Research & Clinical Studies
What Is Palm Cooling?
Palm cooling is applying controlled cold to the palm, where a dense network of specialized blood vessels sits close to the skin, to help lower core temperature and support recovery between bouts of activity.
Why the Palm Specifically?
The palm (along with the soles of the feet and parts of the face) has a higher concentration of specialized blood vessels suited to heat exchange than most other skin. Cooling this area is a more targeted way to affect core temperature than cooling a larger surface, like an arm or the back.
How Do Palm Cooling Devices Work?
Different devices use different mechanisms. Some use a Peltier module, a solid-state component that moves heat using electricity rather than ice or water, to hold a steady surface temperature in the 55°F to 60°F range.
Who Uses Palm Cooling?
It's most discussed in the context of athletic recovery and performance, cooling down between sets, heats or training blocks, rather than a specific injury or surgical recovery use.
Is This the Same as What Modern Recovery Lab Rents for Post-Surgical Recovery?
No, it's a different product category for a different purpose. The NICE1, which Modern Recovery Lab rents Canada-wide, is a cold and compression system for post-surgical joint recovery. Palm cooling devices are separate, handheld devices aimed at recovery between bouts of activity.
Common questions
What is palm cooling?
Palm cooling is applying controlled cold to the palm of the hand, an area with a high concentration of specialized blood vessels, to help lower core body temperature and support recovery between bouts of activity.
Does palm cooling work?
It's an active area of research into thermal recovery and exercise performance. Devices in this category are built around cooling the palm specifically because of how that area regulates heat, rather than cooling the whole body at once.
How is palm cooling different from an ice pack?
A typical ice pack is applied to a sore joint or muscle. Palm cooling targets the hand specifically, a site the body uses for heat exchange, with a device that holds a steady, controlled temperature rather than a flat pack that warms as it sits.