How To Size Breg Polar Care Shoulder Pads & Avoid Cold Injury

Oct 17, 2026 · Written by Supply Physical Therapy · Reviewed by Dr. Dina Khentigan, DNP

If you just had shoulder surgery or a shoulder injury, getting cold therapy set up correctly comes down to two things. The first is ordering the right size Breg Polar Care shoulder pad. The second is protecting your skin every time you use it.

Breg makes the shoulder pad in two sizes, Regular and XL, and you pick between them by chest size. You also need a skin barrier between the pad and your skin, because cold applied directly to bare skin can cause frostbite and skin breakdown. This guide from the team at Supply Physical Therapy covers both, with every part number you need to order.

Prefer to watch? See the full sizing and safety guide on YouTube from Movement Health by Supply Physical Therapy.

Regular or XL: Which Breg Polar Care Shoulder Pad Do You Need?

Choose the Regular pad if your chest is 42 inches or smaller, and the XL if it is larger than 42 inches. The same rule applies to men and women.

Every Breg pad comes in a sealed package with the part number printed on top. When your pad arrives, check that number against the table before you open the package.

Both pads fit the Breg Polar Care Cube, Glacier and Cub units. They do not fit the Polar Care Kodiak, which uses its own Intelli-Flo pads; this video explains the difference. Don't have a unit yet? The Breg Polar Care Cube with Shoulder Pad comes with either the Regular or XL pad.

How to Measure Your Chest Size

You can measure your chest in under a minute with a flexible tape measure.

1. Stand up straight with your arms relaxed at your sides.

2. Place the tape just under your armpits.

3. Wrap it all the way around your chest and across your back, keeping it level.

4. Read the number where the tape meets. Use 42 inches as your cutoff: 42 or under is Regular, over 42 is XL.

If your arm is already in a sling after surgery, ask someone to help you hold the tape.

Protect Your Skin: Never Put the Pad on Bare Skin

A Breg Polar Care pad should never touch your bare skin. Breg requires an insulation barrier between the pad and the skin, and it is sold separately.

A skin barrier does two jobs:

• It prevents cold injury. Continuous cold directly on the skin can lead to frostbite and nerve irritation.

• It controls moisture. Skin that stays cold and damp can break down, which is especially risky near a healing incision.

Check your skin each time you take the pad off. Stop and call your doctor if you notice numbness that does not go away, blistering, or skin that looks white, gray or blotchy. Always follow your surgeon's instructions for how long and how often to use cold therapy.

Sterile vs. Non-Sterile Skin Barriers

Which barrier you need depends on whether it will cover a fresh incision.

Bring a sterile dressing to surgery. Most surgeons will ask you to, because the surgery center or hospital will not place anything non-sterile over a fresh incision. Breg's sterile dressings are single use and act as both a sterile and a moisture barrier.

Non-sterile barriers work the same way over intact skin. Once you are not covering an open incision, a non-sterile skin barrier gives the same cold and moisture protection. A clean T-shirt or towel also works in a pinch.

Quick Checklist Before You Order

• ☐ Measure your chest just under the armpits

• ☐ 42 in or smaller: order the Regular pad, 04900

• ☐ Larger than 42 in: order the XL pad, 04905

• ☐ Having surgery: order the matching sterile dressing (04908 Regular or 04918 XL)

• ☐ Over intact skin: have a non-sterile skin barrier, clean T-shirt or towel ready

• ☐ Check the part number on the sealed package when it arrives

Watch: Related Shoulder Cold Therapy Videos

• How to Size Breg Polar Care Shoulder Pads & Avoid Cold Injury

• How to Apply the Shoulder Pad for the Breg Cube or Kodiak

• How to Properly Apply the Breg Polar Care Shoulder Pad (Short)

• Prevent Frostbite and Skin Damage: Always Use a Sterile Dressing

• Breg Polar Care Cube vs. Kodiak: Don't Order the Wrong Pad

• How to Use the Multi-Use XL Pad for the Shoulder

Frequently Asked Questions

What size Breg Polar Care shoulder pad do I need?

It depends on your chest size. If it is 42 inches or smaller, order the Regular pad (04900). If it is larger than 42 inches, order the XL pad (04905).

Is the sizing different for men and women?

No. The 42-inch chest cutoff is the same for everyone.

How do I measure my chest for a Breg shoulder pad?

Wrap a flexible tape measure just under your armpits, all the way around your chest and back. Keep the tape level and read the number where it meets.

What is the part number for the Breg Polar Care XL shoulder pad?

The XL WrapOn shoulder pad is 04905. The Regular (Universal) pad is 04900.

Can I put the Polar Care pad directly on my skin?

No. Always use a skin barrier between the pad and your skin. Direct contact can cause frostbite, and cold, damp skin can break down.

Which sterile dressing goes with my shoulder pad?

Use 04908 with the Regular pad and 04918 with the XL pad.

Do I need a sterile dressing for surgery?

Usually, yes. Most surgeons ask patients to bring one because a fresh incision can only be covered with sterile material. Check your pre-op instructions to confirm.

Can I reuse a Breg sterile dressing?

No. Breg's sterile dressings are single use. Once you are past the fresh-incision stage, switch to a non-sterile skin barrier, a clean T-shirt or a towel.

Can I use a T-shirt or towel instead of a skin barrier?

Yes, over intact skin or over your surgical bandage. Use a clean one, and do not use it over an uncovered fresh incision.

Which Polar Care units do these shoulder pads fit?

The 04900 and 04905 pads fit the Polar Care Cube, Glacier and Cub. They are not compatible with the Polar Care Kodiak.

How long should I use cold therapy on my shoulder?

Follow your surgeon's instructions. Treatment time and frequency vary by procedure, so there is no single rule.

Sources

• McKesson: Breg 04900 WrapOn Shoulder pad

• McKesson: Breg 04905 WrapOn Shoulder pad, XL

• Breg WrapOn Polar Pads and matching sterile dressings (PDF)

• FDA device listing: Breg sterile shoulder dressings 04908 / 04918