I am a big proponent of cryotherapy in my rehab whether dealing with acute or even more chronic inflammation. I routinely use cryotherapy with compression via Game Ready in the clinic for post-op knee surgeries, ankle sprains, rotator cuff pathology, Little League shoulder, labral repairs, etc. I was recently contacted and asked to review a cryotherapy solution on the market – Power Play. Full disclaimer: I am not affiliated with POWERPLAY in any way nor was I paid to write this review.
My intent in writing this review is to share information about the product itself and its efficacy for use in the clinic as well as for the general public. Power Play shipped me the standard kit which includes a carrying case, the cold compression ankle and knee wrap as well as the pump and wall charger. The entire package is easily portable for the ATC on the go, and works well in the clinic because it has three ports on the unit making multiple treatments for patients with various body parts a cinch.
Below is a picture of one of my patients recovering from ACL reconstruction using the knee wrap:
The different body part sleeves include gel wraps that attach to the sleeves via velcro along with a stocking to protect the skin from the wrap. POWERPLAY advises placing the wraps in the freezer or refrigerator prior to use. I noticed that if you place them in the freezer and pull them out for immediate use they are stiff and do not conform as well as desired to the body. As such, I would advise taking them out at least 10-15 minutes prior to use.
In terms of compression, the default setting on the display reading is 50 mmHg of compression. You can increase compression in 5 mm increments up to 70 mmHg. This is easily done with the touch of a single button. The compressor runs for 20 minutes and then shuts off on its own, so if you desire lass than 20 minutes you would need to set a timer (not a big deal).
Overall, the unit is convenient to take on the road and very easy to use. The company states it will run the unit for 8-12 hours on one charge, and I find this to be accurate so far. Patient feedback is that they like the wraps and the level of pressure, and they are comparing it to the traditional GameReady clinic cryotherapy I use with them on a routine basis. The POWERPLAY unit is also definitely cold enough and comparable to all other forms of cryotherapy we have in the clinic.
I find the entire package is reasonably priced for the overall quality and portability of the product. I think it would be a worthwhile investment for PT clinics, ATCs on the go and a client looking to have a high quality cryotherapy solution at home while recovering from an injury or surgical procedure. I have long been a fan of cold and compression so I like this product, and I look forward to trying out their shoulder wraps next! Click here to learn more about POWERPLAY.