About the Polar Care Wave
Motorised cold and compression therapy in one compact unit.
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About the Polar Care Wave
Motorised cold and compression therapy in one compact unit.
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.
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.
In the box
- Polar Care Wave control unit with integrated reservoir
- Power supply
- Instructions for use
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 — quiet enough to run beside a bed
- 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 — quiet enough to run beside a bed
- 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 — most suggest 20 to 30 minutes at a time, several times a day. The pump is quiet and the unit will run for extended periods, but the ice needs topping up every six to eight hours and Breg asks you to check the skin every one to two hours, so long unattended sessions are a decision for your clinician rather than a default.
Breg Polar Care Wave
★★★★★5.0(1)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.
Free next day delivery when you order before 2pm
What our customers say
Based on 1 verified review
- ★★★★★StephenVerified
“Really effective for treating pain and swelling from hip replacement- quiet at night and has two setting for compression and temperature. comes with ice bags so only need to add harness for hip, knee, ankle or whatever you are treating. It's not cheap but worth every penny and makes my recovery so much more bearable- it's a must for a hip replacement! I'm almost 3 weeks post surgery and using 3-4 times during the day and several times at night. My recovery is ahead of the curve and this allows me to do my physio then hook up after to prevent any additional swelling. I'm almost off painkillers and sure this is a major contributor!”
Purchased 19 Sept 2026
Also worth knowing
Electrical muscle stimulation rather than cold — used on any muscle group.
Hire from £59 · Subscribe £99/mo · Buy £999.99
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