PolarCare Cub Cryotherapy Unit
$135.50
One size fits all!
Insurance Info: HCPS E0218, A9900
Please note: by regulations, we cannot accept return on cryotherapy units unless there is a problem with their operation. Please write to Customer Service using our contact us form with any concerns.
PolarCare Cub Cryotherapy
What is cryotherapy?
Cryotherapy is also known as cold therapy. This is the treatment of pain and/or inflammation by lowering the temperature of the skin over the affected area. It is probably the oldest form of pain control! In addition, it can significantly improve swelling after an injury or surgery.
What is so special about the PolarCare Cub?
The PolarCare Cub, made by Breg, is designed to maintain a constant cool temperature over the joint or extremity where you are having pain. Breg is one of the world's leading manufacturers of cold therapy devices. In addition to being very portable, the PolarCare Cub does not require any electricity. It has many advantages over other similar devices, such as the CryoCuff (see our comparison information for more details).
How does it work?
It couldn't be simpler! Simply fill the cooler up with ice, and then top it off with water. Apply the included pad to wherever you are experiencing pain (it has velcro straps keep the pad in place and conform it to your body). Then simply pump the hand-pump about 5 times. You will feel the results immediately! When the fluid in the pad gets warm (after about 15-20 minutes), you simply pump the handle a few times and the water re-circulates.
This is an excellent product to decrease your pain and swelling after surgery!
Included FREE!: Multipurpose XL pad for use on multiple joints such as the shoulder, knee, ankle, elbow.
Frequently asked questions about the PolarCare Cub include
- Which joints is it best used for? With the included multi-purpose pad, the PolarCare Cub is suitable for the following areas: knee, shoulder, ankle, thigh, leg/calf, forearm, and elbow.
- For which problems has this device been used? The PolarCare is used by physicians for treatment of all kinds of joint pain and swelling. It has applications in many disorders including acute injury (trauma, dislocation), chronic problems (tendonitis, bursitis), and after surgery to help control swelling and pain. Get back to work and/or sports sooner!
- Why is JointHealing.Com suggesting the use of this particular cold therapy device? Quite simply, we have tested all the available cold therapy units and found this one to be the best of the products that are portable and do not require electricity! The pad is useful for multiple joints as opposed to many competitor's pads which are only useful for one joint. The use of a hand pump to circulate the water is much easier than gravity, as some other units use (these other units require you to elevate the device above your extremity every 15 minutes, or so). If you are looking for a more low-cost cryotherapy device, consider our DuraKold cryotherapy packs.
- Why not just use an icebag? Well, that certainly is an option. However ice bags are messy. They need to be refrozen constantly. They have the capacity to cause skin burns if not used properly. When you are in serious pain, you want one solution, that will provide you consistent relief of your pain, without all the mess and fuss of icebags! If you are considering using an icebag, you should check out our DuraKold system; it is much less messy, and comes with reusable cold packs.
- I'm having surgery. Won't my insurance cover this device?
Insurance companies used to pay for these devices regularly. Many surgeons used them on virtually all of their patients. However, Medicare decided to discontinue reimbursement for cryotherapy devices, and most other insurance companies followed suit. There are still a few insurance companies that will pay for them, so you might want to check.
Sometimes, surgeons will request that the hospital give one of these to a patient after surgery. It used to be that the hospital would give it free of charge (because they made up the cost from all the other revenue they generated from surgery). However, now that reimbursements for hospitals have gone down as well, you can expect many, if not most, hospitals to send you a bill. This may be as much as $200 to $300 — Beware!
Your best bet is to find out BEFORE surgery whether it will be reimbursed or whether the hospital will sock you with a tremendous bill. If the latter is true, we doubt you will find this product less expensive anywhere else!
Insurance Info: HCPS E0218, A9900
How does this compare to the CryoCuff? The PolarCare Cub is better. We looked at carrying the CryoCuff in our inventory, but just couldn't see a reason to sell it once we found the PolarCare Cub. The cryocuff has the disadvantage of being "gravity-operated"; that means that you have to keep the unit physically higher than the joint you're trying to cool. Then when the water in the pad needs to be recirculated, you have to elevate the pad higher than the cooler. In contrast, the PolarCare Cub has a hand bulb operated circulation device; you can keep it on the floor (where it belongs, not on your bookshelf) and simply pump the bulb whenever the water needs recirculation. Finally, the Cub comes with a multi-use pad that can be used for most major joints; the CryoCuff comes with joint-specific pads that only works with one joint.
Let's compare the features of the DuraKold, FIZIO by Recover Gear, PolarCub and IceMan:
| Effective cryotherapy for pain relief. |
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| Reusable |
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| Multi-joint pad for application to several different joints |
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| Suitable for sprains/strains |
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| Suitable for after surgery |
good
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good
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better
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best
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| Requires refrigeration |
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| Hand-bulb action |
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| Ice-water circulation cryotherapy |
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| Continuous unassisted (electric motor) cryotherapy |
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| Requires electricity |
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| Temperature control |
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| Provides gentle compression |
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| Suitable for back pain |
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| Joint-specific for maximum quality of fit |
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| Freedom of movement while wearing |
good
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best
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| Provides heating as well as cooling |
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Pictured below are the PolarCare Cub pads for the shoulder, knee and ankle.
