December 13, 2009

reprint from Runners Tech Review

High Quality and Utility at a Very Good Price

Running provides tremendous benefits but the rigors of any given workout can take a toll on the body. It's always a good idea to ice your muscles after a run and if you are experiencing joint or muscle pain from inflammation it's especially important to do this. Before a workout it helps to apply heat to tightened muscles. This, along with stretching, can help prevent injuries during a run.

Active Wrap is a company that produces heat and cold wraps that are designed for specific body parts: ankle/foot, back, elbow, knee, shoulder and wrist. The clever thing about these wraps is that they use patented (per their website) "soft, non-migrating hot/cold packs to be adjusted and positioned anywhere throughout the wrap for targeted relief." These packs look very different from the usual gel packs that are sold for this purpose. The pack is filled with a substance that resembles rice pudding that, unlike gel, does not pool at its lowest point due to gravity. The pack is much more stable than gel and it consistently maintains its placement of heat and cold exactly where it was originally positioned.

After receiving samples of the Active Wrap for knee, foot and ankle I spoke to Shawn Hickling, the president and founder of the company. Shawn is an interesting person who used his background in physical therapy to design these unique products. Shawn said that the clear advantage of his wraps comes from the reusable packs that can be frozen or heated (via hot water or microwaved). It was very easy to prepare the wraps and slip the cold/heat packs into the generously large sleeve openings. I was able to set up the two wraps in less than 5 minutes and this was helpful because I'm often racing against time with my workouts. The cold packs are even easier, going from the freezer to the wrap in seconds. I have used the knee wrap numerous times after racing.

Using the Wraps

I don't use heat or ice as much as I should but when I do I really appreciate the benefits. I most often use the wraps to heat my knees and quadriceps prior to the longer runs that I do on weekends. I have noticed that this really helps my flexibility at the beginning of a run compared to just stretching. After the Cape Cod Marathon relay in October I used the wraps to apply cold to my knees and legs and that clearly lessened my recovery time. I find that the design works well for isolating, cooling or heating muscles on all areas of the body.

Design

The wraps are designed with long flexible straps that can be tightened to optimally position the device on any muscle or joint. The positioning of the sleeves that hold the cold/heat packs is well thought out and the packs naturally move into place with little adjustment.

Value

Compared to other solutions I found Active Wraps to be a good value. With prices ranging between $26 and $69, depending on the product, it is easy to afford and the benefits are clear. The quality of construction is good and the wraps hold up well under rough use.

Conclusion

Active Wraps are well designed and innovative tools that provide both preparatory and therapeutic benefits. The price is competitive and you get a lot for your money. Additional cold/heat packs are also available for under $20. This would be an excellent gift for a runner or for any athlete who can benefit from cold or heat therapy