28 Best Recovery Tools for Athletes of 2025 to Get Back After It ASAP

Arguably the highest-tech option currently available, the Theragun Pro Plus sets the standard for a top-of-the-line massage gun. This thing has five speeds of deep tissue percussive therapy, near-infrared LED light, and attachments for hot and cold massage. It also includes a built-in heart rate sensor for guided breathwork sessions. So if you want the best massage gun money can buy, look no further (just know that it will indeed require a decent amount of money).

“Made to move,” the Hypervolt Go 2 is my recommendation for a high-quality travel massage gun. It weighs only 1.5 pounds but boasts a 40-wattage high-torque motor, three speeds of percussion, and a three-hour battery. Clocking in at $139, it is a great option to bring along some massage relief in your gym bag or on that next vacation.

If you want a massage gun that will provide solid percussive relief, without breaking the bank, the Renpho Massage Gun is for you. For its low price, it still provides five speeds of massage, and a variety of interchangeable attachments.

Dawgs tired after a long day? Maybe that marathon training has you spending too much time thinking about something called “plantar fasciitis?” Either way, the Renpho Foot Massager will get you sorted. It has three levels of heat, compression, and massage while still being small enough to fit under a desk or chair. Fire it up while you compulsively refresh Slack.

The Pso-Rite is a hard plastic massage tool with two parallel peaks designed to mimic the size of a therapist's hands and the density of an elbow. You can use it to activate and release the psoas, aka the hip flexor, a large muscle complex that essentially connects the upper and lower halves of the body. If you lead an active lifestyle but also spend a lot of time behind a desk (most of us these days), then your psoas is probably tight. The Pso-Rite will fix that, and it can also be used to target various other muscle groups in the body.

Think of the Thera-Cane as the manual version of a massage gun. You've probably seen one of these curved plastic objects with various protruding points hanging in your physical therapist's office, and for good reason. It can be used to target a variety of tight spots and makes for an affordable addition to any recovery protocol.

A foam roller is one of the easiest self massage tools to use: You literally just set it down and start rolling. Great for targeting muscles in the legs and back, they're affordable and don't take up too much space. This one from Triggerpoint has a hollow core design and multi-density foam. It delivers firm compression to attack those tight muscles.

Even easier to use and more compact than a foam roller, the firm rubber in a standard lacrosse ball can make for a great massage tool. They are specifically good at targeting muscles in the feet. You can also put it up against a wall to target the back.

Creatine is one of the most heavily studied and safest supplements on the market today, perhaps second only to protein powder in that regard. It is scientifically proven to aid in strength building, athletic performance, and recovery, by allowing your muscles to store more energy. Some new studies also show that it can even aid brain health.

Advice on how much protein one should eat varies widely. If you're trying to maximize muscle growth and performance, one gram of protein per pound of body weight is a solid target. This protein powder from Vega will help you get there. It uses a plant protein blend that I find to be easier on the stomach than whey, and it's packed with other useful ingredients like tart cherry and probiotics.

Hydration plays a major role in recovery, reducing inflammation while helping to improve blood flow and nutrient delivery. This Hydration Everyday Drink Mix from Skratch Labs will make sure you stay hydrated at peak levels by providing just enough sugar and electrolytes. It is also made without any artificial sweeteners or coloring—only real fruit.

While I wouldn't recommend eating it, soaking with this Epsom salt from Dr. Teal's will go a long way towards soothing sore muscles.

These are the most high-tech iteration of compression boots yet to grace the market. They don't require any hoses or separate control units, everything is housed within each boot (which sync automatically via Bluetooth). Such convenience does not require a sacrifice in quality either—these have seven levels of compression, a four-hour battery life, and zone boost technology that lets you target specific areas of your legs. I've been using them for the last couple of months while rehabbing a knee injury and can attest that my sore legs feel noticeably fresher after a 30- to 45-minute session in the evening.

Sauna use provides a host of science-backed benefits such as improved cardiovascular health, increased VO2 max, and better circulation. This Infrared Sauna Blanket from Higher Dose heats up in 10 minutes and allows you to soak up those benefits on the go or at home, where space or budget might preclude you from accessing a full-size sauna. You don't even need to know what heat shock proteins are! Get sweating.

Think of the HigherDose Infrared PEMF Pro Mat as a yoga mat on steroids. You can set it to emit different wavelengths of pulsed electromagnetic field to aid with relaxation, grounding, recovery, and focus. I'm still not sure how much of those effects I felt, but where the mat really shines is with its infrared tech. There are multiple settings of heat, and once warmed up, it does a great job of boosting relaxation and easing sore muscles.

Ice is great for managing swelling and inflammation. Thankfully, gone are the days of an ice-filled plastic bag wrapped with Saran Wrap being the main option for receiving said benefits. The freeze sleeve is reusable, and slides on seamlessly, providing 360-degree coverage while still allowing you to walk around freely. As a bonus, you can throw it in the microwave for heat therapy.

Tried and true—and a staple of physical therapy offices nationwide—the ColPac reusable ice pack provides plenty of coverage to soothe sore joints. Keep a couple in the freezer and throw them on after a particularly intense workout.

These recovery slides from Hoka's Ora line provide great support in a sleek and vaguely futuristic package. I found them to be light on the feet while still maintaining excellent arch support. They are also more sustainable than previous iterations, introducing a footbed made of recycled sugarcane.

These slip-on recovery shoes from Salomon are comfortable and breathable, great to throw on around camp after a particularly grueling hike. Their mild tread pattern still provides some traction, though I wouldn't recommend straying too far. They have a tech-forward silhouette that vaguely resembles a pair of water shoes, in a cool way (I promise).

The fan favorite Oocloog from Oofos uses a patented footbed designed to reduce joint stress and absorb 37% more impact than standard footwear. All this means that it really does feel like walking on a cloud. They're also machine washable.

We've tested a handful of recovery shoes, and Kane's Revives are our top pick for being the best-looking of the bunch, while providing all the foot comfort and support you probably didn't even know you needed. They're breathable (look at those holes!) and easy to slip on and off thanks to the laceless design. Would we do our best to wear these at home only? Sure, but a quick dip outside in these wouldn't be the worse—especially since they're like walking on a cloud.

The CastleFlexx is not your standard stretch band—instead it uses a foot hammock to promote even toe flexion and a deeper stretch. This combined with the grip bar means you'll be nailing that sit and reach in no time. At over $200, it is on the pricier side, but can you really put a price on mobility?

Pro Tec makes a great, straightforward stretch band. Firm but with just a touch of flexibility, it has 10 grip handles to make sure you stay in control.

The Cadillac of sleep devices. The Eight Sleep Pod 4 Ultra provides elite quality sleep with a two pronged approach: The mattress cover and hub provide temperature regulation and sleep monitoring, while the base finds the ideal position for spinal alignment and snoring mitigation. The result: You wake up recovered and ready to take on whatever the day holds.

Sleeping in genuine darkness is very important but sometimes not feasible. Sleep masks provide an easy solution to that problem, and this one from Therabody is as nice as they come. In addition to blocking out light, it uses gentle vibration patterns to pull you into the deepest of slumbers.

A good sleep tracker is the best way to ensure that your sleep is indeed of good quality. There are many out there, but the Whoop 4.0 band is an industry leader providing various insights into performance, recovery, and sleep.

These Ozlo Sleepbuds block the world out so you can achieve some much-needed rest. Great for city dwellers and light sleepers alike, they are low profile with an extra comfortable silicone tip. Early morning sirens are about to become a concern of the past.