April 2004

The Dura-Kold Wrap Is Way Cool

For the longest duration, best fit and overall durability, Dura-Kold is tough to beat in cold-therapy leg wraps.

Reitsport’s withers/shoulder cold blanket uses the same ice cells as in its boot, making it an easy option for shoulder inflammation. The blanket fit our 15.3-hand model well, although it was heavy.

Nothing beats cold therapy for rapid control of the pain, heat and swelling with acute inflammation. The application of ice does more than just chill or numb the skin to reduce pain. Conventional packs/wraps lower temperatures in the interior of joints, tendons and ligaments by about 10°.

Lowering the tissue temperature interferes with inflammation by several mechanisms. First, destructive enzymes are stopped in their tracks. Second, the attraction of white blood cells to an area is halted, a first step in the inflammatory reaction. …