A few weeks ago, I received an email from a very nice lady named Megan who wanted me to try out the new Moji icing products. ”I’m not hurt,” I replied, “but I do know some people who are rehabbing injuries. Should I let them test out the products and blog about their experiences?”
Now I’m sure this is a response they get all the time, because I could tell from the tone of her email that I wasn’t getting it. ”I just wanted to let you know that icing as a recovery method is also a very useful tool for post workout,” she graciously replied. She went on to explain how the products were designed with recovery and injury prevention in mind, not just rehab. She even sent me this informative flyer about how icing can be used for recovery.
Lightbulb moment.
And so I agreed to test out icing products from Moji, a two year old company based in Illinois that is bringing their icing system to the athletic community. Brazenly, I offered to run some doubles to see if I could notice a difference between how I felt with and without icing, but mostly I was curious about how they would work. Would I see any difference in how everything felt if I started icing regularly?
Putting the products to the test.
The products arrived quickly. They were nicely packaged with very easy to follow instructions. I received both their regular knee product and their regular back product, each of which comes with one icing cell.
The regular knee product comes with one icing cell. Two would allow you to ice one knee and then the other without having to refreeze the cell. The cell attaches to the brace with velcro.
The sleeve is made out of a wicking sport fabric, which dries quickly after you use it. There are individual cooling cells that help it form around your knee for the best compression. Ideally you wear the Moji products over lightweight clothing, though I wore them directly against my skin without any issues. You can handwash the sleeves if you need to.
My first test of the product came after my first daily double. I did not ice between sessions so that I could see how I felt without icing in between. By the time I got back from my run, my knee was actually starting to twinge a bit, so I strapped it on. Because the product is designed for optimal icing compression and contact, my knee quickly became numb. Number than it has ever been, in fact. The cooling lasted for about 20 minutes before it started to warm up too much to be effective, which is ideal for icing protocols. The next day, there were no twinges in my knee. Awesome. There was something to this icing thing.
Using the Moji knee
Next I tested out the back product, which ices the lower back. After long runs, my lower back is usually pretty taxed. The back compress provided immediate cooling, and although I haven’t yet tested it after a really long run, I can see that it will be quite helpful in reducing the inflammation I experience in there. For those suffering from more extensive back issues, the back product can help to provide a whole lot of relief. It straps on easily, and it fits underneath clothing. The icing cells don’t get wet or drip either, making it a great product to use even at work for mid-day relief.
The back product offers full contact and compression for ideal icing conditions.
Never, ever tell someone you aren’t injured. Well, unless you want to become injured.
At this point, I was convinced of the value of icing products in my own arsenal of running products. And then the inevitable hit. After all, I had said that I wasn’t currently injured, and everyone knows to make such a proclamation is only asking for disaster. So last night at my indoor soccer game, I started my warmup. Major knee twinges of the runner’s knee variety. My increase in mileage lately was making itself known. It was a miserable game, as I could only make limited runs and worried that I had just created a major problem for myself. As soon as I got home, I popped my knee cell out of the freezer and strapped it on for twenty minutes. Today the knee twinge is gone. I am sold.
I still have more testing to do with the daily doubles, especially with the back product. I am also ramping up for marathon training, and I am excited to see how the back product impacts my recovery time. Effective recovery is so important for any type of running we do. I will update my experience with their products as I have more opportunities to test them out.
But how do these products help relay runners?
How can the Moji line of products benefit relay runners? For those of you who insist on attempting your relay with a nagging injury, like runner’s knee, ITBS or sciatic issues, you know exactly how these icing products can benefit you. In fact, injury is the first reason any of us think of using ice. I can confidently say that you’ll receive the icing benefits you need from these products. They work well. They don’t drip. You don’t have to eat the soggy peas later. What’s not to like?
But what about those of you that aren’t injured? Well, for any of you that have sought out a cold creek to jump into between legs, you’ll already know how much cooling can help with recovery. Getting one’s legs cooled can be the difference between a good performance and sheer misery on your second and third leg. When there are no cold water options in the area (or when the weather isn’t cooperating), a cold compress on the knee or the back would help reduce the inflammation that is going to cause you pain later in the day. And because the icing cells detach from the sleeves, they can be placed anywhere on your body that is sore – hamstrings, calves, hip flexors… Ideally you’ll find a way to jerry-rig the sleeve to provide the compression, which seems to be a major element of the effectiveness of this product.
The one potential issue for the Moji icing products is keeping them cool for the duration of a relay race. They do offer a mobile icing solution – a canister with icing sticks that offers up to six hours of cooling for the icing cell. According to one blog test I read, it can cool the cell as long as ten hours, though I am sure that this is dependent on the weather conditions that day. Cooling the icing cells in their canister or freezer gives the best results; Moji does not recommend cooling the cell in a cooler full of ice.
Sounds cool, but how much does it cost?
At first glance, the Moji products may seem a little expensive. At $89.00 for the single knee icing product, and $129.00 for the back product, you might wonder if you should continue using ice cubes and zip lock bags. But your icing results aren’t going to be as effective because you aren’t going to have the compression or the contact that their products are going to give you. It’s well made; this is not a flimsy little sleeve destined to fall apart in a few months. And it’s a product you can use over and over again – and in multiple ways. Keep one in a cooler when you head out to your kids’ soccer games – the icing cells work just as well as the conventional chemical ice packs coaches usually carry. If icing for recovery can prevent just one injury and visit to the doctor or sports chiropractor, it’s going to pay for itself as well. It is an investment in your running that is worth making.
Readers can receive free shipping on their order from now until the end of November by using the following checkout code: runningrelays09
The Moji Interactive Library website offers a wealth of information injury prevention and recovery. One of their goals is “to provide our community with informative, actionable, and accurate content that keeps active people active.” They have a lot of great articles, like “When Should I Use Ice or Heat” that are information and helpful. I recommend that you check it out.
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