Koo-Care Large Flexible Gel Ice Pack & Wrap with Straps for Hot Cold Therapy - Pain Relief for Shoulder Rotator Cuff, Back, Hip, Knee Replacement Surgery, Shin Splint Injuries Reusable - 11" x 14"

I recently had bi-lateral hip replacement surgery (yes...both at the same time). At this writing, it has been four weeks since the surgery. I ordered two sets of these ice packs prior to the surgery, as I was going to need to be applying ice packs to my thighs almost round the clock while I was awake. These ice packs were perfect. 1. Because of the way they wrapped securely around my thighs, I didn't have to deal with needing to constantly adjust them to stay in place. If I moved my legs while sitting, the ice packs stayed where I had strapped them in, whereas a regular ice pack would fall off. 2. Also because of the way they wrapped securely, I was able to stand up and walk short distances, again, because they stayed firmly in place. 3. Having two sets of them meant that two of them were always in the freezer ready to go for when the other two that I was using had melted. This was essential for me since, again, both of my hips had been replaced. 4. They stayed cold much longer than I thought they would--fully frozen for a good 30 to 40 minutes, and cold enough that I could keep them on my thighs for an hour or more. Allowing a half hour between icing, that gave the previous packs plenty of time to fully freeze. And it also allowed enough time for my thighs to get back to normal body temperature between using them. 5. The ice pack covers were sufficient to prevent any kind of icing discomfort or freezing burns on my skin. Of course, I was either wearing PJ bottoms or light weight sweat pants that also provided a barrier. I did not use them on bare skin. However, if your situation makes you more sensitive to the cold, just place a hand towel between the packs and your leg for added protection and comfort. 6. The Velcro straps have proven to remain strong enough to handle the continual use that I have required and still am requiring. I firmly wrapped both straps around my thighs, as I was sitting down pretty much the entire time that I was using them. But if you need to be able to get up and walk for any distance, the longer strap will wrap around your waist, and the shorter strap will anchor the pack to remain in place around the thigh. 7. I am a small woman (110 pounds), so the 11 x 14 size easily wrapped around almost 2/3 of my thigh, which covered all of my areas of inflammation from the surgery. Hopefully, that gives you an idea as to whether you may want to order a larger size (if that is available). After any kind of joint replacement surgery, it is essential to continually ice the area in order to reduce the inflammation. As the inflammation decreases, so does the pain. I had to come off of all the anti-inflammatory and prescribed pain meds in the first week because the side-effects on my body were were more traumatic than the surgery itself. So all I had was round-the-clock Extra Strength Tylenol and these ice packs, and my pain never went beyond a 5--most of the time averaging between 3 and 4. I am fully convinced that because I was able to keep my thighs continually iced with these wrap-around ice packs, my healing has happened more quickly. I hope this review helps you decide if they may help you with your upcoming joint replacement surgery.

Thank God I ordered before my hip replacement. After surgery ice is mandatory for pain control and this product was the best purchase I could have made. I do not buy impulsively and thoroughly read reviews so let me cover the important points. It is large to cover a larger surface area, necessary for large areas of swelling and not just incision area. It is flexible and you can mold around area of pain. The ice pack has sections, which helps keep the freezing gel from bunching up and keeps it evenly dispersed. The “sleeve” you place it in is well made. It freezes pretty quickly and stays frozen longer than any other pack I’ve used. The only regret I have, is not buying another of the gel packs for backup which I may do today! The biggest testimony as to how great this product is, I am writing a review (which I seldom do) just a few days into my recovery. The meds they Give you for pain are only for a short time and ice helps you not need as much, as often, and enables you to stop taking asap. HUGE, if you are reading this do not hesitate to buy this quality product.

First off, I am very happy with the product. I bought a second one as well because I couldn't find the ice (gel) packs available as a standalone item. The ice pack works well and is thin and flexible enough to easily mold to the contours of the body. The ice pack stays cold for a couple of hours before it needs to go back in the freezer to recharge. My only criticism of the product is that they should have used more velcro (hooks) on the adjustable straps. There is only a short hook section on the end of the straps (including the extension). I am using this on my hip and the long strap goes around my waist. But since the strap only secures on the last 2", the pack has a tendency to slip when I move around. There should have been at least 6" of hook material on the strap to better hold it in place. Similarly the shorter lower strap and extension strap have short sections of hook material resulting in both the excess strap flapping and the attachment to the bag being less secure. I may get some velcro hook material to improve the straps myself. Despite these criticisms, I still consider this to be a good product (4 stars) at a reasonable price.

Great choice for someone who requires a bit of extra coverage. The included extra strap allows you to extend existing straps if you need to and allows it to be used on multiple body areas. The fact that there are 2 ice packs that can be swapped out is nice too. Because this works as either a hot or cold pack easier to alternate between hot and cold therapy or to have a cold spare always at the ready. Very pleased with this much needed purchase.

This is the perfect size and cooling that you need after a knee replacement. It was the best money I ever spent and gave it a 100%.

Excellent ice packs

I'm not trying to scare any one. This is true of any ice or heat pack. What bothers me is that this sellers does not clearly state the potential risks of serious skin injury. Also, they imply that the skin side of the cover protects the skin from injury - the cheap thin polyester/mesh (like what you would find giveaway shopping bags made of) will not protect your skin. I was appalled by the pictures of one buyer who did not understand how to properly use this ice pack before he put it on his skin and drove to work. Cold can quickly numb skin nerves (hence the effectiveness for pain relief). If the nerves don't feel cold or pain, they won't feel frostbite as it begins to damage the skin. When using this type of product, I find that 3-4 layers of thin T-Shirt material between the ice pack and may skin, provides good pain control without damaging my skin. Depending upon thickness, a terry towel can also work well - too thick and the cold (or hot) won't reach the skin. When first using this pack (hot or cold), check your skin regularly to be sure that your skin is OK. If you touch the skin under the pad and that skin cannot feel your touch, is painful, frostbitten, or blistered, remove the pad. Wait until the skin comes back to normal color and touch. If the skin is painful, has a frostbitten appearance or is blistered, use your best judgement as to whether to get medical advice. If there has been no skin damage, add a little more thickness for protection. Do not use on children or others who are unable to check their skin regularly during use. Also, be aware that as a person gets to elderly, their skin thins out making it more susceptible to skin damage. I have been thru 5 joint replacements and know that ice of some sort or another is very important to reduce pain. This product is about the least expensive that I have seen - I'd give it 5 stars if it were not for their poor use instructions and the included cover that is so thin that there is no skin protection from extreme hot or cold temperatures. Perhaps they could use the same fabric on both sides of the cover. That would at least provide a little skin protection. Features: - Its a good size for many areas. - It's design makes it useful for assorted body parts. - It includes a cover and attached elastic straps with velcro that allow it to stay on while you move about.(don't expect that you'll play basketball without it slipping off). - Freezing takes 2-4 hours. It can be left in the freezer until it's needed. - The longer strap is quite long and as it is very stretchy - as a 135 lb woman, I could almost wrap it around my hips twice. - They include a second short strap. Cons - Especially frozen, it won't cover many areas as closely as some products that are shaped for specific areas. - I have never heated a pack this big, but I have tried smaller packs and ruined them. - Don't overheat - my guess is that when people complain about gel leaks, they have heated it too much, too fast. Watch while it's in the micro wave. If it starts to puff up, that's the end of a stage. To continue heating without mushing it around will ruin it. - Mircowaveing these type of packs can be fussy and the pack probably won't last as long as if it were only used for heat. Although with the size of it, that warm can be really nice for an arthritic back. - Instructions for microwaving are printed on the pack - follow them - The listing implied that their cover alone is enough to keep skin safe - it is not. - They have CE & FDA on the pad as if it has been approved by the FDA. At most, makers of these type of things register the device with the FDA - which only means that its in FDA files somewhere and not much (if anything) past that. I have doubts that even registering has been done - but I didn't buy it because the FDA might have some knowledge of this product. To seller, use the space for skin damage caution instead. - The stretch mesh with velco ends will not last forever. Velcro to stretch mesh attachment is relatively strong, but when velco is taken off the webbing, the velcro does weaken the webbing slightly. Overstretching around a large body will also wear out the stretchiness. Not really a problem over all, just realize practical issues around how long the cover and webbing will last.

Great size. Purchased for icing my shoulder. Works great.