Best Muscle Recovery Tools for Athletes + Post-Workout

There’s more to working out or training than simply running the field or hitting the gym. The best results come to those who take their recovery seriously. In fact, building your strength and toning your muscles depend on it! Every athlete and gym junkie will inevitably endure sore muscles. Thankfully, there are plenty of recovery tools to help.

Not only will the right sports recovery equipment safely speed up your recovery. You just might start to look forward to it! The experts at Academy Sports + Outdoors have consolidated the best muscle recovery tools. You’ll find plenty of options that fit your specific needs or fitness goals.

Muscle recovery is a corrective process meant to help repair the stressed tissue or damaged fibers in your muscles after a workout or training session. Strength training is especially brutal on your muscles. Working the same areas day in and day out without giving your body the opportunity to recover can lead to painful injuries and a lack of real results.

A methodical post-workout recovery routine can look like this:

• Stretching after an intense workout session — Doing so helps to soothe any muscle tension or stress built up from the workout.

• Setting up an intentional schedule — You might focus on strength training, cardio, and active resting each for two days before repeating the cycle over again.

If you don’t let your muscles recover, any tears or stress can lead to more dramatic inflammation and swelling. Recovery allows you to build up your strength without hindering your performance. Just remember that (as you would before starting a new fitness program) you should consult with your doctor before adding any muscle recovery tools to your routine — especially if you have chronic pain or recent injuries.

The use of massage guns shows that they help increase blood circulation, stimulate the lymphatic and nervous systems, and release lactic acid buildup. An increased performance capability is the most obvious benefit. But did you know that they can also be a fantastic tool in rehabilitation treatment if you’re injured?

Apply consistent pressure to both sides of your legs at once with this handheld leg massager. You’ll be able to work out any knots and provide targeted pain relief. Four acupressure rollers provide deep massage and consistent pressure distribution for your thighs, calves, and even sore arms.

Foot rollers target minor aches in the small muscles in your feet and forearms. Doing so simultaneously increases their flexibility and relieves tension. Their compact size and light weight make them very transportable and easy to use whether you’re at the gym or on the road, while seated or standing.

Massage bars feature multiple, independently spinning wheels along a bar for targeted, deep-tissue massage of your muscles. These muscle recovery tools allow you to control the pressure and location of the massage. Do so by holding the handles on either side of the massage bar and rolling it along your body. Slim and compact, massage bars are one of the easiest recovery tools to use and are also very travel-friendly.

Compression socks — worn either during or after exercise — can help improve circulation, decrease swelling in your calves, prevent blood clots, and relieve pain from varicose veins. They apply continuous pressure on your lower legs (also known as the bottom of your circulatory system). Doing so sends blood back to your heart.

Inversion tables relieve the pressure gravity puts on your spine, joints, nerves, and muscles by decompressing these areas. You ‘hang’ upside down in an inverted position. Most inversion tables have a range of settings so that you can slowly increase the degree to which you are inverted over time.

Increased flexibility reduces injuries. Stretch straps are a great low-resistance recovery tool! They help you achieve a deeper stretch to alleviate muscle tightness and soreness. Strengthen your muscles when you use them as you also increase your range of motion. Many of them have multiple loops and loop sizes to help you modify your positioning as your flexibility improves.

Electric muscle stimulators (EMS) send electrical currents through your body’s soft tissue. Doing so enhances blood circulation and increases your muscles’ performance. It also targets fast-twitching muscle fibers and forcefully contracts your muscles.

You may have seen compression systems used by professional athletes or at physical therapy. However, the once medical-grade-only technology has evolved! These large boots use intermittent pneumatic compression to help relieve overall muscle fatigue by increasing circulation.

They flush metabolic waste buildup from your legs to your lymph system faster than other recovery tools like compression socks (which are more passive). Using these can shorten the amount of rest your body requires between workouts.

Topical pain relievers utilize ingredients like methyl salicylate to create a cooling sensation. They also have non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen to quickly reduce pain (often due to sprains, strains, and general muscle soreness) when applied to the skin. Incredibly versatile, you can apply topical pain relievers to large areas or target smaller pain points that need immediate relief.

No matter the training you do, your feet take a beating. Breathable, lightweight, and incredibly cushioned, recovery slides are designed to relieve your feet and arches of the impact you just put them through. They offer much more support and comfort than your average flip-flops.

Use an exercise ball for stretching, improving your stability, and strengthening your core muscles during recovery. But nowadays, you’ll find so much value in a single object! Find them in a myriad of places: the gym, your home, and the office. These incredibly versatile muscle recovery tools help improve your posture, allow you to learn how to properly lift, and increase mobility in your lower back.