-25 minutes of application because there will be possible burns on the skin, although this specific garment has a protective fabric that will prevent burns, you must also respect the time allowed. Repeat this cycle several times a day.

Heat therapy

• When to apply heat? The use of heat is recommended when there are old injuries that have not healed properly and that, due to the constant muscular activity, it has not been possible to relax the joint and back properly to allow cellular regeneration. Heat improves the functioning of the soft tissues, relieves pain when there are vascular difficulties, keeps the muscles active and provides the fuel that the fibers need to facilitate recovery. It is not allowed to use heat after finishing a workout or intense physical activity, since what you want is the opposite effect of muscle relaxation and you get that with cold. Also do not use heat if you feel numbness, tingling and tingling. Finally, do not use this bag if you feel an internal cold in the body, it is likely to be a fever that has not been detected.
• How to use heat? When applying heat you must be very careful because you can get burns in the process of heating the garment and in its application, as long as you omit to read the manual and the recommendations that come with this gel pack. Use a water bath or microwave for several minutes, maximum half an hour, carefully remove the garment and try to move the gel so that there is a better distribution of the temperature on the skin. Before applying heat, you should know that you can only do it for about 15-20 minutes. And although this bag also withstands heat, it is not a product specifically made for high temperatures, however, it works well. Check that there are no leaks and that the bag is always in perfect condition, because if the hot gel falls on the skin it is likely that there will be slight burns.

Contrast therapy

• When to apply cold and heat? This is a combined therapy that should be suggested by a general practitioner or a physiotherapist. But if you are already used to contrast baths, then you may be able to apply the gel pack at home because you already have an old injury that has not healed properly and you are used to dealing with it. Basically, with the contrast, the aim is to train the circulatory system so that it returns to a better performance and functioning by carrying the nutrients that the body needs. This therapy is not recommended in some types of diabetes, in people with arteriosclerotic and also when you have hypersensitivity to cold.
• How to use hot and cold? The application of cold and heat in this contrast therapy will vary according to the objective you want to achieve with it. Therefore, it is recommended that it is indicated by some kind of specialist. What is usually done is to start with heat on the shoulder and back for 5 or 10 minutes to activate the cells and increase blood flow, then apply cold and, while you prepare the bag, the skin rests a little. When you switch to cold, the bag should not touch the skin for more than 20 minutes continuously, then you should switch to heat again. This cycle should be done two or three times a day as long as you notice improvement.

As long as you take care of the usage times and read our recommendations, you will be able to use this product without any risks. Here are some risk factors that can cause injury complications if you use it without the necessary precautions.

Remember that there are several models of bags with different extensions of the Velcro strap, so you can give a better grip and better compression to the shoulder.

• Do not apply to an open or infected wound.
• Do not apply to patients with vascular disorders, unless under medical supervision.
• Do not apply if you suffer from circulatory or nervous disorders, unless under medical supervision.
• Do not apply to sensitive or irritated skin.

Now it's time to clear up some doubts you may have and that are important for you to use this hot/cold gel pack like a professional physiotherapist, in search of the pain relief you need so much.

• Can they burn your skin? Yes, but only when you do not respect the time of use of this hot and cold garment on the body. The skin is very sensitive to temperature changes and reacts in different ways when you exceed 20 minutes of cold and 30 minutes of heat. This bag is quite resistant to temperature variations, but it can leak and the gel can burn if it gets on the dermis.
• Can they be toxic? To date, there is no medical evidence that the materials with which these bags are made generate reactions in the skin of patients. You should only be careful not to apply any type of gel or lotion on the shoulder before using this garment, as its components may react with heat or cold. Likewise, the gel that transfers cold and heat is not made of a material that is toxic to the skin.

It's all going to depend on the type of pain you have. For example, if you are an athlete and you usually have shoulder and lower back pain, you should always count on this hot and cold pack to soothe those pains and muscle spasms. Throughout this article, we have left you with a number of possible uses and scenarios where this bag is practical and quite useful. But if you have any other specific case, it is advisable to consult with a specialist and contribute with the way of use to address your specific ailment.