Liv Podmore is a professional cyclist. She’s the reining national sprint champion. She’s competed on the world stage at the World Championships and the Olympics. So she knows a thing or two about training hard and the need for fast and efficient recovery.

In Liv’s training bag she carries a secret weapon for rapid muscle recovery. It’s a set of blue CoolXChange bandages. And now that we’ve revealed her secret, I bet if you watch closely, you’ll notice her wrapping her legs in the blue bandages between and after events.

These blue bandages are “ice wraps”. They’re actually an innovative gel bandage that provides instant cooling and compression for efficient and convenient pain relief and recovery.

Liv says, “I love that my blue bandages are always there when I need them. Before I discovered CoolXChange we would ice my legs using ice packs or ice baths. But that’s a hassle…and wet! My blue bandages are always in my bag [they don’t need refrigeration], always ready to go.”

The R.I.C.E method of treating injury and muscle pain has long been used by athletes and sports doctors to expediate the recovery process. It’s a standard first aid method.  R.I.C.E stands for rest, ice, compression and elevation; it encourages the body to begin the natural healing process, increasing the speed of recovery, while also minimising the chances of long-term damage resulting from injuries.

The blue bandages Liv uses are a 2-in-1 solution that tackle the cooling (or “ice”) and compression stages simultaneously.

Traditionally applying ice in the first 48 hours of an injury helps to minimise pain, swelling and inflammation by reducing the amount of blood flow and heat rushing to the injured area. Ice, however, should not be applied for more than 20 minutes at a time or tissue damage may occur. Following ice, compressing the injured area using an elastic bandage also helps to control swelling.

Unlike traditional cooling methods, like what Liv used to use, the patented CoolXChange gel bandage works instantly and can be worn continuously for extended periods of time.

“I’ll sometimes wrap my legs towards the end of a particular hard training session – especially if I’ve done back-to-back sessions – to get a jump on cool down and recovery. And I’ll leave them on as I pack my bike away and head home. They’re actually really comfortable. And I’ll have fresh legs for the next round.”

CoolXChange bandages are available in regular (for ankles, feet, wrists and elbows) or large (for knees, legs, groin, shoulders and back). Shop now >