A couple of days ago I blogged about my determination to get back into running this year. It's one of my New Year's Resolutions for 2011. Note, I've tried to fashion a resolution more specific than just "Lose Weight" or "Get Fit", because I know those never last. But running, I can do (and if a bit of weight comes off, then hurray for me). I have the spiffy new running shoes that I bought at the end of 2010.
I've signed up for some races to keep me motivated. I think I'm set.
One of the major stumbling blocks I have that keeps me from running as much as I want is my plantaar fascitis, or heel spurs. Two years ago the pain was so bad I had to stop running, but last year it seems to have eased off -- and I've learned how to manage the condition when it does occur. The simple act of applying a cold compress to my heel after a run has been crucial to avoiding pain the morning after. In the past I've used bags of frozen peas because unlike solid blocks of ice, they envelop the heel quite nicely, and unlike bags of crushed ice, they don't leak and soak my couch. The only problem is that peas are food, and resting my stinky foot on a bag of food (even when enclosed in a plastic bag) is, well, gross.
But it's a New Year, and it's time for a new kind of cold therapy. MomImpact sent me a sample box of
Arctic Ease, a resusable wrap or pad that cools without needing refrigeration. Technically, Arctic Ease is a Cryotherapy wrap that aims to
enhance the treatment of soft tissue injuries, burns and edema, whether induced by pharmalogical therapies, radiation or injury (I got that from their "About" page). In everyday English, that means Arctic Ease is the coolest cold bag ever!
The BasicsArctic Ease Cryotherapy Wraps and Pads provide instant cold relief for the pain and swelling from bumps, bruises, and other injuries. They don't need refrigeration -- they are cold right out of the bag. The wraps and pads feel like cloth that has been coated with some kind of gel. My understanding is that the gel draws away the heat from the injured area and provides the cooling effect. The gel absorbs the heat, but the heat then evaporates, which means the area is kept cool for an extended period of time. God, I love it when companies apply science to come up with products that make our lives better!
The BonggaHere's what I love about the Arctic Ease products:
* Instant cooling relief! I love the fact that you don't have to refrigerate it because that means I can leave a pack in the first-aid kit in our van. I was given several sample packs, and even though I waited over a month to open the last pack, it was still ice-cold. Actually, "ice cold" isn't the right term, because while you can really feel the cold, it's not an unbearable cold. It's gentle, even and long-lasting. It's more like "gel-cold", but even then, it's not icky-wet or icky-gooey!
* They conform to the injury and stay in place. They remind me of Saran Wrap! It's It certainly looks a lot cooler (gotta love that pun) than a bag of peas taped to my ankle:
* You can cut the wraps or pads to fit your injury so it's not too bulky. This is also great when you have twin boys who have injured each other and both need cold compresses!
* They are reusable. Just put them back into the resealable pouch when the coldness has worn off, and rehydrate the wrap or pad by adding a tablespoon or two of water into the pouch. After several hours, it will be cold and ready to reuse. See, once again, this is perfect to keep in the car! My understanding is that you can get several uses out of the product before the gel dries out completely and the wrap or pad no longer adheres to the injury. At that point, you'll need to discard it and buy a new one.
The BlahThe gel can feel a bit icky at first, but you'll get used to it. And although it's reusable, you can't wash it -- which means the Arctic Ease wraps for my heel are strictly for my heel only, and I can't ever step on the floor while I'm using the wrap, because I shudder to think how much dust and dirt it would pick up. But since Arctic Ease is pretty inexpensive ($7.99 for a pack of 3 pads, and $10.99 for a 4"x60" wrap), that's a minor inconvenience.
The Bottom LineEvery household needs to keep a pack of Arctic Ease wraps or pads around!
Join Arctic Ease's #CoolWrapsFitness Twitter Party Arctic Ease is throwing a Twitter Party! It's going to be hosted by the awesome MizFitOnline, and I'll be joining her as a panelist, along with
Joyce of
Freaking Fitness,
Lisa of
Lisa Johnson Fitness, and
Cara from
Arctic Ease. We'll be talking about health and fitness in the New Year -- making health and fitness goals, achieving them, maintaining them. Gulp. These women are fitness goddesses! I guess I'll be there to provide the perspective of the Ordinary Woman. In any case, it's an important topic for me and everyone else, so I'm honored to be joining them and excited to start the party.
What: a #CoolWrapsFitness Twitter Party
When: Thursday, Jan. 13, 2001, 7-8PM CST
Why: to chat about health and fitness in the new year
How: Follow @mizfitonline, @arcticease, @bonggamom, @joycecherrier, @LisaJohnson and tweet with hashtag #CoolWrapsFitness for the duration of the partyAnd what would a Twitter Party be without prizes? Throughout the event, Arctic Ease will be giving away Arctic Ease prize packs (ArcticEase samples+ gift cards), as well as a grand prize (worth $100+) to end the hour-long chat!
Anyone and everyone is welcome to drop in and join the party, but if you RSVP at MizFitOnline's #CoolWrapsFitness party post,
you'll be eligible for a special, high-value ($100+) prize. Hope to see /tweet you at the party next week!
Win an Arctic Ease Prize PackOne lucky Bonggamom Finds winner will receive an Arctic Ease Prize Pack with three Arctic Ease Wraps and a t-shirt!
Required EntryLeave a comment on this post and tell me how you would use Arctic Ease wraps. This entry must be completed before other entries will count.
Extra EntriesFor extra entries, you can do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment on this post for each extra entry, with a way to verify the entry (i.e. tweet link, blog post link, blog comment link, Facebook id, Twitter id, etc.).
1)
RSVP to Arctic Ease's #CoolWrapsFitness Twitter Party on MizFit Online (1 entry).
2) If (
and ONLY IF) you RSVP'd to the #CoolWrapsFitness Twitter Party,
write this on the Arctic Ease Facebook wall (1 entry):
I RSVP'd to the #CoolWrapsFitness Twitter Party! I can't wait to join MizFitOnline, Bonggamom and other great panelists on Jan. 13, 7-8PM CST to chat about health and fitness in the New Year. Join us and RSVP at http://ow.ly/3A4tJ for the chance to win great prizes!
3)
Write this on the Bonggamom Finds Facebook wall (1 entry):
I entered the Arctic Ease Prize Pack giveaway! http://ow.ly/3A7wV
4)
Follow Bonggamom Finds on Networked Blogs (1 entry).
5) Follow Bonggamom Finds on Blogger (1 entry).
6) Follow Arctic Ease on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day until 7PM CST, Jan. 13, 2011 (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):
RT @bonggamom Join me and @mizfitonline @joycecherrier @LisaJohnson for a #CoolWrapsFitness party! 7PM CST, 1/13/11 RSVP http://ow.ly/3A4tJ
7)
Follow Arctic Ease on Twitter and tweet this, up to once per day (1 entry per day, leave a comment with the tweet link for each tweet):
Enter to win an Arctic Ease Prize Pack from @arcticease and @bonggafinds http://ow.ly/3A7wV
#giveaway
8) Join any of the other open giveaways on Bonggamom Finds (leave a comment with the name of the giveaway you joined, 1 entry per giveaway you've joined).
The RulesThis giveaway ends at midnight PST on January 24, 2011; I will draw a winner at random on January 25. I will post the winner's name in the comments section after he/she confirms acceptance. Continental US residents only. Please note, entering this giveaway does not increase your chances of winning a prize at the Arctic Ease Twitter Party.
For additional giveaway rules, click here. Good luck!
Disclosure: I received a sample of Arctic Ease products to facilitate my review. I have not been compensated for this post but I am being compensated for my participation in next week's Arctic Ease Twitter Party. Product information is provided by the featured company/product and is clearly indicated as such. The views and opinions expressed here are my own.
