inREVIEW: Physicool therapeutic bandages

Physicool, developed in the UK and newly available in South Africa, is the first therapeutic bandage that combines cooling with compression and is ideal to treat inflammation and bruising, whilst helping speed up recovery. The stretchy and re-usable cooling bandage is also more effective than ice and a lot easier to use. While ice has long been used with great success to reduce inflammation, pain and bruising, it can be messy, uncomfortable, and awkward to apply. Physicool cools more effectively due to the natural, cotton bandage containing a harmless coolant that draws heat out, rather than driving cold in, and instantly treats inflammation and bruising of muscles, tendons and ligaments. No more risk of 'ice burn'.

 

Once used or when dry, to refresh the bandage all you need to do is squirt with the coolant spray, pop it back into its re-sealable pouch and its ready to be used again. The bandage is also washable. No refrigeration is required, so it's perfect for athletes travelling to races or training away from home, and to take with on holiday.

 

This product has been used with success by athletes to treat sprains, strains, and other injuries. Says Max Knox, legendary mountain biker, "First off, let me say that I'm no doctor, but this year I've had a lot of bad luck with my knee and suffered a good few weeks of inflammation, which has turned into scar tissue. So, I decided to give Physicool a try and man, I was surprised. It really helped to ease the pain and swollenness of my knee and give me some good relief. Although a little unconventional, what I enjoyed doing was wrapping it around my knee and then lying with my leg vertically up a wall, with my back on the floor, for 20 minutes, and then standing for 20 minutes; repeating this procedure for two hours. I found that this helped the blood to flow past the injured area (my knee), thus speeding up the recovery process. I also enjoyed using the product after a hard-day's training, as it eased the other muscles around my knee, which were taking strain from having to compensate for my sore knee. On the whole, Physicool is not just great for helping injuries, I would also recommend it to any athlete for use on a daily basis during intense training periods. It's simple to use, the bandage is reusable (so you can reuse it when you need that little bit of extra recovery) and effective enough that it needs to be part of your recovery process.

 

Physicool has also been used with success by parents to treat injuries. I used the product on my son a few days after he had been hit on his ankle bone by a fast-moving cricket ball. At the time of the injury, the swelling and bruising were really nasty and he couldn't walk on that foot. After using Physiocool on him, there was a noticeable reduction in the swelling and it didn't take long before he was hobbling and then walking around again. Now, when the manufacturer talks about the cooling and long-lasting cooling effects of the product, they are not kidding. Whilst my son's ankle was bandaged, his only complaint was that it felt like his toes were frozen, and once the bandage was removed, that it took a while for his foot to warm up.

 

This product is also being used successfully by people with arthritis and has received high praise in the medical field. Simon Garrett, Consultant Orthopaedic & Trauma Surgeon at Dorset County Hospital, England, has been using Physicool on patients following knee replacement surgery, “We found that post-op, after day one, patient pain scores were much reduced and in the first 48 hours Physicool made a dramatic difference.”
 

 

I give Physicool the thumbs up as it's easy to apply, hassle free, and ready to use whenever needed. It really is a must-have item for everyone’s First Aid kit. 

 

dinFO:

For more information, visit www.ivohealth.co.za  or follow them on Facebook for regular news and updates  www.facebook.com/ivohealth.
 

 

The coolant spray and re-usable bandages are available from Dis-Chem stores around South Africa in two sizes (A: ankle and knee / B: wrist, thigh and shoulder), as well as the 500 ml Coolant Spray or Combo pack (spray and bandage). Prices range from R113 to R200.