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Best ice gel packs for ankle for pain relief - Buying Guide: 2024

Nowadays, many people suffer from ankle injuries due to various causes, such as trauma, sprains, tendonitis, etc. These and other causes of ankle injuries can be very serious. These and other causes can lead to inflammation and pain in the ankle joint.

To relieve ankle pain, we can perform cold therapy with ice gel packs to improve blood circulation and reduce swelling in this area of the body.

What is the best ice gel packs for ankle pain?

Pro Ice - Cold Therapy Gel Pack suitable for ankle/feet
  • Material: Nylon
  • Uses: Ankle
  • Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
  • Cover: Yes
  • No. of units: 1
  • Easy to wash
  • Quality protective cover
  • Highly durable cold therapy
  • Fully adjustable
  • Cold therapy only
  • One size large only
It has never been easier to apply ice therapy to the ankle to achieve tissue vasodilation quickly and efficiently. This can be achieved with periodic use of the Pro Ice cold pack ankle brace. Swollen feet, sprains and plantar fasciitis will disappear when you start using this medical freezer gel.

Without spending extra money you will be able to decrease muscle stress and lower the feeling of footfatigue by simply chilling the thermal bag in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Don't hesitate any longer and choose this practical support with adjustable straps to generate compression and stimulate blood circulation. Its neoprene material is breathable and eliminates sweat, which makes this thermal splint an ideal product to be used in summer. Consider that, it does not always generate support in difficult areas of the ankle.

Relief Expert - Foot and Ankle Ice Bag with Cold Compression Therapy
  • Material: Nylon
  • Uses: Foot and Ankle
  • Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
  • Cover: Yes
  • No. of units: 1
  • Durable cold therapy
  • Triple adjustable strap
  • Not suitable for heat therapy
Pay attention to this Relief Expert thermal ankle support because its design will help you treat symptoms of plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. This is due to the possibility of applying cold directly to the affected area and maintaining the necessary compression to improve blood circulation. Place the ankle brace on the floor and then insert the ankle so that you can efficiently adjust the elastic straps.

Thanks to its triple strap system with soft fabric and Velcro closures, you won't need to use an additional element to stabilize the joint and recover faster from any disorder. The soft plush lining increases comfort and the different levels of cooling improve the feeling of well-being. Keep in mind that in some patients the item does not cool sufficiently to generate the therapeutic temperature.

ARRISHOBBY - Adjustable ankle brace for pain relief with cold/heat therapy
  • Material: Nylon
  • Uses: Ankle
  • Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
  • Cover: Yes
  • No. of units: 2
  • Quality stitching and finishing
  • 2 protective covers
  • Heat/cold therapy
  • Fully adjustable
  • Not microwaveable
  • Bulky design
Achieve rapid recovery of ankle tendons and muscles by using the ARRISHOBBY gel ice and heat pack. You can easily apply cold therapy, thermotherapy and compression therapy as complementary treatments to relieve pain and inflammation caused by plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis, sprains and ankle sprains. It is designed to improve injury recovery times, making it suitable for athletes and anyone who puts stress on their ankle.

Its use is very simple, just place the gel with the desired temperature inside the neoprene structure and after a few minutes you will begin to feel the therapeutic benefits of the thermal wrap. The neoprene splint is breathable and suitable for use in warm environments, but keep in mind that the compression on the toes may be uncomfortable.

REVIX - 2 pack of reusable gel packs for ankle pain relief
  • Material: Nylon
  • Uses: Ankle
  • Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
  • Cover: Yes
  • No. of units: 2
  • 2 Units per order
  • Double protective
  • Long lasting cold therapy
  • Optimal adjustability
  • No heat therapy
  • Bulky design
Created for the most demanding athletes, the pair of REVIX ice packs with reusable gel is ideal for treating symptoms of plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. But that's not all, you can also use this thermal ankle brace to keep joint movements stiff and prevent further injury. To get the right temperature it is necessary to freeze the gel sack in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Its design with adjustable straps generates the ideal compression to stimulate blood circulation and prevent cramps, which helps reduce swelling and relieve leg fatigue. It can be used by both men and women, as it is only necessary to adjust the neoprene straps to keep the brace in place. Please note that, in some users, it does not cover the sensitive areas of the ankle.

NEWGO - Foot ice pack with pain relieving gel
  • Material: Nylon
  • Uses: Ankle
  • Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
  • Cover: Yes
  • No. of units: 1
  • Microwaveable
  • Heat/cold therapy
  • One size only (M)
Don't hesitate any longer and choose to relieve ankle pain with the NEWGO ice pack. The reusable wrap, created with breathable neoprene material, is suitable for use in summer and in warm temperatures because it does not accumulate sweat, which contributes to increase the time of use. The medical gel included in the removable pouch will allow you to freeze it in the refrigerator or heat it in the microwave, so you won't spend money to get the temperature you are looking for.

It is useful for treating plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis and ankle sprains, as the size covers all areas that are sensitive to injury. Its multifunctional design will serve you to adapt the thermal bag to the affected places and hold them with great precision. The Velcro straps may lose effectiveness as you wear this thermal ankle brace.

Hilph - Ankle brace for injuries with cold compression therapy
  • Material: Neoprene
  • Uses: Ankle
  • Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
  • Cover: Yes
  • No. of units: 1
  • Heat/cold therapy
  • Microwaveable
  • Short therapy duration
The Hilph breathable neoprene foot ankle brace includes a cold pack so you can wear on the ankle to combat plantar fasciitis, arthritis and sprains that occur in the joint. It has a practical adjustable Velcro strap that will maintain the ideal compression for blood stimulation and the support needed to prevent movements that can re-injure the ankle.

Its design with soft seams helps maintain comfort during use and compresses sensitive areas through the gel pack. This generates the necessary support to transmit cold or heat effectively. Use the refrigerator and microwave to achieve the desired therapeutic temperature that relieves pain and deflates the ankle. It is important to consider that, in some users, the efficiency in maintaining the temperature was minimal.

TheraPAQ - Open ankle brace with adjustable Velcro and double gel pack
  • Material: Nylon
  • Uses: Ankle
  • Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
  • Cover: Yes
  • No. of units: 2
  • Microwave safe
  • Double protective cover
  • Hot/cold therapy
  • Fully adjustable
  • Thin materials
  • One size only
Discover one of the best freezer and microwavable adjustable heel tendonitis ankle braces. All you have to do is tighten the neoprene bandage until the necessary compression is achieved to stimulate vasodilation and produce the relaxing effects you need. After that, you should include the gel pack to start feeling the benefits in a few minutes. The TheraPAQ ice and heat bandage can be used by both women and men.

Choose one of the most technologically advanced products with reusable material to achieve the therapeutic effects of heat and cold. The neoprene fabric will keep moisture from accumulating during use and its flexibility will help the design conform easily to the foot. In some cases, this model of thermal splint does not generate the compression sought by users.

Vive - Compression support ankle brace for hot/cold therapy for feet
  • Material: Nylon
  • Uses: Ankle and Foot
  • Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
  • Cover: Yes
  • No. of units: 1
  • Breathable materials
  • 2 Protective sleeves
  • Heat/cold therapy
  • double adjustable strap with Velcro
  • Not microwave safe
  • Bulky design
Everything you're looking for in an anatomical ankle support with heat and cold you'll find in the Vive compression ankle brace. Its structure is designed to correct harmful ankle movements and generate the necessary support to stimulate oxygenation of tissue fibers through temperature. It is suitable for plantar fasciitis, sprain inflammation and muscle pulls of any adult user.

This hot and cold thermal compression ankle brace will allow you to relieve the pain that prevents you from performing your daily activities and sports in a natural way. The size of its three gel cooling and warming sachets and its soft lining will prolong the wearing time, which will help you shorten the recovery period of an injury. In some cases of Achilles tendonitis, it may not provide the support needed to deflate the area.

Video: Types of Hot/Cold Packs

Types of hot & cold packs you should know about

What are cold gel packs for the ankles used for?

Cold:

  • Sprains
  • Strains
  • Plantar fasciitis
  • Achilles tendinitis
  • Trauma
  • Dislocated metatarsal
  • Bursitis
  • Muscle fatigue

Hot:

  • Osteoarthritis
  • Arthritis
  • Cartilage wear and tear
  • Diseases of the circulatory system
  • Post-operative treatments
  • Strengthening of the tissues
  • Chronic injuries
  • Muscle contractures

Advantages and benefits of hot/cold packs for ankle pain

  • Pain relief: Ankles and feet have the task of supporting the total weight of the body and coping with physical strain at home or at work. They also help balance the body and provide support for the legs during sports. All this eventually leads to fatigue and injury, which in most cases will be painful. The design of the bag adapts to the shape of the ankle and foot to relieve pain and symptoms associated with initial discomfort.
  • Reduction of inflammation: This is a natural process that splits the affected cells in the joint and foot parts. As these cells divide, they produce fluid that causes the internal tissues to swell. Although this is a normal cycle to protect the affected area, in many cases this swelling causes severe pain. The cold transmitted by the thermal gel pack has an anti-inflammatory effect and prevents complications in the damaged area of the limb.
  • Fast recovery: Although it is convenient to use cold in the initial stages of an injury, it should not always be used on injuries. Heat has better properties for a body that needs to recover quickly from a chronic injury. Heat is used on a small scale with heat packs like the one we are presenting today, but also on a large scale with thermotherapy. With this bag, you can reap the benefits of heat therapy and treat old injuries with heat in the comfort of your own home.
  • Injury prevention: A good way to prevent re-injury is to apply cold to the ankle when you know you have taken a wrong step or received a hard blow. You often don't notice that your foot is swollen and bruised until the day after a light blow. The gel pack prevents this reaction after exercise, leaving the ankle and foot ready for another day of intense training.
  • Compression: in addition to this product, you now have a thick velcro strap that holds the pack to the ankle without slipping off, acting like a compression garment. In case you don't know: Compression is one of the steps in the PRICE method of treating minor injuries. With the gel pouch, you now have the opportunity to administer first aid like a professional physiotherapist. You just have to know exactly how long to apply the cold to avoid complications.
  • Improving athletic performance: What is the secret to being the best athlete? Avoiding injuries is as simple as that. That's why it's important to have tools like this heat/cold gel pack, because it will help you avoid injury and keep training for your next competition. If you miss work due to injury, you lose time, delay your training and have to start all over again when you return, so it's better to prevent injuries.
  • Improving circulation: one of the benefits of applying heat is that it causes vasoconstriction, which is a dilation of the veins, vessels and arteries so that blood flows better through the body to all muscle groups and joints, including the joints of the feet and toes. The increased blood supply is thought to support the recovery and regeneration of cells damaged by the prolapse.
  • Cell activation: As mentioned earlier, the warmth of the foot is enough to multiply healthy cells and replace the affected cells. This is a slow and natural process in the body, but can be accelerated by the proper use of heat and sometimes combination therapies, a technique you will learn about later in this article. If the foot remains tense, the process of cell activation cannot begin.
  • Bruising: These are internal bleedings from the skin, but they can also occur in muscles and bones. They usually occur after a blow or a fall on the ground. A haematoma occurs when blood vessels under the dermis break. In the most severe cases, it can last a little more than two weeks. Cooling the gel pack and placing it on the skin prevents the bruise from spreading and relieves the pain and swelling associated with this symptom.

How to use reusable hot & cold packs for ankle injuries?

Cold therapy

When should cold be used? Cold therapy is known for its pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory properties. The use of cold therapy began in the sports world in the late 1970s due to its effectiveness in treating minor injuries. Therefore, this gel pack is highly recommended by professionals if you want to minimise the early symptoms of a physical injury to muscles, tendons and ligaments.

Whether you are at home, at work or in the middle of training, whenever you suffer an injury, you should treat it with this gel pack. You just need to know the right time to apply it and the contraindications this therapy has, which you will learn later. If you have an open wound, a hypersensitivity to cold and a third degree fracture or sprain, you should never apply cold to your feet.

How is the cold pack used? This bag replaces the classic bag of peas from the freezer and the typical ice wrapped in a handkerchief. The materials that make up this gel bag allow for a correct and efficient transfer of the cold to the skin, and it is equipped with a protective fabric to avoid burns, even though there will certainly be a negative reaction if used improperly.

Start with a 10-15 minute cold application and then let the foot and ankle rest for at least another 5 minutes. You should not apply cold to the skin for more than 20 minutes to avoid a numbing process in that part of the body and tissue frostbite. This cycle can be repeated every hour in more severe cases, but it is ideal to apply the cold three times a day.

Heat therapy

When should heat be used? Heat can also relieve pain from injuries, but this time for chronic injuries caused by years of wear and tear on muscles and joints. Footballers, people who are on their feet all day, and drivers suffer the effects of overuse of the ankle and foot over the years. Weakness in the joints is a sign that you need warmth to relieve the pain.

It is not recommended to use heat after strenuous activities such as jogging or running. It is also not recommended to apply heat to wounds with open sores or if you have an allergic reaction or skin infection. Note that the use of heat in the treatment of wounds associated with degenerative diseases is more complex than that of cold, so it is advisable to seek advice from a specialist.

How can heat be used? Although this type of pouch is better for cold than heat, the product we are about to introduce also works when you apply heat to the foot and ankle. First place the bag in a water bath (15-20 minutes) or in the microwave (30 seconds); the bag should be hot but not boiling.

Make sure that the heat is evenly distributed in the gel so that it does not burn, and move the gel around with your hands. Place the sachet on the ankle or foot where you feel the injury you have sustained. You should only use this therapy for a maximum of 15 to 20 minutes and then let the skin rest.

Hot and cold therapy

When should cold and heat be used? This combination of cold and heat is one of the most effective methods of rehabilitating the foot and ankle for chronic injuries where full recovery has not been possible due to wear and tear from constant intense activity.

It is excellent for vascular disease, muscle weakness and the treatment of joint parts such as cartilage that do not have the ability to regenerate themselves. The aim is to activate the immune nervous system, exercise the circulatory system and provide additional relief when medication is not enough to alleviate the symptoms of this permanent lower limb injury.

How to use hot and cold? Instead of using one gel pack, it is recommended to use two gel packs to apply the therapy more quickly and effectively, as this is how it really works. The time between each technique is only 5 minutes, while the duration of each temperature is only 3 minutes.

However, if your doctor suggests it, you can also use the heat pack for a maximum of 15 to 20 minutes and the cold pack for 15 minutes, as if you were using the two therapies separately. It is advisable to rest, sit or lie down so that the therapy has a greater positive effect. It is a method that gives medium and long term results as it is aimed at more complex and slower healing injuries.

F.A.Q: Frequently asked questions

Are there any contraindications to using reusable gel packs for ankle?

Here is a list of the most common risk factors when using heat/cold gel packs to provide relief and comfort to the ankle and foot in the event of an injury.

  • Do not apply to an open or infected wound.
  • Do not use on patients with vascular disease unless under medical supervision.
  • Do not use on circulatory or nervous disorders unless under medical supervision.
  • Do not apply to sensitive or irritated skin.

What are the risks of using gel packs with heat/cold?

We know you want to clarify more questions about this product. Therefore, we have prepared some basic questions to which you should know the answers so that you can make the best use of the product without fearing any consequences when using it.

  • Can they burn your skin? Yes, but this is rare and if a burn occurs it is because the gel pack has been used incorrectly for longer than recommended in the instructions for cold and warm use.
  • Can they be toxic? No. In the history of using this pouch, there have been no reports of ankle or foot damage due to the use of this product. However, you should always be careful that the hot gel does not come into contact with your skin and cause burns.

How do I know if the gel cold pack for ankle and foot pain is right for me?

In this article, we have listed suggestions and possible scenarios for the use of the ice gel pack that we would like to share with you and that are recommended by experts. If you have further questions about specific use cases, it is best to consult a clinical specialist or physiotherapist who can provide more clarity about the potential of this pain-relieving product.

Why trust us?

You can consult all the sources of scientific information used to write this content. This content has been evaluated and verified by our team of specialized editors who freely and independently research, test and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. Occasionally we may receive commissions for purchases made through the links we have selected.