ColdFlow Compression System: wireless, ice-free cold compression at home

What the ColdFlow Compression System is

Cold compression combines two things: cooling the area and applying gentle, even pressure around it. Doctors commonly use cold therapy and compression after injuries and surgery, and your doctor decides whether they're right for you. The ColdFlow Compression System delivers both through a wrap that fits around the body part, controlled by a wireless unit, so there's no ice to refill and no cord tying you to the wall.

It comes with different wraps for different parts of the body. Which wrap you receive depends on your injury or surgery and on what your doctor prescribes.

Prescriptions.plus doesn't sell, bill or prescribe the device. The ColdFlow Compression System is our program name for a device supplied through our medical-supply partner when a doctor prescribes it.

• Universal wrap — for areas such as the knee, elbow or back, as your doctor directs
• Foot/ankle wrap — shaped for the foot and ankle
• Shoulder wrap — shaped to sit over the shoulder

How it's generally used at home

Your doctor, surgeon or therapist will tell you how and when to use it. In general terms, people put the wrap on over a protective layer as instructed, make sure it's snug but not tight, start the unit, and rest with the area supported for the session length their doctor has set.

After surgery, sessions are often part of a written home-care plan. After an injury such as an ankle sprain from a fall at work, your doctor may give you a simpler routine. Either way, follow the plan you were given rather than guessing — more often or longer is not automatically better.

It helps to set up a comfortable spot before your first session: a chair or bed where the limb can be raised if you've been told to elevate it, with the unit within reach and the wrap ready.

• Follow the session length and frequency your doctor sets
• Use the protective layer or barrier you were told to use
• Check your skin before and after each session
• Keep the wrap clean and dry between uses as instructed

Who prescribes it — and questions to ask your doctor

Cold compression is commonly prescribed by orthopedic surgeons, sports medicine physicians, podiatrists and foot and ankle surgeons, and other doctors who treat injuries to joints and soft tissue. It's often discussed before a planned surgery or at a follow-up after an injury.

Your doctor decides whether a cold compression device suits your situation. If one is prescribed, these questions help you use it safely.

• How long should each session last, and how many a day?
• How should I protect my skin?
• Should I elevate the area while using it?
• Is it safe to use while I sleep, or should I stay awake?
• When should I stop using it?
• What should I do if it feels too cold or numb?

Safety considerations

Cold applied for too long or without protection can irritate or injure skin. Check your skin regularly, and stop and call your doctor if you notice blistering, unusual colour changes, increasing numbness or pain that gets worse rather than better.

People with circulation problems or reduced sensation should check with their doctor first. That includes people with conditions that affect blood flow or nerves in the hands and feet, because they may not feel when the cold is too much. Tell your doctor about any such condition before you start.

After surgery, keep dressings and incisions as your surgeon instructed, and report fever, wound changes, or new calf pain and swelling right away. Medical emergency? Call 911.

Requesting more information

Patients, doctors and clinics, and employers or adjusters can request more information about the ColdFlow Compression System using the form on this page. Tell us who you are and what you'd like to know, and the right person will follow up.

If you're a patient, the most important conversation is still with your doctor, who decides whether the device is appropriate. Whether a workers' comp claim or auto policy covers a device is a question for your adjuster or insurer.

• Patients: ask your doctor first, then use the form for general questions
• Doctors and clinics: request information about prescribing
• Employers and adjusters: request general program information