By: Amanda Reynolds
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 300,000 hip replacement surgeries were performed in 2010 on American patients age 45 and older. That number is more than twice the amount of hip replacements performed just ten years before, and it is expected to continue growing as the Baby Boomer generation ages and medical technology improves. Patients are also electing to have hip replacement at a younger age in order to maintain their desired quality of life.
The report also indicated that the typical post-surgical hospital stay has decreased from almost five days to just under four days. Some of the factors that have played a role in faster recovery include better control of blood loss during surgery, better pain management, and improved rehabilitation methods. One of the rehabilitation tools that doctors and patients now have at their disposal is a cold and compression therapy machine.
A cold therapy machine uses advanced technology to improve on the traditional ice and compression treatments that are applied after hip replacement surgery. The machine works by simultaneously circulating cold water and actively pumping air through specialized wraps to provide a consistent therapeutic temperature and active compression that mimics the body’s natural pumping action.
Some of the benefits of using a cold therapy machine during hip replacement recovery include:
1. Pain Reduction
One of the reasons to use a cold therapy machine during hip replacement recovery is that it can provide pain relief without the use of medication. Applying cold to an injury slows down nerve impulses and reduces the sensation of pain. A cold therapy machine provides longer-lasting results than an ice pack because the continuously circulating water stays at a consistent temperature, while an ice pack gets warmer the longer it absorbs heat from your body.
2. Swelling Control
