McDavid Thermal Knee Wrap

by McDavid Knee Braces

Product Features

• Ideal for knee, thigh, groin and larger extremities. One size fits all.
• Helps to increase blood flow and help the body remove and reabsorb cellular by-products.
• Thermal neoprene wrap maintains desired temperature.
• Wrap-around sleeve with Velcro attachment.
• The McDavid Thermal Knee Wrap is indicated for soothing reduction in pain and stiffness.

Product Description

The McDavid Thermal Knee Wrap is an economical wrap for the application of heat therapy. The McDavid Thermal Knee Wrap is a neoprene wrap that maintains the desired amount of heat required for soothing relief of aching joints, muscles and tendons. Its hands free application makes it ideal for those on the go. It can be applied to several extremities due to its simple design and easy Velcro closure.

Product Details

• Shipping Information: View shipping rates and policies
• ASIN: B0030UQW2W
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #110,936 in Health & Personal Care (See Top 100 in Health & Personal Care)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice Fit, Good Compression, Melting Point of Standard Cold Packs Too Low (i.e. Frostbite Hazard, April 25, 2011

By 

P. Scott Pope "Scott Pope" (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: McDavid Thermal Knee Wrap (Health and Beauty)

The McDavid Thermal Knee Wrap was one of several cold knee wraps that I have used to address knee swelling. In general, I have been very happy with its overall utility and performance. My only complaint with the product is that the standard cold pack inserts freeze at a temperature that is far too low, leading to discomfort and possibly frostbite.

After having knee surgery to repair a quadriceps tendon rupture, I experienced constant swelling and pain. The surgeon's office provided a Polar Care cold therapy unit that circulates cold water in a pad, which is supplied with ice water from a reservoir connected by a hose. Similar in size to a small Igloo cooler, this bulky device proved impractical even for home use. So, I went on a mission to find the most effective portable cold wrap that I could use both at home and at work. Key characteristics sought included a comfortable fit, good compression, and sufficient heat absorption. The McDavid wrap with the McDavid cold pack insert satisfied almost all of these requirements. As I mentioned, the only major problem was with the cold pack insert not the wrap itself.

I would estimate that the McDavid cold pack inserts melt somewhere between zero and minus ten (-10) degrees Fahrenheit. This is too cold even for a knee covered by clothing. You may say, just let the cold pack thaw out. This then would not provide enough cooling power for the task at hand. The process of converting a solid to a liquid absorbs much more heat than even a moderate change in temperature of the liquid. For example, melting ice absorbs roughly the equivalent energy of an 80 degree temperature increase in water for the same mass of water. So, a cold pack's ability to absorb heat from the knee effectively will best be accomplished by a using a product that converts a solid to a liquid. Manufacturers of cold packs have the ability to add solutes to a the liquid mixture to lower their freezing point temperatures. Presumably, McDavid added more of a solute or used a more potent solute than other cold pack manufacturers. My suggestion is that they find a new solution with a higher melting point around freezing, which will still cool the knee but without the subsequent burning and skin irritation.

The aspects of the wrap that I really like include its durability, elasticity and the excellent adhesion of its Velcro surfaces. It's design allows the wearer to tightly wrap it around the knee, which will further help reduce swelling through compressive action. In total, this wrap has significantly helped me reduce knee pain due to swelling and I would recommend it despite the flawed solution employed in the cold pack inserts.

Pros
Strong Velcro
Good compression
Nice fit

Cons
Cold packs freeze at a very, very low temperature