Written by Hulet Smith, OT
As a practicing orthopedic surgeon with 21 years of experience, Dr. Doug Goumas knows a thing or two about how injuries heal best.
A Yale graduate with deep roots in the New England medical scene, Dr. Goumas has spent the better part of his life learning and working alongside patients who have suffered from sports injuries, helping them to recover from damage and get back to doing the activities they love.
It was during a series of conversations with patients who were recovering from joint surgery or living with chronic back pain that Dr. Goumas discovered patients were often presented with a choice for relieving pain and reducing swelling: either pneumatic compression, or cold therapy.
Both of these treatment modalities are known to be highly effective in the reduction of pain and swelling, but at the time, there were no available products on the market that made it convenient to combine the two.
So, with the aim to provide patients with a better recovery, Dr. Goumas invented a solution: the line of G-Force Compression & Cryotherapy Braces.
Cold therapy and compression therapy are two modalities that work in different ways to minimize pain and swelling. The unique design of G-Force braces allows healing patients to benefit from a combination of the two treatments in one convenient device.
Cryotherapy (literally, “cold therapy”) is a general term for any topical treatment that involves the use of freezing or near-freezing temperatures. If you’ve ever put a bag of frozen peas on a sprained ankle, you’ve used cryotherapy!
Whole-body cryotherapy is a relatively new treatment method whose benefits and drawbacks are still being explored.
Proponents of whole-body cryotherapy say it helps with weight loss, chronic pain, and sleep issues, as well as treating the pain and swelling that follow injury and orthopedic surgery.
In contrast, targeted or localized cryotherapy offers a more precise treatment of the injured area, similar to an ice pack — but much more comfortable, convenient, and effective.
When you sustain a skin break, oftentimes the first thing you do is apply pressure, or compression, to stop the bleeding. Compression therapy can be understood as a more advanced version of firmly applying pressure to a wound.
First, understand the difference between static and active compression.
When you use an elastic ankle brace or compression sleeve, you are applying static compression. As soon as you have wrapped the brace, there is no way to continually adjust the amount of pressure being applied to the injured area.
In contrast, active compression devices allow the user to adjust the pressure on a body part up or down, by using a hand-held pneumatic bulb. While wearing a G-Force brace, patients can alter the brace’s pressure throughout the day, allowing for customizable compression and maximum healing benefit.
While cold can reduce pain and, to some degree, swelling, compression is usually needed to reduce the edema (fluid) that can build up at the place of bodily trauma. Active compression devices like the G-Force Kold Kompressor allow for the “squeeze and release” action that guides fluid away from the injury site.
Cold compression therapy improves blood flow, which helps soft tissue heal more quickly. It also can reduce or eliminate the need for pain medication, depending on the injury and the person’s pain tolerance.
G-Force Kold Kompressor braces combine cold and compression therapies in one portable, easy-to-adjust brace for the knee, shoulder, or back. These braces are uniquely convenient, thanks to their universal sizing - which means virtually anyone can use them right out of the box!
With the Kold Kompressor braces, users have complete control over the level of compression being applied, while also having the ability to soothe injuries using the reusable gel packs.
Easy to wear and adjust throughout the day, G-Force braces offer continuous therapeutic benefit without interrupting daily activities.
G-force has two other unique braces that do not involve the use of cryotherapy.
Their Boxer’s Splint is used to help protect the hand following fractures of the fourth and fifth metacarpal joints - often known as the ‘boxer’s fracture.’ The Boxer’s Splint consists of a lightweight, low-density shell and a soft foam liner.
The Boxer’s Splint can be fitted right out of the package; however, upon occasion, a tighter and more customized fit is needed. This snug fit is accomplished with the application of a heating gun or hair dryer.
The Sleeper Shoulder Brace is another invention of Dr. Goumas for the G-force line. Following shoulder surgery, patients often experience a very difficult time keeping their shoulder and arm immobilized. Because of this, good sleep becomes almost impossible. The Sleeper Brace was designed to solve this problem!
Available in two sizes, the Sleeper brace can also be fitted and worn right out of the box. By alleviating pain and taking pressure off the shoulder joint, it allows patients to work, sleep and heal better and more comfortably.
G-force Kold Kompressor braces can reduce pain and swelling and speed healing in people who have injured their shoulder, back or knee and are recovering from surgery. They are also good for controlling chronic pain that remains or flares up as the result of old injuries.
The Boxer's Splint and Sleeper Shoulder Brace also speed recovery and reduce pain in individuals who have injured their hand or shoulder joint. Both braces can be used soon after an injury has occured, maximizing the relief and proper positioning that will result in an easier, quicker return to full function and the activities you love most!
“I can’t go through a day without using this at least two times. I’m recovering from rotator cuff surgery and this thing is awesome in icing almost all of the affected area.”
- G-Force customer, using the G-Force Cryotherapy Compressor Shoulder Brace
View the complete line of G-Force Braces and learn more about cryotherapy at the Rehabmart product page!
Co-founder/CEO of Rehabmart, Pediatric Occupational Therapist, husband, and father. Passionate about connecting special needs kids with superb nutrition, sensory integration, and complementary health strategies. Excited about Rehabmart's mission to become the premier online educational platform which empowers caregivers by spotlighting innovative devices and interventions to achieve optimal patient response and recovery.
~1.webp&maxheight=250&width=365&product_name=Cryogenic Chamber for Whole-Body Cryotherapy Treatments | CryoStar Antarctica "Cryogenic Chamber for Whole-Body Cryotherapy Treatments | CryoStar Antarctica")
