Top 10 Recovery products
Whether you're an athlete who needs to recover after an intense training session or someone who's picked up an injury, recovery is the key to feeling better and staying active. Physical activities and playing sports can be quite strenuous on the body due to the demands we make to either push ourselves or to keep up with certain expectations.
The repetitive nature of these demands is more common in athletes but regular running and other high-impact activities can also leave us with overworked muscles, joints and ligaments which can have a knock-on effect on other parts of the body.
This makes it even more important to recover properly and manage injuries more effectively. Injury recovery depends more on the type of injury or the injured body part but we will help to identify some great products for general injury recovery, regardless of whether they are repetitive strain injuries or acute sports injuries.
As it's the end of the season for a lot of sports like Rugby and Football, it's a great time to start focusing on recovering from the intensity of training and matches or working towards your peak performance level over the summer.
Here's our list of top 10 recovery products:
- Tiger K Tape
- Physique Spikey Massage Balls
- diPulse Smart Recovery Kit
- Bluetens Duo Sport
- Pro Foam Roller
- Thumper Sport
- NAQI Recovery Gel
- Physique Elite Reusable Hot & Cold Pack
- Physique Mini bands
- NormaTec PULSE 2.0 Leg Recovery System
Kinesiology Tape is an amazing recovery solution. This adhesive tape is designed as a rehabilitation tape to enhance the body's natural healing process whilst offering muscle and joint support and stability.
Our Tiger K kinesiology tape works by microscopically lifting the skin away from the affected area below to help alleviate pain, oedema, improve blood circulation and facilitate lymphatic drainage
Kinesiology tape is helpful with a wide range of injuries and can be used on so many different parts of the body which makes it a very universal recovery aid. It's important to note that each area that you apply Kinesiology tape to will have a specific taping technique. It's always good to have a roll of K tape at the end of the season or to get you through the warmer months if you're planning on having a busy summer.
Massage Balls are another great option for universal recovery as they can help to address a lot of injuries and muscle fatigue. They are primarily used in rehabilitation and physical therapy where they are used to condition the muscles in the feet and ease any tension.
Because massage balls are so effective at boosting recovery time and pain management, they are becoming a more popular choice for athletes as a simple and reliable solution to recovery, pain, and minor injuries.
Smooth massage balls are better for trigger point therapy and easing muscle tension, whereas Spiky balls are more effective for increasing blood flow. Massage ball exercises typically involve a lot of self-massage techniques that make them an easy and convenient tool.
Electrotherapy for Muscle Recovery
diPulse is a complete range of smart, premium training wear offering unparalleled opportunities for training at home, outside, in the gym, or combined with a specific sport.
NMES is the technology behind diPulse, it aims to transform your recovery and training into a professional and optimised experience. It is also effective for managing muscle-related injuries and post-surgery recovery.
The range covers everything from a full body kit to knee sleeves and straps, so you'll be sure to find something that can help you recover better. The smartphone app makes it really easy to use while also helping you to make the most out of your recovery.
Bluetens is an innovative approach to TENS, The Bluetens Duo Sport is used for physical preparation, muscle recovery and muscle pain; the device covers all your needs as an amateur or professional athlete.
The Duo sport has two separate devices that are controlled from your smartphone with various different programs to suit your needs. The Duo Sport can be used on:
Upper back, Chest, Lower back, Belly, Buttocks, Thighs, Knees, Calves, Ankles, Feet, Arms, Elbows, Forearms, Wrists, Shoulders
The Pro Foam Roller is an essential piece of kit for any sports player or fitness and activity enthusiast.
Our roller provides you with an extremely reliable and functional tool that can be used for myofascial self-massage, rehabilitation and as part of pilates or yoga.
Made from high-density EVA foam our Pro Foam Roller will not lose shape or turn 'lumpy'. You can use the Pro Foam Roller for self-massage as well as balance training, it's also ideal for stretching, can help improve flexibility and is great for core strength training as well.
Thumper massagers are excellent tools for muscle tension and recovery.
Applying the right depth of stroke makes a significant difference in whether you are working your muscles efficiently or causing harm to your muscle tissue. Too low and the massager will have little or no effect on the healing process, too high and you could cause damage to your muscles if applied incorrectly.
Thumper Massagers' depth of stoke ranges from 4-8mm, perfect to give our amazing body cells the kick start they need for your body’s healing process.
The Thumper Sport is a great option for self-massage use because it is designed with a long handle that allows the massage heads to effectively reach any part of the body, including the upper back and shoulders.
If you're after something a bit more powerful then the Mini Pro has more muscle penetration and a similar design. Thumper also now have a wireless version Lithium2, so you can charge and massage anywhere.
NAQI® Recovery Gel relaxes the muscles and helps reduce muscle fatigue after physical activity and sports.
It contains essential oils of eucalyptus, peppermint, cypress, arnica and juniper, and vanillyl butyl ether to stimulate blood flow and increase the supply of nutrients and oxygen to tired muscles.
By speeding up the removal of waste materials built up in the muscles, you will enjoy a quicker recovery after intense workouts.
As a topical solution for recovery, it is very convenient and easy to use making it another must-have for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
Heat therapy and cryotherapy are synonymous with recovery as they both offer so many benefits in terms of regulating blood flow and providing targeted pain relief.
Cold therapy is good for constricting blood circulation whereas Heat Therapy promotes increased blood flow.
You can even use them in conjunction with each other which is known as Contrast Therapy and this is a very effective means of treating an injury and recovering faster.
Resistance bands are primarily used for muscle strengthening but can help you to recover better by strengthening the right muscles accurately, giving you more control over your body and recovery time.
They are also amazing tools for rehabilitation so they are essential for things like serious injuries that may have resulted in a long period of inactivity or for post-surgery recovery.
This is because you manage loads a lot better with resistance bands and it makes it easier to gradually re-introduce the muscles according to a specific programme.
Normatec compression garments are an amazing piece of recovery kit. They make use of Intermittent pneumatic compression which helps control blood flow.
Compression is an integral part of recovery, whether it's from an acute injury or from overuse.
You can even use them after a long training session or workout to help boost muscle recovery and manage your muscles more effectively.
Did you find this article useful?
Why not share this with a colleague, patient or friend?