14 Best Muscle Recovery Tools for Athletes + Post Workout
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One of the most important parts of any fitness routine is optimizing workout recovery. One of the best recovery methods for after a hard workout is making sure to refuel properly and attend to sore muscles during the recovery period.
How to Speed Up Muscle Recovery?
While there are a variety of recovery strategies, it’s important to make sure that you find one that works for you and your specific needs.
Foam Rolling
Foam rolling is a self-massage technique that helps to reduce inflammation, stimulate blood flow, and helps to reduce tension and tightness in muscles. That knot of tight muscles is referred to as a trigger point and by properly applying pressure to the area by foam rolling, you can massage the fascia and muscle tissue, causing it to relax and alleviate the painful area. By incorporating foam rolling into your workout recovery, you can reduce injuries in muscles and joints from overuse or misalignment.
Cold Therapy
Cold therapy is another post workout recovery technique that helps reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) and speed up muscle recovery. This technique is most often seen implemented by runners using cold water immersion (CWI) therapy, such as sitting in an ice bath or cold tub. However, there are many products on the market that make cold therapy portable.
Active Recovery
Ultimately, ensuring that you are getting adequate rest will actually strengthen you in the long run. Using active recovery — such as a low-intensity excuse like yoga walking—has been shown to be the most beneficial when compared to inactivity. Even though you may have sore muscles, staying active—instead of sitting or resting—can have a large impact on an athlete’s recovery after a workout.
While each sore muscle recovery technique may be useful on its own, incorporating a variety of these recovery methods is going to be crucial to making sure that you are able to not only recover properly but also get the best results out of your next workout.
Unsure of where to begin? These easy recovery essentials are our top picks to help you get the best muscle recovery for post-workout and help you to recover faster and prevent injury.
Strength Training For Runners E-Book
This e-book is custom designed specifically to create a strength training program with beginner or experienced distance runners in mind. This 67-page e-book not only gives you workouts to implement into your weekly fitness routine, but shares with you the WHY behind strength training and the importance for runners.
1. Kneading And Heating Shiatsu Neck & Lumbar Massager
This massager isn’t just for sore muscles on your neck and shoulders (although we love that use as well!). This adjustable speed massager can sooth sore muscles and relieve body tension and aches in the lower back and legs, too. With three speeds and clockwise and counter-clockwise movement, this massage takes all the work out of foam rolling by yourself.
2. FreezeSleeve Cold Therapy Compression Sleeve
This unisex compression sleeve is specially designed to form to your body without having to worry about freezing bare skin. It’s also made from non-toxic, leakproof materials to make it easy to clean and wear anywhere. Just take it out of the freezer and quickly slide it over the affected area for cold therapy for your post workout muscle recovery.
3. Theragun Therabody Mini Massager
A mini version of the popular Theragun Percussive Therapy device, this small massage gun is a great way to get a deep tissue recovery from the convenience of your gym bag. The Mini Massager uses QuietForce Technology for almost silent use, as well as three variable speeds for sore muscle recovery at any intensity.
More Affordable Option: VYBE Percussion Massage Gun
4. Revive CBD Body Balm
Made from full spectrum USDA certified organic hemp, this CBD balm harnesses the power of cannabidiol to help to sooth acute discomfort from DOMS and muscle aches. Simply rub into the skin anywhere that you are experiencing pain and let the CBD work its magic.
5. Wave Roller
This vibrating roller is Bluetooth-enabled with three hours of battery life and five intensity levels to give you a customized sore muscle recovery that is unmatched. The wave-shaped grooves give the Wave Roller its name, but also provide texture to help you get pressure across all parts of the body. This foam roller does double duty, combining the fascia release of traditional foam rolling and the benefits of percussive therapy into one recovery device.
6. Dr Teal’s Epsom Salts
Dr Teal’s has been a leader in affordable, effective Epsom salts for years. This Hemp Seed oil infused Epsom salt formula helps to revitalize tired muscles for a reinvigorating soak that helps speed up muscle recovery and help calm the mind.
More Options We Love:
1. Sport Recovery Lotion by The Feel Good Lab
2. Floss Recovery Bands
Floss Bands work by tightly squeezing the muscle or joint in the wrap and forcing it through a full-range-of-motion, thereby helping to break up muscle fibers and scar tissue that normal foam rollers cannot reach. When you release the band, it causes blood to rush back to the area, bringing with it fresh blood that is full of nutrients and flushing out the “junk” that you just massaged out. This fresh blood can help to promote lymphatic drainage (for swollen areas of the body) and help stimulate growth and muscle healing.
Since you apply the wrap yourself, you can choose a variable level of compression, making it perfect for athletes and gym goers alike.
3. Cryo Massage Ball
This mini massage ball combines ice therapy and foam rolling into one tiny, effective package. Simply place in the freezer for two hours and you have a cold ball that provides cryotherapy relief to reduce inflammation in sore muscles without having to freeze ice cups (or worry about dripping!).
4. The Original Worm
The Worm roller is one part massage ball and one part foam roller. The perfect travel companion to work out muscle knots in a small, portable option.
5. Hot & Cold Body Wrap
This breathable wrap can be placed in the freezer for cold when you need it or soaked in hot water to provide warmth for up to 20 minutes.
6. Becoming a Supple Leopard
For those looking to understand the "how" and "why" of recovery, How to Become a Supple Leopard is the ultimate guide to understanding your body's mobility and how to optimize your maintainence!
Even More Recovery Options To Love:
Triggerpoint Foam Massage Ball
Want an affordable under $20 recovery tool? This basball sized foam massage ball is easy to toss into your gym bag to break up stubborn muscle knots just about anywhere!
Red Light Therapy Device
Infrared (IR) light therapy uses red light to penetrate deep into the layers of skin to stimulate cellular repair and help to increase blood circulation. While we cannot see infrared light, it has been shown to be deeply effective in penetrating the skin and causing thermal effects, which have been shown to accelerate healing and cell regeneration. This wrap is adjustable, allowing you to use this muscle recovery device anywhere that you need it.