If you talk with any therapist, physician or surgeon about a sports injury, they will universally say "RICE." This is an acronym for Rest, Ice Compression and Elevation all spelling R.I.C.E. The problem is that certain areas such as your knees, shoulder and hamstrings are very difficult to compress and ice at the same time.

FIZIO by Recover Gear provides the following:

• Even compression over the injured area.
• Even cooling conforming to any part of your body.
• Even humidity with little to no wet spots.
• Even heating when you need it.
• Hands free recovery with no taping or wrapping. You can walk around while you recover. No hoses, plugs, water or ice.
• Energy efficient — less energy is needed to accomplish this than any other product.

FIZIO by Recover Gear was developed by elite athlete, Steve Petitt, out of necessity. A former professional baseball player and seven time Hawaiian Iron man triathlete, Steve was soaking in an uncomfortable ice bath for a hamstring injury and wondered "why can't we make this more efficient and effective?" Thus, the idea of a comfortable, moldable and energy efficient method was born. Steve used a very simple idea of taking very lightweight and form fitting lycra garments to evenly compress an injured area. Next, he had to find a cooling material that was energy efficient, moldable and safe. He found it in a revolutionary product called Thermafreeze^TM, which uses a patented process to evenly cool or heat the area for 25% longer than any other device on the market.

In addition, our FIZIO by Recover Gear products add the ability to heat the affected area. Simply put the insert into the microwave for a minute and it will provide lasting heat to your affected body area. Hot/cold treatment is frequently used in professional training rooms to help injured areas. We frequently recommend that our patients warm their injured extremity prior to activity to loosen themselves up, then use cooling afterwards to decrease inflammation.

Finally, this unique cryotherapy product has the advantage of being very easy to wear giving you the capacity to continue functioning while treating yourself. No longer do you have to remained tied down to one spot attached to a tube or at the mercy of an ill-fitting ice bag.

Frequently asked questions about the FIZIO by Recover Gear Ankle Sleeve include

1. What is the difference between the FIZIO by Recover Gear Ankle Sleeve and the DuraKold, PolarCare Cub or the DonJoy IceMan? The FIZIO by Recover Gear Ankle Sleeve provides a lightweight, hands freely moldable and dry cell technology which is used for athletic sprains and strains. The DuraKold, PolarCare Cub and the DonJoy IceMan are developed for serious injuries which may require surgery as well as long term cryotherapy.
2. Do Thermafreeze^TM packs come with the FIZIO by Recover Gear Ankle Sleeve? Yes. The FIZIO by Recover Gear Ankle Sleeve includes the Thermafreeze^TM pack. In addition, the Thermafreeze^TM pack can be cut to a custom size so you can get the best fit for your body.
3. How do I decide between my options? Click on the Comparison tab above to see our products compared side-by-side.
4. What is the difference between the FIZIO by Recover Gear Ankle Sleeve and store bought ice or heating packs?

   Even, Dry Cooling Through Better Technology — Thermafreeze^TM pads use a revolutionary technology through the use a biodegradable, non-toxic, crystallized polymer which absorbs moisture and releases this slowly through a process called sublimation. This allows the cooling effect to continue with optimal humidity. Thus, there is not that uncomfortable wet feeling with this product. It is totally self-contained in individual cells and no moisture leaks from this system. The difference between Thermafreeze^TM and regular gel packs is that your normal gel pack is 98% water while Thermafreeze^TM is the exact opposite being 98% gel and only 2% water. Thus, there is no wet feeling, only the direct transmission of the cold therapy to your injured area. This technology is used to transport delicate perishables sensitive to humidity for years and it is just catching on in the medical field.

   Moldable Therapy — Thermafreeze^TM remains fully flexible and moldable even when fully frozen. This is optimal for contouring to difficult curved areas of your body. No more flat hard ice blocks trying to conform over your elbow or shoulder.

   Heating Your Way to Recovery — What about the heating properties of Thermafreeze^TM? When your injury is 48 hours old or more, most experts recommend heat to speed the blood flow to the area and stimulate deeper healing. The great news is that Thermafreeze^TM provides the same safe, efficient, even heating of the area. All you have to do is pop this into the microwave for a minute and you have long lasting heat therapy. All using the exact same pad.

   Energy Efficient — FIZIO by Recover Gear delivers this revolutionary cooling and heating system in the most energy efficient method on the market. There are no electric pumps or the need for continued re-cooling or re-heating. Thermafreeze^TM technology uses individual polymer cells which provide longer heating or cooling through a natural process called sublimation. The result is a system that provides heating or cooling that is 25% longer than any other device and the most energy efficient system anywhere. What a better way to protect the environment.

5. Does the FIZIO by Recover Gear Ankle Sleeve do anything other than heat or cool? Yes, it provides compression and hands free support. The lycra garment is optimal to provide lightweight conforming compression. World class athletes have used lycra for years by due to its ability to easily conform to the body and provide continual support during a sporting activity. FIZIO by Recover Gear uses this simple concept along with the conforming Thermafreeze^TM pads to apply the cold or hot therapy exactly to where you need it the most. Simple pockets have been sewn in strategic areas of the garments or sleeves to allow the cold or hot therapy to be most efficient and effective. This leaves your hands or legs free to walk around while you are healing. You don't have to worry about hoses, electrical cords, or messy water stains. You can fit these even under your clothes so nobody will know that you are enjoying the compression and cooling. Why waste time rubbing a Dixie cup of frozen water when you can free up your hands and get back to work without waiting!

The FIZIO by Recover Gear Ankle Sleeve provides RICE in the most effective and efficient manner. This is why we love this product and are proud to offer it on our site.

Let's compare the features of the FIZIO by Recover Gear, DuraKold DuraSoft, PolarCub and DonJoy IceMan:

	Durakold	FIZIO by Recover Gear	PolarCub	IceMan
Effective cryotherapy for pain relief.
Reusable
Multi-joint pad for application to several different joints
Suitable for sprains/strains
Suitable for after surgery	good	good	better	best
Requires refrigeration
Hand-bulb action
Ice-water circulation cryotherapy
Continuous unassisted (electric motor) cryotherapy
Requires electricity
Temperature control
Provides gentle compression
Suitable for back pain
Joint-specific for maximum quality of fit
Freedom of movement while wearing	good	best
Provides heating as well as cooling

To customize your recovery, we have specific sizes to provide optimal compression and comfort. Sizing is easy. Just follow our sizing guide below:

• Large: 10 to 12 (43/44 to 46 EU)
• X-Large: 12 to 14 (46 to 48 EU)

FIZIO by Recover Gear ankle sleeve sizes are based off the US shoe size for men.