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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
Visit Runner's Tech Review to read this and many other helpful gear reviews and running tips
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