So, you are trying to find the best knee ice wrap to help you recover or prevent an injury. Good news is you have come to the right place.
As you may know, a knee ice wrap, also commonly referred to as a knee ice pack, is designed to offer you cold relief from injuries. These injuries may include post-surgical recovery, sports injuries, strains, sprains, and soft tissue damage.
It can be overwhelming to find the right knee ice pack for your needs with so many options to choose from. However, we have made it a little easier for you by bringing together the top 5 best knee ice wrap reviews. If you are not sure where to start, see below for our reviews and recommendations.
Comparison Table
| O2 Cold and Compression Knee Wrap | Our Rating (5 / 5) | Our Reviews |
| Polar Ice Standard Knee Wrap | Our Rating (4.8 / 5) | Our Reviews |
| Pro-Tec Athletics Hot/Cold Wrap for Knee & Ankle | Our Rating (4.6 / 5) | Our Reviews |
| Hyperice Sport Knee - Cold Compression Knee Wrap | Our Rating (4.5 / 5) | Our Reviews |
| FlexiKold Gel Cold Pack | Our Rating (4.5 / 5) | Our Reviews |
Things to Consider Before Purchasing an Ice Pack for Knee
Let’s cover a few important facts to consider before you dive into buying your knee ice pack. These things are important to keep in mind.
- Consider what type of injury you have. Each injury will differ slightly, and certain wraps will cater for different needs. Some will have compression options where others won’t, and some may have 380-degree coverage while others only offer front coverage.
- Think about if you will be wearing your ice wrap while being mobile. Some knee ice packs will not be suited to those who need to keep moving while receiving cold treatment.
- Ask yourself if you need your ice wrap to be transportable. Some wraps will be less bulky and easier to handle than others.
- Have an idea of the sizing you need, But ALWAYS read the sellers sizing before purchasing. All sizing will be different between each brand of ice wraps. There is no universal sizing chart.
- If you plan on using your knee ice pack frequently (especially if you have a serious injury, are an athlete or had surgery), you may wish to consider buying an extra ice pack that is inserted into your wrap. In fact, we recommend it. While you have one ice pack in use, you can have the other in the freezer ready to go and simply swap them over when needed.
We recommend that you make a list of things you will need to keep in mind while you are reading our reviews to help you find the best knee ice wrap for you.
Reviews of the Best Knee Ice Packs & Wraps
And here it is, our Top 5 picks for the best knee ice wraps. This should help you get started on finding the right one for you and provide you with some extra information.
Polar Ice Standard Knee Wrap, Cold Therapy Ice Pack, Wearable Ice Pack
The Polar Ice Standard Knee Wrap, probably one of the simplest yet highly effective ice wraps we have reviewed. With a mid-range price point, this green and blue wrap offer some great features for good price.
The best feature about this product is that you can not only wear it on your knee but on any part of your legs or arms. You just apply the fleece wrap to the desired area, wrap it around your limb and secure it in place with the velcro straps. The pressure in which you tighten your wrap with can be adjusted by the hooks and loops your strap runs through, offering some compression if needed.
This ice wrap is what we would recommend for most post-surgical recoveries and soft tissue damage, as well as general icing for your knee (or limbs).
| Pros: • Have Soft fleece covering to protect skin. • Can help control swelling. • Non-toxic ice inserts. • Covers above and below the knee. • Wrap is washable. | Cons: • Some found the ice packs too stiff. • Ice packs may lose cold quicker. |
O2 Cold and Compression Knee Wrap
A great knee ice pack for athletes or just general icing needs, the O2 Cold and Compression Knee Wrap is ready for any icing needs. It has a high rating and positive response rate, and it’s no wonder why when you see just how versatile this wrap is.
This wrap is designed for just about any situation or injury with its patented design. Why may you ask? The wrap has enough structure and support to help with injuries but offers enough flexibility and movement. This means you can wear it anywhere, anytime and not be disturbed.
With its sturdy and durable make, you only need to fasten the wrap in place with the two black straps, add some air using the air pump until you are happy with the amount of compression, and be on your way.
We recommend this as one of the best knee ice wraps for anyone. It’s easy to use and functional for everyday life. Also, perfect for athlete after training.
| Pros: • Air pump adds compression to the knee. • Can sit under or over clothing. • Stays cold for a long time. • Elastic straps with velcro for a secure fit. • Flexible design. • Gel cold pack remain flexible once cooled. | Cons: • Does not have 380 degree coverage. |
Hyperice Sport Knee – Cold Compression Knee Wrap
At the highest price point we have reviewed, we have the Hyperice Sport Cold Compression Knee Wrap. And with a high rating, you are wondering what makes this product so great. It’s simple really, there is no other knee ice pack with this design on the market.
This ice wrap comes with a 3-strap system, which ensures a snug compression fit that keeps your wrap and ice in place. It also has a large valve opening where you put your crushed/pellet ice into. By pressing the button on this valve once closed, the air is released from the ice ‘bladder’ giving you complete knee coverage.
This is one of the best knee ice wraps for athletes and anyone who doesn’t have the option of being immobile while icing their knee.
We recommend this knee ice pack for athletes, sprains, strains and injuries. However, we do not recommend this product for anyone recovering from a major knee surgery or major knee injuries. You may not find the right support you need as this is designed to be very flexible.
| Pros: • Can be very mobile while wearing the wrap. • It has an air release system. • Perfect for athletes. • Light and easy to transport. | Cons: • Inner ice 'bladder' a bit thin. • Internal ice pack surfaces can stick together. |
Pro-Tec Athletics Heat/Cold Wrap for Knee and Ankle
Another versatile ice wrap is the Pro-Tec Athletics Heat/Cold Wrap. As the name suggests, this ice wrap can be used for either Hot or Cold treatment. But it also has the added feature of being used not only for your knee but your ankles as well.
This ice pack for knees is simple to use and very straightforward, making it perfect for anyone to try. Once applied in place, the velcro straps wrap around your knee and keep everything secure in place.
This knee ice pack is smaller less rigid than the others. We recommend this ice wrap for general sprains, strains, and injuries. If you have a more severe knee injury or recovering from surgery, we suggest you look for a knee ice wrap with more structure and stability.
| Pros: • Can be used for knee and ankle. • Heat and Cold treatment option. • Easy to use. • Can be mobile while wearing it. | Cons: • The velcro can wear with use. • Little barrier between skin and ice pack. |
FlexiKold Gel Cold Pack
Out of all of the knee ice packs we have reviewed, the FlexiKold Gel Cold Pack is by far the most different one we have recommended for you. Unlike all the others listed, this knee ice pack does not have a wrap to hold the ice pack in place. So why would we recommend it?
Because it remains to be one of the best knee ice packs currently available. This neat pack looks just like a huge ice pack. And that’s one of the features that makes it so great – it covers a large area.
This gel pack is made with an extra thick nylon material to prevent leaking. The gel used inside this ice pack remains flexible and pliable even when frozen.
Anyone can use this ice pack, and it can be used on any part of your body. But we suggest that if you are looking to use this pack on your knee, you consider using it while stationary. Perfect for when you are at home relaxing.
| Pros: • Flexible gel pack even when frozen. • Made with extra thick nylon material. • Stays colder for longer. • Washable. | Cons: • Cannot be applied directly to skin. |
What is Cold Compression Therapy?
Cold compression therapy is the combination of compression and cold treatment (also known as Cryotherapy).
Compression is applied to help reduce swelling and inflammation on injured body parts like your knee. This helps your body recover quicker and helps you get moving a lot faster.
Cold Compression Treatment is the process in which you apply a cold source (usually ice packs or ice wraps) to the affected area. Using ice will not only speed up your recovery time but also help to reduce your pain levels.
If you are an athlete or had a persistent injury, you may have heard of the term R.I.C.E. For anyone who hasn’t, R.I.C.E. stands for Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. This is a term most often used for someone recovering from any injury. Ice and compression (which is Cold compression therapy) are two of the most important factors of R.I.C.E and are used around the whole worldwide.
Cold compression treatment is more effective than using just ice or compression separately. Combined, they offer faster relief and aid to your recovery. This is why we recommend that the best knee ice wraps are those that provide cold treatment and compression features.
Heat or Ice for Knee Pain
So the big question is, should you use heat or ice for knee pain? And it’s a good question to ask because heat and ice offer different benefits for different injuries.
Applying ice is usually used for joint injuries/problems and cooling down. It acts as a natural way to help reduce pain and speed up recovery.
You should be icing your knee if any of the following symptoms apply to you:
- Inflammation of your knee. If you have swelling on or around your knee, ice will help to reduce this swelling and pain associated with it.
- Inflamed muscles. Perfect for if you have pulled a muscle, finished a workout, or finished a training session at your favorite sports and want to get some relief from that painful muscle.
- Red or hot areas on or around your knee. This is most common with highly active people and sports players.
You should NOT apply heat if you have any of the above symptoms. It can make your injury worse and cause you a lot more pain.
You will want to apply heat to your knee if you are experiencing the following symptoms:
- Sore, tight muscles in and around your knee.
- Muscle spasms.
- Chronic pain from nerve pain.
- Chronic pain from muscles.
Again, you should NOT mix treatments, and you should NOT apply ice for any of these symptoms. Ice may cause you more pain and cause your muscles to tighten and also cause nerve pain to increase.
If you are still unsure about whether you should be using heat or ice to your knee pain, we recommend you talk to a trained health professional for further advice.
How to Ice Your Knee
Because ice is used mostly to treat and prevent swelling and inflammation, quick and efficient treatment for injuries should be used for the best results. We recommend finding the best knee ice wrap for your needs because by targeting your pain sooner rather than later, you can stop swelling and prevent any further inflammation from occurring.
Source: http://www.bodyheal.com.au/blog/infographic-how-to-boost-recovery-from-a-sports-injury-with-rice-treatment
When icing your knee, you will want to follow R.I.C.E. As we mentioned above, this stands for Rest. Ice. Compression. Elevation. For a proper technique of how to ice your knee, we recommend you follow this step by step guide:
- You are going to want to rest your knee and avoid putting it under any more pressure. If you can, you should sit down and relieve any unnecessary stress on your knee.
- Apply ice. Apply the cold source to your knee. This can be an ice pack, gel pack or knee ice wrap as we have reviewed above. Remember, never apply the ice or ice pack directly to your knee. Always have a cloth barrier to protect your skin from damages like frostbite. If you are using a knee ice wrap, you will most likely not have to worry about this as most knee wraps have a protective barrier already.
- Apply compression to your knee. If you can apply a form of compression, your healing process will increase, and your symptoms from your injury/pain will ease faster. You may want to look at one of our recommendations for a compression ice wrap for your knee.
- Given you are in the position to rest and recover, you should elevate your leg and knee. This can be done several ways, such as laying on the floor and placing a pillow under your leg. For the best results when elevating your leg, only make sure your leg is raised slightly higher than your hips (no matter if your position is sitting or laying down). This helps to keep your blood flow going and relieves pain.
How Long to Ice Knee
Although the timing may vary slightly, most physicians will recommend the 20/20 rule – 20 minutes of icing and 20 minutes of the non-icing period. Although a general rule of thumb is 15-20 minutes of icing and will give you the same results.
Do not go over this recommended time. Icing your knee for longer than 15-20 minutes can cause damage to your soft tissue.
Wrapping up
Hopefully, we have provided you with the right information with our reviews and recommendations to help you take your first steps to buying the best knee ice wrap for your needs. Knee pain can be debilitating and cause us pain and problems, and this often discourages you from living your best life. But it doesn’t have to. Start out by using your knee ice pack a couple of times a day (when needed), and you will be well on your to a happier, more mobile life.
