Our top 5 products to recover well this sports season

Recovery not only allows our muscles to repair, re-build and strengthen but ensures our bodies energy stores have time to replenish. As a rule of thumb, allowing a period of 48-72 hours rest after our muscles have been worked ensures that our body will have time to achieve this. It is important to note recovery doesn’t always mean sitting out on activity altogether (although these days are important, too!) it can also be lowering the intensity of your activity through active recovery. 

Active Recovery vs Rest Day

Active recovery is achieved through less intense movement or motion to help repair soft tissue and aims to increase blood flow and removal of waste products. Active recovery can be achieved though gentle activity such as walking or stretching. The idea is to place the body under very minimal amounts of stress – ideally none! 

A rest day focusses on giving yourself the day off from exercise altogether. The amount of rest days you will need to work into your plan is dependent on the level of intensity and type of activity you participate in. 

If you choose to take an active recovery day, there are products that you can use to assist with this. We share our top 5 picks that will help you to recover well and perform at your peak.

USL Sport Foam Roller

Foam rolling is a great active recovery technique, providing you with a self-myofascial release (SMR). It can assist with increasing range of motion, circulation, and muscle soreness. The USL Sport Foam Roller   is a great entry-level roller that provides moderate level compression. The three sizes offer a solution for all users – whether you are after a portable size that targets smaller areas, or a larger size for targeting your back.  

USL Crossfit Massage Ball

The USL Crossfit Massage Ball  is great for reducing muscle tension and tightness, and the smaller size means that it can target areas that foam rollers don’t reach. The USL Crossfit Massage Ball  can be used on the upper and lower back, shoulder, legs, and feet. The small lightweight 6cm design allows for on-the-go relief and is a great self-massage tool for before and after exercise.

USL Power Band

Stretching is important post physical activity, helping to protect our mobility, relax tense muscles and increase blood flow. The USL Power Band  is a great tool to help with stretching. Using a resistance band to stretch can help you to get into a deeper stretch which call allow you to increase your flexibility and assist with increasing range of motion. 

Veinoplus Sport for Performance and Recovery

If you are really wanting to step up your post-workout recovery sessions, the Veinoplus Sport for Performance and Recovery  offers the same benefits of active recovery in a passive state through electrostimulation. Electrostimulation is a physical therapy treatment that produces mild electrical pulses to contract muscles, helping to improve blood flow without muscular work. It can be applied to the calves to provide whole-body recovery, or local recovery by placing the electrodes on muscles such as quadriceps. 

Loumet Massage Spikey Ball

One recovery tool that shouldn’t be overlooked is the Loumet Massage Spikey Ball. Like Foam Rollers, Spikey Balls work on the myofascial system. They help to increase blood flow to the area, reduce muscle tension and can help shorten recovery time. The small size makes them a great portable self-massage tool, and the ability to be used on almost all parts of the body. 

The above information is designed as a guide only. Please consult with your healthcare professional to ensure that you select the most appropriate massage tool for your needs. 

Sources: 

https://www.verywellfit.com/the-benefits-of-rest-and-recovery-after-exercise-3120575

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/the-importance-of-stretching