Recommendations for a good knee ice pack?

adiostrasero
adiostrasero Posts: 127 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
My knees have a tendency to swell right beside the kneecap on the outside part. It forms a little golf ball-sized lump. :P

I also have a tendency to fall down :(

So, I end up needing to ice my knees a lot. I'd like to stop putting frozen peas on my leg and get a nice ice pack. I've tried some out and a lot seem to have too much insulation and aren't cold enough for my liking. Anybody have a recommendation for a nice one that is possibly gel-filled? (I'm thinking like the gel eye masks that you wear to reduce puffy eyes...?)

By the way, in case anyone cares, I have had MRIs done on my knees and I have an annoying but harmless and very common condition. It's not something that could cause injury or should stop me from working out. The swelling is annoying/uncomfortable though, so I like to avoid it if at all possible!

Replies

  • Katbaran
    Katbaran Posts: 605 Member
    My husband got a really nice gel type ice pack at a home health care store--the kind that has walkers, potty chairs, canes, braces, crutches, etc. It was for his shoulder, but I found it wrapped around my knee nicely after I had knee surgery. We've had it over 3 yrs now and it's still in great shape. I think it was about $30.00 but it will last a long, long time.

    Hope this helps!
  • doctorsookie
    doctorsookie Posts: 1,084 Member
    Frozen bag of peas. Cook and eat when done...win win
  • adiostrasero
    adiostrasero Posts: 127 Member
    That does help - had not thought to go to that type of store. I will check - thanks!
  • doctorsookie
    doctorsookie Posts: 1,084 Member
    Frozen bag of peas. Cook and eat when done...win win

    LOL I should have read the entire post first. But it the first thing that popped in my mind.
  • bellefille
    bellefille Posts: 50 Member
    If you use amazon, search for:

    'Brownmed Polar Ice Large Knee Wrap'

    I purchased this last year and it is great for taking care of my bad knees.
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
    Can you put some cooling gel on your knees like Biofreeze, if so its great! got it from the chiropractor. But you might be able to find it online or in a store.
  • tavenne323
    tavenne323 Posts: 332 Member
    In addition to an ice pack, have you tried using an ACE wrap or knee sleeve to help prevent the swelling in the first place?
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    I freeze water in small dixie cups. Then I peel away the top half of the cup. Then I ice massage my knees. Each knee for about 5 minutes. This is what my physiotherapist taught me to do 20 years ago when I was 14. It works great. My dance teacher taught me to do that for 5 minutes, then get into a hot bath for five minutes and to keep alternating. I never do that anymore. I still do the icing when needed. I keep a towel under my knees to catch the water. Ice packs just don't work for me, on my knee. It's hard to shape it to the knee and keep it that way.
  • tavenne323
    tavenne323 Posts: 332 Member
    Can you put some cooling gel on your knees like Biofreeze, if so its great! got it from the chiropractor. But you might be able to find it online or in a store.

    Biofreeze, bengay, icey hot, flex-all...all those topicals are just that - topical. They may feel good, but they don't do anything for swelling.
  • funpilot56
    funpilot56 Posts: 100
    Ice massage works really well except around bony prominences like patella or fibular head on the outer side of the knee. great for muscular areas though. You should only do them for between 7-10 minutes as the ice only has the melting water as the medium between the skin and the ice. It is hard to conform an ice pack to a knee due to the many spaces around the knee that the ice won't cover. The bag of peas does work pretty well unless you can get flaky ice and take out the air in the bag to conform better. If using an ice bag, you can go up to 20 minutes. The important thing about ice to remember is not the cold to control swelling, but the increase in blood flow to help the healing process when you take the ice off.
  • BinaryPulsar
    BinaryPulsar Posts: 8,927 Member
    Ice massage works really well except around bony prominences like patella or fibular head on the outer side of the knee. great for muscular areas though. You should only do them for between 7-10 minutes as the ice only has the melting water as the medium between the skin and the ice. It is hard to conform an ice pack to a knee due to the many spaces around the knee that the ice won't cover. The bag of peas does work pretty well unless you can get flaky ice and take out the air in the bag to conform better. If using an ice bag, you can go up to 20 minutes. The important thing about ice to remember is not the cold to control swelling, but the increase in blood flow to help the healing process when you take the ice off.

    I'm able to get all the surfaces of my knee really well, and I have boney knees. I do it with my knee stretched out flat (less bony in that position). It's true that you don't want to do it for too long. I will usually do one knee for five minutes, then the other knee, then the first knee again, then the other knee again, then I'm done. I've been doing this, as needed for 21 years.

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