Carol Forden, President/CEO and Founder of Arctic Ease® can trace the whole idea of Arctic Ease® back to her left medial collateral ligament. A bad injury to it then, that is. After an accident injured her left knee and put her in a brace for over
... read moresix months, the ex-pharmaceutical industry executive hit upon an idea that would set her life down an exciting new path and be the start of Arctic Ease®.
“I was traveling a lot for my job, and trying to ice my knee on the road just wasn’t working,” she explains. “I knew that there had to be a better answer.”
And as it happened, the better answer was something she herself would develop in a garage in Florida with the assistance of her sister, Laurie – a line of cryotherapy pads and wraps called Arctic Ease®, marketed by the company Carol founded bearing the same name. “The solution had to fit under a brace (a result of the knee injury); allow me to maintain my mobility – no more sitting around waiting while icing and they had to last for hours and be safe to leave on for hours at a time. In addition, the solution had to be reusable, eco-friendly and odorless.
“There had to be a better way to cool an injury than wet leaky ice bags that limit mobility or menthol based products that everyone within 20+ feet can smell coming their way – that somewhat relived pain but did nothing for inflammation, no one could tell I was using a product, and the solution had to be most of all portable – I could have it with me all the time without the need to pre-cool the wrap or pad – it’s tough to travel for a living and find an ice machine and bag to put ice into – that process alone defeats the first two points!”
As a pharmaceutical industry executive Carol knew the importance of having good clinical data. “Clinical data has proven that if you reduce inflammation, you can heal faster,” she explains. “When I started looking at what was available for cold therapy, I found two different categories. There are menthol based products that ‘feel’ cold but really aren’t, which don’t do anything for inflammation. Or you can use ice or instant cold-packs that don’t stay cold for long, are messy to use, or both.”
Carol then developed specially treated Arctic Ease® wraps and pads to offer a simple alternative. Arctic Ease® products had everything she wanted:
-They absorb heat energy which is then lost to evaporation
-Can be worn for hours safely to reduce inflammation and relieve pain directly on the afflicted area
-They’re ready to use right out of the package, with no freezing or refrigeration.
-Stores anywhere – no refrigeration required (do not freeze)
-They are reusable, just add a minimal amount of water to recharge.
-Odorless, environmentally friendly, latex and adhesive free.
-And they stay put without the need for clips or tape.
-Recommended and endorsed by medical professionals and professional athletes
The product feels cold on the skin, but not ice-cold – and that’s the idea. Ice can actually be too much of a good thing, Forden explains. Clinical research suggests that the best temperature for cold therapy is to cool tissue to 59 degrees F or above – approximately 35-37 degrees cooler than normal skin temperature. Unlike ice, therefore, Arctic Ease® products can be worn for hours without discomfort or danger of nerve conduction injury, frost nip or frostbite.
“When people try it for the first time, their eyes open wide,” Forden says. “It’s cold. Whether they’re osteoarthritis suffers, suffering from a form of Lymphedema, chronic or acute soft tissue or joint injuries, seasoned athletes or weekend warriors, they’re amazed at how well it works and how convenient it is.”
Arctic Ease is a clinically studied reliable and effective treatment for mild to moderate aches & pains and inflammation from the pain associated with arthritis, back, joint and muscle pains and sprains, along with repetitive motion injuries, minor burns and bruises. The Arctic Ease products provide relief hours of odorless relief from pain and inflammation without the hazards and discomfort of ice or frozen gel packs or irritating menthol patches.
Carol can testify first hand that it’s not easy building a company from scratch, much less sourcing manufacturing equipment and suppliers – all had to be based in the USA and made with materials and US labor – however, Arctic Ease® has done it with great success. Arctic Ease® has a state-of-the-art automated manufacturing facility that has the capacity to supply well over 50 million units per year.
When asked what Arctic Ease® stands for, Carol says it’s the following:
-It’s doing business with honesty, loyalty, ethics and integrity
-It’s taking a simple and straightforward approach
-It’s providing a superior product
-It’s holding ourselves to a higher standard
-It’s investing in our people and business for success
-It’s having fun and being proud of what we do
-It’s proving that not everything has to come from China – yes, we can manufacture products here in the USA in a cost-effective manner.
-It’s about creating jobs at Arctic Ease® and creating jobs at our suppliers all here in the USA
-It’s about changing lives by getting people out of pain and back into their lives
Launched into the retail marketplace in the fall of 2010, Arctic Ease® products have been proven to relieve pain and swelling, and the response from consumers, athletes, trainers and coaches has been enthusiastic.
Innovation is alive and well in the USA thanks to people like Carol Forden.
