Let's be honest, delayed onset muscle soreness from athletic training sucks.
And if you're somebody who has ever been unlucky enough to have sustained an injury that requires surgery, well you'll definitely appreciate that post-operative recovery is even worse.
Thankfully, though, there's a whole bunch of new cold compression technology developed by Game Ready which will make athletic and post-op recovery significantly easier, more convenient, and less painful.
So how exactly do you use Game Ready's accelerated recovery system?
Well, that's what we're going to cover in this post.
Here are 8 easy steps on how to use a Game Ready Ice Machine.
8 easy steps to use a Game Ready Ice Machine
Before you start, ensure you have the following Game Ready components on hand and prepped ready to go:
- The controller unit: the control unit holds the ice and water that is required to administer the benefits of cold compression therapy. The controller unit allows users to set the desired compression and temperature levels as well as the treatment duration.
- A circumferential wrap: circumferential wraps facilitate the rate of active compression and cooling to the area of treatment. There are a number of different circumferential wraps that treat a number of different areas on the body, these include the shoulder wrap, knee wrap, and ankle wrap.
- The connector hose: the connector hose connects the control unit to the wrap and transfers the air and water required to administer cold compression therapy.
- The AC adaptor and power cord: this cable and adaptor simply deliver power from mains power to the control unit.
1. Fill the control unit with water and ice
Before plugging in or powering on the control unit, open the unit's reservoir tank and fill it to the indicated levels with water and ice.
2. Power on the control unit
Close the control unit's reservoir tank, connect the AC adaptor, and plug it into nearby mains power.
Next, check to see that the green light on the AC adaptor and the orange light on the control unit are illuminated. This indicates the unit is receiving adequate power.
3. Connect the connector hose
Connect the larger end of the connector hose, indicated by a red button, to the control unit and listen for a click.
4. Fit the circumferential wrap to the injury site
Fit the wrap to the area of injury, ensuring a snug fit that is comfortable with no hose kinks that may impede water or airflow.
5. Connect the smaller end of the connector hose to the wrap
Next, connect the remaining end of the connector hose to the circumferential wrap, again listening for a click.
6. Power on the control unit
Now, press the power button to turn on the control unit. You will see the display come on indicating the unit is ready for use.
7. Select a cold compression program type
Press the program button to select which cold compression program type you wish to administer.
There are 6 different preset modes to choose between, all with various compression, temperature, and time duration variations.
Or, if you wish to set a program that isn't available in the preset modes, simply select manual mode, select the time duration with the plus and minus buttons, then press the pressure button to choose between a low, medium, or high-pressure setting, and, lastly, turn the temperature knob to select the desired temperature.
8. Powering off the unit and cleaning up
Once the active compression therapy has finished, simply press the power button on the control unit to turn it off and remove the circumferential wrap.
Next, working through the above steps backward, disconnect all the Game Ready Ice Machine components and empty the control unit's reservoir tank of water and any unmelted ice.
And lastly, wipe out the reservoir tank to remove any remaining water droplets and use a disinfectant wipe to wipe down the inside of the circumferential wrap.
In doing so, you'll remove any sweat and moisture that may, over time, cause the wrap to smell.
Final thoughts
To take your athletic journey or post-operative recovery to the next level, be sure to grab yourself a Game Ready Ice Machine.
Game Ready's intermittent compression products not only help to speed up workout recovery but also assist in reducing post-op swelling, speed up musculoskeletal injury rehabilitation, increase blood flow to areas of the body that are notoriously slow healing, and even promote the body's lymphatic function.
Game Ready makes a wide range of cryotherapy and active pneumatic compression therapy products that are sure to keep you at the top of your game.
If an accelerated recovery system sounds like just the thing you need to gain the edge over your competition, why not check out our awesome range of Game Ready products below.