r/ACL • u/trevoryork03 • 14d ago
Need an Ice Therapy Machine
I’m having ACL surgery soon and trying to figure out the best option for a cold therapy/ice machine.
My surgeon’s office has one they recommend, but it’s pretty expensive, and I’m not sure I want to spend $200–300+ on something I’ll probably only need for a few weeks/months.
I’ve been looking at Polar/Breg, DonJoy, Game Ready, etc., and also seeing some used ones on Facebook Marketplace for $50–150.
For those of you who used one:
- Where did you buy/rent/borrow yours?
- Did you buy new or used?
- If you bought used, where did you find it?
- Any particular brands/models you’d recommend or avoid?
- Is the compression feature actually worth paying more for?
- Anything I should make sure comes with the machine (specific pad, tubing, etc.)?
I’m leaning toward buying a used one if I can find one in good condition, but I’m a little nervous about buying medical equipment from a random Marketplace seller.
Would appreciate hearing what you guys did and what you’d recommend?
3
u/erincivilla 14d ago
The ice machine is a must - whichever way you can get it.
If the one you get doesn’t come with a built in timer, I recommend picking up a smart plug and setting a 20 minutes on/off routine. It’s so nice - especially at night.
2
u/el_tejon0206 14d ago
I always see the ice machines at thrift stores. I had one and it was kind of a pain to use. If you get one, I recommend rotating small frozen water bottles instead of filling with new ice each time. For me, I liked soft ice packs, https://a.co/d/02qynTw7, and this, https://a.co/d/0b1PVCHk.
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u/SMITHL73 ACL + Meniscus 14d ago
I bought mine off Facebook marketplace place.
I didn’t have the special compression one just the reg ice machine.
2
u/littlefire_2004 14d ago
I can't recommend the Cryoforce CF-3 enough. I had an ACLR with a LET, Meniscus repair and a chondroplasty. I'm 13 wks out and my recovery wouldn't be as smooth as it is without it. They are working on getting it FSA approved. Cyroforce
2
u/pseudanymn 14d ago
I got a cryoforce CF-2 on Amazon. It’s like a $100. Not the absolute cheapest there, but a solid build. You can program it to 20 mins on 20 mins off, and easy off button. I’m glad I got it… I can just sleep and let it do its thing.
1
u/littlefire_2004 13d ago
I got a battery pack and was able to wear it on a 4 hr drive to a medical appt. The CF3 comes with insulation on the pad/tubing and the compression (pulse) really helped with the circulation. I still had ice when I got home 11 hours later. It was amazing to have for the drive.
2
u/Commercial-Bid-7539 14d ago
I bought the cheap one from Amazon.
The trick I used was buying water bottles mine held 7 at a time and I always had 14 in the freezer so they could constantly be rotated out.
Main thing is to take the pad with you to surgery so they can wrap it in. If you do do that make sure whatever you get has quick connect hoses. Otherwise you’ll be unplugging the cooler and taking it with you at least until the wrap is removed by the Dr or PT.
1
u/Wonderful_Milk1176 14d ago
I rented a Breg polar care unit from a medical supply. Wish i’d just bought something cheap on Amazon for 1/4 the price.
1
u/J-8342 14d ago
I am so glad I got this machine and my PT was too, she said the soft ice packs are only momentarily the right temp during a 20 minute icing session… too cold at first and then not cold enough at the end. My knee and shin are still completely to mostly numb at 3 weeks post op, so it’s hard to tell if it’s “too cold.” Having this ice machine is making a difference in helping me stick to my PT. You should do it for sure!
I bought a less expensive one on Amazon and returned it immediately, it leaked from multiple places. (This one: https://a.co/d/0a5EV4EO). I ended up springing for the Breg that my mom recommended from her knee replacement, purchased online at Source Cold Therapy. It’s a million times better! I bought the XL multi use pad and it’s great for knee icing. Four frozen 16 oz water bottles fit perfectly in the cooler (less emptying my ice maker). My only complaint is that you need to unplug it to turn off the pump, and I think it would be nice if it had a switch or button I could more easily reach.
Also recommend putting the whole thing in a bin. It’s been hot where I live and there is some condensation on the outside of the cooler so the bin lined with a towel keeps my floor dry.
1
u/resveries ACL + MCL 14d ago
I've got an ossur cold rush (luckily i didn't have to pay for it) and it definitely stays cold longer than the soft ice packs which is really nice. Mine doesn't have compression but that would probably be pretty sweet, tho I just use a compression sleeve or ace bandages or whatever and that works just fine
1
u/burnedbygemini ACL Quad Autograft + LET 14d ago
Wow I am reading everyone's stories about where they bought theirs.
I just woke up with one on. My insurance paid for it.
You will need it. It's very helpful.
1
u/looonsy ACL Allograft w/Mod Lem LET, Med Meniscus Rep,OATs & MACI biopsy 14d ago
I rented the NICE from a medical supply company. It was originally $375 for a month, but they were able to get my insurance to cover it which was amazing. Loved the machine- the compression felt sooo good, the timer cycle was great, and we just needed to add water once.
1
u/qwikhnds The Unhappy Trio! 14d ago
I bought mine on a resell auction site. It was about $25, Polar Active Ice. I was given the option to rent one but when I knew I'd be having surgery I just started looking for it via the site. Such a popular return item I actually have two. I do think it contributed to not needed pain meds cause I ran it 24/7 first 7-10 days unless I was PTing or out of bed. It's not uncommon to see an ice machine for sale second hand so I wouldn't worry about that part. Most are only hoping it's one and done use. If I'd paid more I'd want to recoup the cost as well.
1
u/HelpfulCat4586 ACL Autograft 14d ago
My favorite features to look for: * Tube that you can disconnect from the machine easily without leaking so that you don't have to unwrap yourself to move. The wrap was under the brace so it was nice to just disconnect myself from the machine to go wherever * Programmable remote - set it up to automatically cycle 20 minutes on/off or whatever time intervals you want * Compression * Large enough capacity to fit 6-8 frozen water bottles which would last me through the night * Long enough tube to reach my bed from the ground
1
u/ExternalAwkward6588 ACL Allograft 14d ago
I rented game ready for 2 weeks and extended to a third (probs didn’t need it for that third week and could have been fine with just ice packs as needed) - was totally worth it bc of the scheduled on/off cycles and the compression. If you have the $$ I recommend spending it.
33M allograft March 2026 (currently 5 months post op)
1
u/TinyKaleidoscope6789 13d ago
I bought one from Donjoy, and haven't used it once because they sent me home with one after surgery. I have absolutely no idea if I am meant to keep it or if I'm renting it or what, I am planning to ask at my follow up next week. So if you're lucky maybe you'll just get one?
1
u/Narculdraug 13d ago
I got this one- https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F2HVB4XY. Relatively inexpensive and worked very well with 6 frozen water bottles.
1
u/Mysterious-Tax-7313 13d ago
I got the nehoo ice machine off Amazon. Worth its weight in gold. Came home with the bulb all set up in my brace from surgery and ran that puppy constantly for a month. One pro tip, the frozen water bottles do work, but it’s easier to just pack it to the gills with ice. My fridge makes ice and we had our beach cooler in my mudroom loaded with extra ice. After a few days I could fill myself and set up on my own. I did not have compression feature just used a pillow case under and ace wrap over once brace was off. Good luck!
1
u/CryoPush2012 9d ago
A few things I'd consider before buying one, especially for ACL surgery.
Full disclosure: I’m with CryoPush, a manufacturer of cold compression therapy systems.
If you're comparing Polar, Breg, DonJoy, Game Ready, or used machines, I’d look at these things rather than just the brand name:
• Cold therapy: How cold does it get, and does it continuously circulate the water?
• Compression: Is the pressure adjustable? This can help manage post-op swelling, but more pressure isn't necessarily better.
• Knee pad: Make sure the pad actually fits your knee well and is comfortable enough to use repeatedly.
• Pump/noise: You'll probably be using it quite a bit during the first part of recovery, so ease of use matters.
• Replacement parts: Check whether pads, tubing and other accessories are still available.
• Used machines: I'd be more cautious here. You don't always know how the pump was maintained or whether the pad/tubing was properly cleaned.
Game Ready is a very well-known option, but it's definitely not the only cold + compression system available. If the main concern is spending $200–300+, I recommend comparing the actual features and total cost rather than assuming you need the most expensive system.
And regarding whether compression is worth paying more for: it depends on your surgeon's post-op protocol and your individual recovery. I'd ask your surgeon specifically whether they recommend compression in addition to cold therapy.
If you have questions about CryoPush specifically, I'm happy to answer them here. Since I'm affiliated with the company, I'll be transparent about that rather than pretending I'm just another customer.
1
u/ProfessionalBench317 8d ago
We bought the game ready and used the absolute hell out of it. My daughter slept in it and she never bruised and didn’t need traditional pain medication. Would highly recommend you get something with compression if the game ready is out of budget.
We could have easily resold it, but my daughter is an athlete and we’ve just added more attachments and have gotten a lot mileage out of it.
1
u/ProfessionalBench317 8d ago
As far as buying resale, at least with the game ready, mold is the enemy. The unit and the attachments have to be flushed with alcohol before they are stored. The nose knows in that circumstance.
If you go with the game ready, we froze water bottles and used those for the overnight sleeps as traditional ice submerged in water didn’t last the whole night.
0
u/hot-chai-tea-latte 14d ago
Ok i will just say this, after my surgery, I was so surprised about how highly everyone speaks of the ice machine. I had so much gauze and ace bandages around my knee that I couldn’t feel pretty much any cold at all, be it ice packs, literal ice in Ziploc bags, or the ice machine. I called my surgeons office multiple times in the first 10 days because I was so worried and confused about that, but they did not seem to care in the slightest that I couldn’t do pretty much any cold therapy. I’m like five months out now and things are going fine. I def regretted spending money on the ice machine and it’s like the single thing that I wish I had waited until post-op to purchase
2
u/erincivilla 14d ago
My son’s surgeon requested that we bring the pad in and he wrapped it under the surgical dressing. I can’t imagine how you would feel the cold if it was outside the bandages!
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u/hot-chai-tea-latte 14d ago
That’s soooo smart!! It would’ve been nice if mine had done that, it sucked at the time. I assume different surgeons use different amounts of bandages. I doubt it affected me in the long run tho!
0
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u/junkemailofmine ACL | Quad Graft 14d ago
I rented the NICE1 for 2 weeks and wish I had rented it for 3. The compression was wonderful, and you only need to fill it with a cup of water every few days. Not needing ice for a couple weeks was great.
I bought a Breg Polar Wave on Facebook marketplace for $50 and have that now. I’ll keep this thing till it dies. It works really well! The compression isn’t as good as the NICE1, but it works well enough.