Breg Polar Care Wave
The Breg Polar Care Wave combines circulating cold water with adjustable intermittent compression in a single quiet, portable unit. Cold is delivered at two settings and compression at two levels, through a pad contoured for the area being treated.
Cold compression pads
The unit is supplied without a pad. Pick as many as you need — £100.00 each, each connecting with a single hose. People treating two areas buy two, and anyone using it daily buys a second of the same so one can dry.
Knee circumference: 20–81 cm
Shoulder circumference (and bicep): 101–132 cm shoulder, 30–51 cm bicep
Ankle circumference (and foot): 23–41 cm ankle, 18–30 cm foot
Waist circumference (and thigh): 84–135 cm waist, 20–79 cm thigh
Waist circumference: 83–135 cm
Fits multiple areas: 20 cm knee to 124 cm chest; 51 cm bicep or calf; 119 cm thigh
Free next-day delivery when you order before 3pm
Ordering other items at the same time? They may arrive in separate deliveries.
In the box
- Polar Care Wave control unit with integrated reservoir
- Power supply
- Instructions for use
About the Polar Care Wave
The Breg Polar Care Wave is a motorised cold and compression therapy unit used after surgery and acute injury, in hospitals, clinics and at home. Rather than applying ice and a bandage separately, it circulates chilled water through a contoured pad while an air bladder inflates and deflates against the same area, so cold and intermittent compression work together. Both are adjustable: cold at two settings, and compression at Regular, Low or Off. The pump is deliberately quiet, which matters more than it sounds when a unit is running beside a bed overnight in the first week after an operation. It is FDA Class II cleared and used across post-surgical recovery, sports medicine and physiotherapy. Pads are sold separately and are specific to the area being treated — knee, shoulder, ankle, hip, back or universal — so the unit can be reconfigured rather than replaced if the next injury is somewhere else.
How it works
A pump circulates chilled water from the reservoir through channels in the pad, while a separate air bladder in the same pad inflates and deflates in cycles. The cold reduces tissue temperature at the treatment site and the compression works against swelling, applied in intervals rather than held constant. Both are set on the unit itself.
Specifications
- Cold settings
- Two — approx. 7°C and 10°C average operating temperature
- Compression settings
- Regular (≈50 mmHg), Low (≈25 mmHg), or Off
- Cooling method
- Ice and water reservoir
- Pump
- Whisper-quiet, designed for overnight use
- Clearance
- FDA Class II 510(k)
- Pads
- Sold separately — knee, shoulder, ankle, hip, back, universal
Key features
- Cold and intermittent compression from one unit, applied together
- Two cold settings and three compression settings (Regular, Low, Off)
- Whisper-quiet pump — usable beside a bed overnight
- Compact and portable, designed to move from clinic to home
- Pads available for knee, shoulder, ankle, hip, back and general use
- Y-adapter available for treating two areas at once
Commonly used for
- The first weeks after knee, shoulder or hip surgery
- Recovery following a ligament reconstruction
- Managing swelling after an acute sports injury
- Clinic and athletic training room use across multiple patients
- Post-operative recovery at home where a clinician has recommended cold and compression
Frequently asked questions
Does the Breg Polar Care Wave come with a pad?
No — the Polar Care Wave unit is sold on its own, and the pad for the area you are treating is bought separately. Pads are available for the knee, shoulder, foot and ankle, hip, back, and a universal pad that fits most other areas. Each pad connects to the unit with a single hose, so one unit can be used with different pads over time.
Does the Polar Care Wave need ice?
Yes. The Polar Care Wave chills water using ice in its reservoir, then circulates that water through the pad. This is different from the NICE1, which is an iceless machine that chills the water electrically and needs no ice at all.
How is the Polar Care Wave different from the NICE1?
Both apply cold and compression together, but they chill the water differently. The Polar Care Wave uses ice in a reservoir and is bought outright at £295. The NICE1 is iceless — it chills electrically, so there is no ice to top up — and Recovery Kit offers it to hire, subscribe to, or buy. Which suits you depends on whether you would rather manage ice and own the unit, or avoid ice entirely.
How much compression does it apply?
Compression is adjustable across three settings. Regular delivers around 50 mmHg average peak compression, Low around 25 mmHg, and it can be switched off entirely so the unit delivers cold only. The compression is intermittent, inflating and deflating in cycles rather than being held constant.
Can I use it on two areas at once?
Yes, with a Y-adapter, which splits the hose so two pads can run from one unit. Bear in mind that the cooling capacity is shared between them.
How long should each session be?
Follow the guidance from your surgeon or physiotherapist, since it depends on the procedure and how far into recovery you are. The unit is designed to be used for extended periods, including overnight, which is why the pump is built to run quietly.