Cold Pain Therapy Market Size & Share Analysis - Growth Trends & Forecasts (2025 - 2030)

The Cold Pain Therapy Market is Segmented by Product (OTC Products and Prescription Products), Application (Sports Medicine and More), Distribution Channel (Retail Pharmacies & Drug Stores and More), Age Group (Adults, Geriatric, and Pediatric), and Geography (North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and More). The Market and Forecasts are Provided in Terms of Value (USD).

Cold Pain Therapy Market Size and Share

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Cold Pain Therapy Market Analysis by Mordor Intelligence

The cold pain therapy market size reached USD 2.65 billion in 2025 and is forecast to climb to USD 3.29 billion by 2030, reflecting a 4.42% CAGR through the period. Demand pivots from simple ice packs to connected, temperature-controlled wearables that deliver consistent therapy guided by artificial intelligence [1]Zehan Liu, "Stretchable multifunctional wearable system for real-time and on-demand thermotherapy of arthritis," Microsystems and Nanoengineering, nature.com. Rising musculoskeletal disease prevalence—osteoarthritis alone affected 607 million people worldwide in 2021—intensifies the need for drug-free pain relief. At the same time, patients increasingly favor self-care solutions that lower healthcare costs and offer immediate relief. Integration of real-time temperature monitoring into flexible wearables further differentiates premium devices, while regulatory clarity from the FDA on thermal evaluation standards lowers market entry barriers for innovators.

Key Report Takeaways

  • By product type: OTC products held 65.25% of cold pain therapy market share in 2024, whereas prescription devices are set to expand at a 5.23% CAGR to 2030.  
  • By application: Sports medicine commanded 38.43% revenue share in 2024; neuropathic & chronic pain applications are projected to grow at 5.29% CAGR through 2030.  
  • By distribution channel: Retail pharmacies accounted for 48.69% of the cold pain therapy market size in 2024, while e-commerce shows the fastest channel CAGR of 5.33% to 2030.  
  • By age group: Adults segment accounted for 54.23% market share in 2024, while the geriatric segment is expanding at 5.41% CAGR amid ageing demographics that heighten demand for easy-to-use pain-relief devices.  
  • By geography: North America led with a 40.44% share in 2024; Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region, advancing at a 5.49% CAGR to 2030.  

Segment Analysis

By Product: OTC Dominance Meets Prescription Innovation

OTC solutions controlled 65.25% of cold pain therapy market share in 2024 as consumers favored accessible sprays, gels and patches available without medical oversight. Creams and gels continue to anchor pharmacy aisles, while controlled-release patches win customers who prefer longer relief intervals. The cold pain therapy market size for OTC formats is projected to grow steadily but at a slower pace than technologically sophisticated prescription devices.

Prescription devices, led by motorized circulation systems, exhibit a 5.23% CAGR to 2030. Hospitals adopt these platforms to standardize postoperative protocols that demand precise temperature windows and automated shut-offs. Software-enabled pumps transmit usage logs to electronic health records, helping providers validate adherence for quality metrics. As a result, the cold pain therapy market increasingly bifurcates: mass-market OTC goods dominate volume, whereas high-margin prescription units capture institutional budgets seeking outcome-based solutions.

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Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Application: Sports Medicine Leadership Faces Chronic Pain Challenge

Sports medicine retained 38.43% of cold pain therapy market revenue in 2024, driven by mandatory cryotherapy access across professional leagues and expanding amateur participation. Portable sleeve systems that fit knees, ankles and shoulders now travel with teams, replacing ice coolers on the sidelines. However, neuropathic & chronic pain cases expand at a 5.29% CAGR as TRPM8 research validates cold modulation for complex pain mechanisms.

Post-operative therapy remains critical, with hospital protocols requiring cold application after replacement surgeries to curb swelling. In trauma & orthopedics, aging populations boost fracture and joint repair volumes, keeping demand high for durable wraps and non-motorized packs. These shifts spread adoption across acute injury management and long-duration chronic care, broadening the cold pain therapy market footprint beyond athletics.

By Distribution Channel: E-Commerce Disrupts Traditional Pharmacy Dominance

Retail pharmacies captured 48.69% of the cold pain therapy market size in 2024 by combining product availability with pharmacist guidance. Yet e-commerce demonstrates a 5.33% CAGR as direct-to-consumer brands bypass intermediaries and leverage targeted social-media outreach. Subscription replenishment of gel inserts keeps customers engaged and raises customer lifetime value, intensifying digital channel competition in the cold pain therapy market.

Hospital pharmacies procure prescription-grade units under group purchasing contracts, but budget ceilings slow upgrade cycles. Sports & specialty stores focus on athletic wraps and braces tailored to high-performance users. Omnichannel strategies that blend online convenience with in-store fittings emerge as essential for sustaining brand presence, given fragmented consumer shopping preferences across the cold pain therapy industry.

Cold Pain Therapy Market: Market Share by Distribution Channel
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Note: Segment shares of all individual segments available upon report purchase

By Age Group: Geriatric Surge Drives Market Evolution

Adults represented 54.23% of cold pain therapy market revenue in 2024, reflecting active lifestyles and disposable income for premium gadgets. Nonetheless, geriatric demand is outpacing as degenerative joint disease prevalence rises, leading to a 5.41% CAGR through 2030. Manufacturers redesign interfaces with larger buttons, voice prompts and simplified strapping mechanisms to serve dexterity-limited users.

Pediatric applications, while niche, benefit from heightened parental caution over systemic pain medications. Compact, color-coded wraps appeal to coaches and school nurses managing sports injuries on site. Together, varied age-group needs compel diversified product portfolios that span price points and functionality levels, sustaining multi-segment growth across the cold pain therapy market.

Geography Analysis

North America held 40.44% of the cold pain therapy market in 2024, supported by high healthcare spending and FDA guidance that eliminates regulatory ambiguity for device submissions. The United States leads prescription device adoption, though reimbursement gaps temper hospital uptake. Canada’s single-payer model provides steadier funding for medically necessary cooling systems, while Mexico’s growing middle class boosts OTC category sales.

Europe follows with mature distribution networks and harmonized Medical Device Regulation that eases cross-border sales. Germany and the United Kingdom spearhead adoption of connected wraps that integrate with digital monitoring platforms, reflecting strong telehealth penetration. Southern European markets expand sports medicine segments due to professional football and cycling culture, while the European Medicines Agency’s digital health initiatives encourage further IoT integration.

Asia-Pacific is the fastest-growing region with a 5.49% CAGR to 2030, driven by ageing populations in China and India and high technology acceptance in Japan and South Korea. Local investors back start-ups producing affordable smart cuffs marketed through regional e-commerce giants. Australia acts as a clinical-trial hub for next-generation cooling wearables, leveraging its sports-science expertise. However, limited reimbursement frameworks in parts of Southeast Asia keep adoption below potential, signaling long-run upside for companies that localize education and financing solutions in the cold pain therapy market.

Cold Pain Therapy Market CAGR (%), Growth Rate by Region
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Competitive Landscape

The cold pain therapy market remains moderately fragmented. Legacy orthopedic supplier Enovis leverages long-standing surgeon networks to protect share in hospital channels. In March 2024 the FDA finalized evaluation protocols for thermal devices, leveling the playing field for emergent rivals that bring connected wrap solutions to market.

Start-ups differentiate through IoT-enabled wearables that sync with smartphone apps and deliver adaptive cooling cycles. Subscription models bundle replacement sleeves and data-analytics dashboards, generating annuity revenue in contrast to one-time pack sales. Geriatric-oriented designs with simplified controls and safety lockouts open an underserved niche, intensifying competition across demographics.

Strategic M&A accelerates capability expansion: in 2024 Haemonetics bought Attune Medical to add the ensoETM temperature regulation device, broadening its procedural portfolio. Similar bolt-on deals are expected as incumbents seek specialized technologies that shorten R&D timelines and defend share against connected-device entrants in the cold pain therapy market.

Cold Pain Therapy Industry Leaders

  1. Breg Inc.

  2. Brownmed Inc.

  3. Össur hf

  4. Cardinal Health Inc.

  5. Enovis Corporation (DJO Global Inc.)

  6. *Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
Cold Pain Therapy Market Concentration
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Recent Industry Developments

  • March 2025: Mercy Health added iovera, a targeted cold therapy system for joint pain relief, to its clinical offerings.
  • January 2025: KT Health released the Ice Therapy Pack designed for broad muscle groups such as the back and shoulders.
  • March 2024: The FDA issued final guidance on evaluating thermal effects in medical devices, providing standardized premarket testing protocols.

Table of Contents for Cold Pain Therapy Industry Report

1. Introduction

  • 1.1 Study Assumptions & Market Definition
  • 1.2 Scope of the Study

2. Research Methodology

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Landscape

  • 4.1 Market Overview
  • 4.2 Market Drivers
    • 4.2.1 Rising incidence of sports & road-traffic injuries
    • 4.2.2 Growing prevalence of arthritis & other MSDs in ageing population
    • 4.2.3 Rapid consumer shift toward self-care & OTC topical analgesics
    • 4.2.4 Increase in post-surgical procedures requiring cold therapy
    • 4.2.5 IoT-enabled smart wearables offering real-time temperature control
    • 4.2.6 Next-gen TRPM8-modulating cooling compounds in R&D pipeline
  • 4.3 Market Restraints
    • 4.3.1 Limited or absent third-party reimbursement
    • 4.3.2 Low patient & clinician awareness in emerging economies
    • 4.3.3 Dermatologic adverse events triggering tighter formulation rules
    • 4.3.4 Substitution threat from laser, contrast & heat-alternation therapies
  • 4.4 Regulatory Landscape
  • 4.5 Technological Outlook
  • 4.6 Porters Five Forces Analysis
    • 4.6.1 Threat of New Entrants
    • 4.6.2 Bargaining Power of Suppliers
    • 4.6.3 Bargaining Power of Buyers
    • 4.6.4 Threat of Substitutes
    • 4.6.5 Intensity of Competitive Rivalry

5. Market Size & Growth Forecasts (Value, USD)

  • 5.1 By Product
    • 5.1.1 OTC Products
    • 5.1.1.1 Creams
    • 5.1.1.2 Gels
    • 5.1.1.3 Patches
    • 5.1.1.4 Sprays & Roll-ons
    • 5.1.1.5 Wraps & Pack Systems
    • 5.1.1.6 Other OTC Products
    • 5.1.2 Prescription Products
    • 5.1.2.1 Motorized Devices
    • 5.1.2.2 Non-motorized Devices
  • 5.2 By Application
    • 5.2.1 Sports Medicine
    • 5.2.2 Post-operative Therapies
    • 5.2.3 Trauma & Orthopaedics
    • 5.2.4 Neuropathic & Chronic Pain
    • 5.2.5 Other Applications
  • 5.3 By Distribution Channel
    • 5.3.1 Retail Pharmacies & Drug Stores
    • 5.3.2 Hospital Pharmacies
    • 5.3.3 E-commerce
    • 5.3.4 Sports & Specialty Stores
  • 5.4 By Age Group
    • 5.4.1 Adults
    • 5.4.2 Geriatric
    • 5.4.3 Pediatric
  • 5.5 By Geography
    • 5.5.1 North America
    • 5.5.1.1 United States
    • 5.5.1.2 Canada
    • 5.5.1.3 Mexico
    • 5.5.2 Europe
    • 5.5.2.1 Germany
    • 5.5.2.2 United Kingdom
    • 5.5.2.3 France
    • 5.5.2.4 Italy
    • 5.5.2.5 Spain
    • 5.5.2.6 Rest of Europe
    • 5.5.3 Asia-Pacific
    • 5.5.3.1 China
    • 5.5.3.2 Japan
    • 5.5.3.3 India
    • 5.5.3.4 Australia
    • 5.5.3.5 South Korea
    • 5.5.3.6 Rest of Asia-Pacific
    • 5.5.4 Middle East and Africa
    • 5.5.4.1 Middle East
    • 5.5.4.2 GCC
    • 5.5.4.3 South Africa
    • 5.5.4.4 Rest of Middle East and Africa
    • 5.5.5 South America
    • 5.5.5.1 Brazil
    • 5.5.5.2 Argentina
    • 5.5.5.3 Rest of South America

6. Competitive Landscape

  • 6.1 Market Concentration
  • 6.2 Market Share Analysis
  • 6.3 Company Profiles (includes Global level overview, Market level overview, Core Segments, Financials as available, Strategic Information, Market Rank/Share, Products & Services, Recent Developments)
    • 6.3.1 Breg Inc.
    • 6.3.2 Brownmed Inc.
    • 6.3.3 Cardinal Health Inc.
    • 6.3.4 Enovis Corp. (DJO Global)
    • 6.3.5 Ossur hf
    • 6.3.6 Performance Health
    • 6.3.7 Medline Industries LP
    • 6.3.8 IceWraps LLC
    • 6.3.9 Compass Health Brands
    • 6.3.10 Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical Co.
    • 6.3.11 Romsons
    • 6.3.12 Unexo Life Sciences
    • 6.3.13 Sanofi SA
    • 6.3.14 Pfizer Inc.
    • 6.3.15 Johnson & Johnson (Chattanooga / Icy Hot)
    • 6.3.16 Solventum
    • 6.3.17 Zimmer MedizinSysteme
    • 6.3.18 BTL Industries
    • 6.3.19 CoolSystems Inc. (Game Ready)
    • 6.3.20 CynoSure (Lutronic Cryo)
    • 6.3.21 Beiersdorf AG (Voltaren Emulgel)
    • 6.3.22 Metrum Cryoflex

7. Market Opportunities & Future Outlook

  • 7.1 White-space & Unmet-Need Assessment
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Global Cold Pain Therapy Market Report Scope

As per the report's scope, cold pain therapy uses cold to relieve the pain caused by injuries or other causes. The products range from pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and OTC products. Cold pain therapy is primarily used on fresh injuries, such as ligament sprains, muscle sprains, and severe bruises. This therapy is used for tissue fatigue injuries, such as tennis elbow, supraspinatus tendinitis, iliotibial band syndrome, and patellofemoral pain syndrome.

The cold pain therapy market is segmented by product, application, and geography. By product, the market is segmented into OTC products and prescription products. OTC products include creams, gels, patches, and other OTC products. Prescription products include pharmaceuticals and medical devices. By application, the market is segmented into sports medicine, post-operative therapies, trauma and orthopedics, and other applications. By geography, the market is segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Middle East and Africa, and South America. The market report also covers the estimated market sizes and trends for 17 countries across major regions globally. The report offers market sizes and forecasts in terms of value (USD) for the above segments.

By Product OTC Products Creams
Gels
Patches
Sprays & Roll-ons
Wraps & Pack Systems
Other OTC Products
Prescription Products Motorized Devices
Non-motorized Devices
By Application Sports Medicine
Post-operative Therapies
Trauma & Orthopaedics
Neuropathic & Chronic Pain
Other Applications
By Distribution Channel Retail Pharmacies & Drug Stores
Hospital Pharmacies
E-commerce
Sports & Specialty Stores
By Age Group Adults
Geriatric
Pediatric
By Geography North America United States
Canada
Mexico
Europe Germany
United Kingdom
France
Italy
Spain
Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific China
Japan
India
Australia
South Korea
Rest of Asia-Pacific
Middle East and Africa Middle East
GCC
South Africa
Rest of Middle East and Africa
South America Brazil
Argentina
Rest of South America
By Product
OTC Products Creams
Gels
Patches
Sprays & Roll-ons
Wraps & Pack Systems
Other OTC Products
Prescription Products Motorized Devices
Non-motorized Devices
By Application
Sports Medicine
Post-operative Therapies
Trauma & Orthopaedics
Neuropathic & Chronic Pain
Other Applications
By Distribution Channel
Retail Pharmacies & Drug Stores
Hospital Pharmacies
E-commerce
Sports & Specialty Stores
By Age Group
Adults
Geriatric
Pediatric
By Geography
North America United States
Canada
Mexico
Europe Germany
United Kingdom
France
Italy
Spain
Rest of Europe
Asia-Pacific China
Japan
India
Australia
South Korea
Rest of Asia-Pacific
Middle East and Africa Middle East
GCC
South Africa
Rest of Middle East and Africa
South America Brazil
Argentina
Rest of South America
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Key Questions Answered in the Report

What is the current size of the cold pain therapy market?

The cold pain therapy market size is USD 2.65 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 3.29 billion by 2030.

Which product category leads the cold pain therapy market?

OTC products hold the lead with 65.25% market share as of 2024.

Which application is growing fastest in the cold pain therapy market?

Neuropathic and chronic pain applications are expanding at a 5.29% CAGR through 2030.

Why is Asia-Pacific considered the fastest-growing region?

Ageing populations, healthcare infrastructure investment and rapid e-commerce adoption drive a 5.49% regional CAGR.

How are IoT wearables influencing the cold pain therapy industry?

Connected wraps with real-time temperature control enhance treatment precision and provide usage data for clinicians, opening premium price tiers.

What are the main barriers to wider adoption of cold pain therapy devices?

Limited third-party reimbursement and low awareness in emerging economies remain the largest obstacles.

Cold Pain Therapy Market Report Snapshots