- What is the best ice gel pack for shin splints and tired legs?
- Video: How to use hot and cold gel packs?
- Types of hot & cold packs you should know about
- What are the causes of tired leg pain and swelling?
- Which is better for tired legs: cold or heat?
- How to use hot & cold gel packs to reduce leg swelling?
- The best hot and cold gel packs for pain relief
Have you ever wondered why your legs hurt so much at the end of the day? If so, you probably suffer from what is called "tired legs syndrome". This syndrome is associated with a number of diseases and is much more common in women.
Although it is not a serious condition, it usually causes significant discomfort and heaviness when walking, moving your legs or standing, which affects your quality of life. Depending on the type of condition, there is a wide range of treatment options. Today we will talk about hot and cold gel packs to relieve pain in tired legs.
What is the best ice gel pack for shin splints and tired legs?
- Material: Nylon
- Uses: Leg
- Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
- Cover: Yes
- No. of units: 2
- 2 Adjustable straps
- Cryoball Cold Massager
- Not flexible after freezing
Its double adjustable strap will serve you to prevent slipping, but also to align the joints and maintain the necessary stability. Thanks to this function, you will restrict movements that can cause new injuries. The seams of the structure form capsules that adapt to any user, but keep in mind that the materials with which they are made are not breathable and can cause irritation.
- Material: Nylon
- Uses: Legs
- Type of adjustment: None
- Cover: No
- No. of units: 1
- Large size for the whole leg
- Quality finish
- Not very flexible
To use this product and get the most out of it, you only need to freeze it until the necessary temperature is reached, then use it on the leg to stimulate tissue relaxation. It does not deform with use and its flexibility allows better support in critical areas that are often injured. As it does not restrict movement, you can use this professional cold pack at any time of the day, but you should consider that its material is not breathable, which accumulates moisture in the leg.
- Material: Nylon
- Uses: Shoulder, Leg, Back
- Type of adjustment: Velcro strap
- Cover: Yes
- No. of units: 1
- Velcro straps
- Optimal fit
- Various sizes
- Quality materials
- Bulky design
- Cold therapy only
If you choose thermotherapy, you can heat the thermal bag in the microwave or boil it for 10 minutes, but you must be careful not to exceed the temperature because it could cause skin irritation. It is ideal for treating symptoms of arthritis, patellar tendinitis and muscle overload in the calf muscles by simply cooling the gel pack for 2 to 3 hours in the refrigerator.
- Material: Nylon
- Uses: Leg
- Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
- Cover: Yes
- No. of units: 2
- 2 Units per order
- Quality materials
- One size only
Choose this gel pack to treat hamstring pulls, calf strains, as well as patellar or Achilles ligament inflammation. Just place it on the injured area and adjust its straps until you get the necessary support to keep the temperature under control. This action will also help blood circulation, which will shorten the recovery period. It may happen that the straps start to break after a while.
- Size: One size fits all
- Material: Nylon
- Colors:Blue
- Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
- No. of units: 6 Gel Pack
- 6 Gel Packs
- Fully adjustable Velcro strap
- One size only
You should put the ice packs in the refrigerator for the necessary time and then apply it to the most sensitive areas that need more blood circulation. After a few minutes you will begin to feel in the comfort of your home the therapeutic effects of cold therapy. The elastic strips will not only prevent slippage, but will also help you achieve overall wellness faster. In some cases, the stitching started to come apart after the first few uses.
- Size: S/M-L
- Material: Nylon
- Colors: Green
- Type of adjustment: Strap with Velcro
- No. of units: 6 Gel Pack
- Gel suitable for hot/cold therapy
- Fully adjustable
- Only two sizes
It is ideal for plantar fasciitis and foot fatigue symptoms, as you only need to heat in the microwave or cool in the refrigerator the gel sachets to apply directly to the inflamed area. For faster pain relief, combine both therapies and get the necessary compression by means of the elastic strap to stimulate blood circulation. In some cases, heat retention proved insufficient.
- Size: One size fits all
- Material: Nylon
- Colors: Yellow
- Type of adjustment: Elastic straps
- No. of units: 6 Gel Pack
- 6 Gel Packs
- 4 Elastic Straps for better fit
- Suitable for Hot/Cold Therapy
- Quality materials
- Delicate wash
- One size only
Do not miss this opportunity to keep your feet protected without overs pending and being able to combine different options that will serve you for a faster recovery. Use the microwave or the refrigerator until the necessary temperature is reached to relax the muscles and generate a soothing effect that is beneficial to reduce the feeling of fatigue in the feet. The airtight seal of the thermal bags may be weak in some cases.
- Size: S/M-L
- Material: Neoprene
- Colors: Blue
- Fit Type: Sock
- No. of units: 4 Gel Packs
- Quality finish
- Long lasting cold therapy
- Low flexibility
By simply choosing the size that best suits your foot and placing the gel sack in the refrigerator for two hours, you will achieve relaxing effects naturally generated by your own body. Don't spend money on products that won't do you any good, use this pair of neoprene socks with compression system. Remember that the fabric can be inefficient to retain the cold for a longer period of time.
Video: How to use hot and cold gel packs?
Types of hot & cold packs you should know about
What are the causes of tired leg pain and swelling?
Tired legs syndrome is characterised by pain and heaviness in the legs. It is usually preceded by a day of strenuous activity that leads to non-specific pain, cramps, heaviness and swelling.
The swelling and pain are usually made worse by standing or sitting for long periods of time. Tired legs are often not due to a specific or serious condition. However, it is related to venous circulation in the legs due to peripheral venous insufficiency.
This peripheral venous insufficiency can be caused by many factors, of which the following can be mentioned:
- Hormonal changes: Hormones play an important role in the lymphatic system. The hormonal changes that occur during the menstrual cycle can lead to increased fluid retention. This fluid retention can accumulate in the lower parts of the body, such as the legs.
- Heredity and age: Heredity plays a very important role in many diseases, including venous insufficiency. As long as there are direct relatives who have the condition, it is more likely to develop over a lifetime. In addition, as the years go by, the tissues become weaker and the likelihood of developing vascular pathologies increases.
- Lack of exercise: Without physical activity or sport, the leg muscles do not do their job of supporting circulation. Walking, jogging or sports promote venous return and thus relieve the feeling of heaviness in the legs.
- Diet and bad habits: Bad habits in general can lead to cardiovascular problems that can promote peripheral venous insufficiency. A poor diet encourages the development of obesity and overweight. Carrying more weight than is appropriate for your height invariably leads to tired legs syndrome.
- Smoking: Tobacco or cigarettes contain toxic substances that damage the vein walls. These substances affect the valves of the veins in the medium and long term, which directly affects the blood flow in the legs.
- Excess sodium and potassium deficiency: This is caused by a diet high in salt and low in potassium. This leads to increased fluid retention, which is a compensatory mechanism of the body to maintain water and electrolyte balance.
- High ambient temperatures: High ambient temperatures cause dilation of the blood vessels, especially the veins in the legs. This can cause blood and fluid to pool in the lower limbs, leading to increased heaviness and swelling.
Which is better for tired legs: cold or heat?
Tired legs syndrome can be treated in several ways to relieve the symptoms. The first is to avoid standing or sitting for long periods of time, especially in summer because of the intense heat. It is important to exercise, such as running, so that the muscles can pump out excess fluid and blood.
People with advanced peripheral venous insufficiency can be helped by wearing compression stockings. These stockings are also called compression socks because they reduce swelling and improve venous return. To keep the muscles and veins working well, you should avoid tight clothing. In some cases, pharmacological treatments are needed to improve blood flow to the lower limbs.
However, first find out about the benefits of each:
Benefits of cold
Cold is an excellent anti-inflammatory and analgesic used for acute inflammatory processes. Nevertheless, the benefits of the therapy can be maximised if it is used in combination with thermotherapy:
- Pain relief: Applying cold compresses or gel packs to the legs causes a blockage of the peripheral nerve endings. This prevents the transmission of pain impulses and thus leads to pain relief.
- Strong anti-inflammatory effect: The local cold constricts the blood vessels in the affected area and thus reduces the blood flow. This prevents the release of pro-inflammatory substances and damage to the adjacent tissue.
- Tissue recovery: Long-term tissue damage is caused by poor circulation in the lower limbs. Cold prevents cell damage, the invasion of repair cells that increase inflammation, and allows soft tissue to recover.
Benefits of heat
Heat is also very useful in improving blood circulation to the lower limbs. Some of its benefits are as follows:
- Vasodilatation: Heat causes vasodilatation in the leg veins. This increases blood flow, which enables a better supply of oxygen and nutrients to the adjacent soft tissue.
- Relaxing effect: Thermotherapy is excellent for relaxing the muscles of the lower limbs. This is very important, especially for muscle tension due to fatigue.
- Pain relief: due to the improved oxygenation of the tissues and the associated relaxing effect, which allows for rapid pain relief.
- Improved well-being: The application of heat to the leg muscles has a relaxing effect that leads to a greater sense of well-being. Heat therapy also reduces stress levels.
How to use hot & cold gel packs to reduce leg swelling?
These combined therapies are called contrast therapies, which are done with water in buckets. Since not all parts of the body are suitable for the use of buckets, new alternatives, such as gel packs, have been developed. This requires two bags filled with gel, one for heating and one for cooling.
Heat Therapy
Heating gel packs is very easy, you can use a microwave or a water bath. You need to be extra careful when heating as our products are not intended for hot use. However.
If you follow these tips, you can heat them successfully:
- When heating in the microwave, the power is set to 800 W for 30 seconds.
- It is necessary to check the temperature by touching and massaging the bag so that the heat is evenly distributed.
- Ideally, the temperature should be between 38 and 44 degrees Celsius. This is the perfect temperature to heat the fabrics without reaching the focal point.
- If it is not hot enough, you can put the gel pack back in the microwave and heat it for another 10 seconds.
- If it gets too hot, it is best to leave it at room temperature for a few minutes. When it reaches the ideal temperature, it is ready to use.
- If you don't have a microwave, you can heat it in a water bath by bringing 3.5 litres of water to the boil in a saucepan.
- When it has boiled, turn off the heat and place the gel pack on top.
- Wait for 8-10 minutes and remove the gel pack from the hot water. Use blunt tweezers so as not to damage the gel pack.
- Dry the gel pack thoroughly so that it can be used.
Cold Therapy
This process is also very simple, here are the recommendations for cooling the gel pack properly:
- The gel pack should be placed in the freezer or refrigerator at least 2 hours beforehand.
- The optimal temperature of the gel pack should be between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius for the therapy to work properly.
- Once the 2 hours have passed, remove the gel pack from the freezer and use it.
Hot & cold therapy
The correct method of this therapy is to alternate temperatures to achieve the correct activation of the cardiovascular system. The application of heat followed by cold causes vasodilation and vasoconstriction, which improves blood and lymph circulation. This significantly reduces pain, swelling and oedema.
The correct procedure for performing contrast therapy is as follows:
- First place the warm gel pack on the legs for 5-8 minutes.
- Then place the cold gel pack on the legs for 2 to 3 minutes.
- The warm gel pack is then placed on the legs again to repeat the cycle. There may be 3 or 4 cycles of temperature changes during the therapy.
These contrast therapies can be repeated daily to help recover and improve tired legs. They are particularly useful on days when we have had a busy day at work.
