Question from Gigi
I am looking to use cold packs for various body areas and joints. For instance, neck, shoulders, fingers, wrists, and knees. I like the ones that can be refrozen and shaped to the body parts like those offered by Chattanooga Colpac. However, some are made of vinyl and some are made of polyurethane that would be tossed in the freezer and reused. Given that I will be using a towel between myself and the ice pack, is there any reason to avoid either type? The vinyl ones do have some shapes that I will need. What are your recommendations? I am looking for good flexibility, good body part coverage and reuseability.
Debra’s Answer
The polyurethane packs are less toxic than the vinyl packs. However, the cold temperature contributes to inhibiting outgassing, so to use the vinyl packs would be less toxic than using a vinyl shower curtain, for example, where the heat would increase the outgassing of the vinyl.
You can wrap either in foil, which would block any chemicals but not block the cold.
I find gel packs less effective for icing my knees than an old-fashioned ice bag. The gel seems to take the temperature of the freezer, which can vary. Insulated with a towel it is not cold enough to penetrate my sore knee. But without a towel, it once was so cold my skin got burned. An ice bag on the other hand, always is the exact temperature of the frozen water, and the bag does not insulate the cold too much, so I can use it directly on my skin yet it never burns. Keeps cold longer too. Many drug stores and Amazon still sell rubber or fabric ice bags, and mine (blue rubber) have lasted for decades.