Best Tech Gadgets for Workout Recovery

If you’ve experienced a massage at a spa, you know how effective they are at helping you relax and de-stress. They also feel great after a long run or high-intensity workout Fortunately, you don’t need an appointment with a massage therapist to relieve sore muscles. Thanks to the variety of massagers on the market today, you can optimize your workout recovery in the comfort of your home.

Depending on what areas of your body are feeling the effects of lifting weights or an intense cardio routine, you can find a massager that targets specific zones with varying levels of intensity. For example, if you need to loosen up the general area of your neck and back, a shiatsu massager is an ideal choice. These models apply soothing pressure with motorized nodes and multiple heat settings that can be adjusted to your liking. If you feel like a whole-body massage is in order, a massage chair covers all the bases and often includes a vibration feature.

Another option is a percussive massager. Sports medicine providers have relied on these gadgets for years as the best post-workout treatment for athletes, and now they’re readily available for the general public. These are the best workout recovery gadgets if you’re dealing with the discomfort of tight muscles in a specific location. Also referred to as deep tissue massagers and massage guns, they help reduce muscle soreness, improve mobility and increase relaxation. While shiatsu massagers are placed behind your back and neck or at your legs and feet, percussive massagers are handheld recovery tools.

If you’re wondering how to relieve sore muscles that have knots, a foam roller is one of the best workout recovery tools for that issue. Cylindrical in shape, foam rollers come in assorted sizes, densities and textures to suit your individual needs. These gadgets are popular with runners and other athletes for stretching after workouts.

Foam rollers are also ideal for breaking up myofascial adhesions that can occur when building muscles.See Disclosure ⁴ By applying a roller to the area, it breaks up the attachment between the layer of tissue (fascia) and the muscle, helping them glide easily against each other rather than being stuck in a knot. And while the act of breaking up the myofascial adhesions might feel uncomfortable at first, the long-term effects can be beneficial for post-workout pain management.

Because everyone has different sensitivities and pain thresholds, you can choose the right foam density for you. Also, you can decide on a foam roller with a flat surface or one that has ridges or nubs that add a massage component. The latest high-tech foam rollers have a vibration feature and Bluetooth capabilities. This allows you to connect your roller with your smartphone for guided sessions and progress monitoring through an ancillary app.

Many people who search the internet for what helps sore muscles after workouts end up finding a plethora of results for compression sleeves and braces. These wearable workout recovery gadgets have been updated to meet the modern technology needs of active individuals. For instance, instead of just applying pressure, some also include a combination of cryotherapy and massage components. And because you’re often sweaty after you exercise, there are models made out of antimicrobial fabrics.

Compression sleeves and wraps create pressure that increases venous circulation, providing more oxygen to muscles that have been torn down during exercise.See Disclosure ⁵ This is similar to the benefits of heat therapy, but the ice feature serves to reduce pain and inflammation caused by the lactic acid buildup. With the soreness and muscle stiffness alleviated, you’ll likely hop back on the treadmill or sit down on the rowing machine sooner. However, it’s important to note that if you have a previous or ongoing injury, you might want to discuss with your physician whether a compression sleeve or brace is the best workout recovery gadget for your needs.

Oftentimes, people who are just starting an exercise routine go too hard too soon and find themselves with a strained muscle in need of extra TLC. A common therapy for this ailment is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS). A TENS unit is a machine that delivers a minor electrical current to the muscle below. Not only does this action increase blood flow to the area that needs healing, but it engages the muscle, which reduces stiffness and promotes mobility.

There are several types of electrical muscle stimulators. Some use individual reusable electrode pads placed on the skin above the area that needs relief, and these pads connect to a handheld control device. Others are all-in-one wraps for your knees or back where the electrodes are concealed within the padding of the unit. There’s also the option to add heat to the treatment with models that offer this feature.

Most TENS units allow you to adjust the intensity level of the electrical current so that you can personalize your treatment. As you become more comfortable with the sensation during use, you can increase the pulse to have more of an effect. In addition to relieving sore muscles, TENS unit therapy can also be used to treat inflamed tendons (tendinitis), chronic pain, joint pain (fibromyalgia), hardening of the arteries (peripheral artery disease), labor pain, and diabetes-related nerve pain.See Disclosure ⁶

Aside from figuring out what helps sore muscles after workouts, another part of exercise recovery is knowing how well your heart and lungs recuperate after extended periods of elevated activity. One way to assess this is by using a fitness smartwatch to track how quickly your heart rate and blood pressure return to normal. Most smartwatches designed for exercise have the ability to sync up with your smartphone to keep a record of your health and wellness data.

One of the most crucial parts of workout recovery is rest. More specifically, during stage 3 of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep is when the body releases a growth hormone that helps repair tissues damaged during exercise.See Disclosure ⁷ If you are having trouble getting enough sleep, it might take longer for your injuries to heal.See Disclosure ⁸ To ensure that you’re setting yourself up for success, it’s worth looking into sleep solutions to improve that aspect of your health.

No matter what exercise you need to recover from, the equipment you use can make a significant difference in how soon you’re ready for your next sweat session. From yoga and pickleball to weightlifting and aerobics, you can relieve sore muscles with the best tech gadgets for workout recovery on the market today.

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4. Krause, Frieder, Jan Wilke, Daniel Niederer, Lutz Vogt and Winfried Banzer. “Acute Effects of Foam Rolling on Passive Tissue Stiffness and Fascial Sliding: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.” Trials, BioMed Central. March 9, 2017. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5343315/.

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7. McCall, Pete. “7 Benefits of Sleep for Exercise Recovery.” ACE, The American Council on Exercise. May 11, 2021. https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/blog/7818/7-benefits-of-sleep-for-exercise-recovery/.

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