McDavid Thermal Knee Wrap Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)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

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