Compression Sleeves for On-the-Go Relief: Speed Up Your Recovery with RecoveryPulse
Authors: Therabody Scientists: Tim Roberts, MSc; Rachelle Reed, PhD, MS, ACSM-EP; Kyle Silvey, PhD, CSCS; Michelle Darian, MS, MPH, RD, LDN
Recovering from a workout can be just as important as your workout itself. Not prioritizing it can impact your strength and endurance at your next workout, lead to fatigue, and even disrupt your mood. [1]
Traditional recovery measures like stretching, foam rolling, and active recovery like walking or cycling stimulate your body’s recovery processes. [2] Using these same principles, technology has evolved to provide even more targeted science-backed therapies to increase circulation and relieve soreness, aches, and pains through compression, vibration, and far infrared therapy.
Therabody’s RecoveryPulse® Calf and RecoveryPulse Arm combine these therapies in wearable garments to help make recovery efficient and convenient.
Whether you’re training for a marathon, hitting the tennis court hard, strength training rigorously, or attending group fitness classes religiously, RecoveryPulse technology may be exactly what you need to level up your recovery — and your performance.
What is RecoveryPulse?
RecoveryPulse garments are advanced recovery sleeves designed for your arm (forearm and upper arm) or calf. They deliver both graduated compression and vibration therapy (powered by a removable and rechargeable battery) to the treatment area. The sleeve is made from a germanium-infused textile that naturally emits far infrared therapy for added recovery benefits.
You’re likely familiar with compression garments — tight-fitting clothing like socks, sleeves, or even leggings — that provide consistent pressure to your arms and legs. You may see athletes wearing these sleeves on their arms, nurses wearing compression socks on long shifts, or passengers wearing them on a long flight.
These compression garments are often worn because they enhance circulation and help decrease swelling. [3]
RecoveryPulse integrates this compression technology with vibration and far infrared energy to help support the body’s recovery. Together, these therapies can help reduce pain and soreness, increase circulation, and improve flexibility.
Let’s dive into the science behind how these therapies expedite recovery.
The science behind the therapies
RecoveryPulse Arm and Calf sleeves combine compression and vibration in a germanium-infused fabric that emits far infrared therapy. Together, these therapies work to accelerate your recovery.
Compression therapy
These garments deliver graduated compression. Graduated compression provides more pressure to the part of the body being treated furthest from the heart. This creates a gradient, which rhythmically constricts and releases pressure along the sleeve to facilitate circulation. [4]
Compression therapy helps improve blood and lymph circulation, helps clear metabolic waste that pools in the arms and legs, and delivers nutrient and oxygen-rich blood to muscles in the treatment area. Research shows that wearing these garments can help reduce feelings of muscle soreness and pain. [5]
Vibration therapy
Vibration therapy delivers mechanical vibrations to the treatment area to stimulate the muscles and joints. Research shows that vibration therapy improves recovery and overall health by reducing minor aches and pains, dilating blood vessels to improve blood flow to the treated site, and promoting neuromuscular control. [6, 7, 8, 9]
The RecoveryPulse Arm and Calf provide targeted vibrations (with your choice of three different patterns) to your biceps, triceps, forearm muscles, and calf muscles.
Far infrared therapy
RecoveryPulse sleeves are made with germanium-infused textile, which also contributes to recovery. This fabric naturally reflects far infrared light emitted from the body, and in turn, helps regulate skin temperature, increase circulation, and enhance the body’s own healing processes. [10]
New studies on RecoveryPulse
Each therapy included in RecoveryPulse is well-researched for its ability to accelerate recovery and relieve minor aches and pains. Research from the University of South Carolina investigates the use of RecoveryPulse Calf on gait (the way a person walks or runs). This is critical because having a better gait is linked to improved physical fitness, heart health, and even a lower mortality risk. [11]
This new research suggests that in an active aging population, using RecoveryPulse Calf improves gait speed (the time to walk a set distance), improves gait cadence (steps per minute), and reduces gait asymmetries (differences on right and left sides). We dive deeper into these studies here.
Who can benefit from this technology?
RecoveryPulse technology is designed for anyone who pushes themselves hard physically and wants to reduce muscle fatigue, pain, and soreness from their activity while improving flexibility and mobility. It’s especially beneficial for those seeking relief from:
- Arm-focused workouts: RecoveryPulse Arm is especially beneficial for those participating in arm-focused sports like tennis, golf, basketball, football, and pickleball.
- Lower-body focused workouts: RecoveryPulse Calf provides the lower-body support runners, cyclists, triathletes, and winter sports enthusiasts need.
- High-intensity fitness classes: If you frequently lift weights or dabble in HIIT classes, these garments can help you recover and get you to your next workout faster and stronger.
- Physically demanding jobs: Targeted compression and vibration therapy also support those with physically demanding jobs — such as healthcare workers, construction workers, and teachers who are on their feet and moving all day.
- Staying active as you age: Adults can benefit from seeking recovery from their daily activities, whether that's enjoying fitness classes, chasing grandchildren, or going for long walks.
RecoveryPulse provides a targeted, efficient approach to supporting your muscles.
When to use RecoveryPulse
RecoveryPulse sleeves provide portable and convenient compression with vibration. Each sleeve is powered by a rechargeable battery — so you can wear a single sleeve (or two sleeves at once) wherever and whenever you want. You can wear them while driving, doing chores, or relaxing around the house. Use it when:
- You need recovery support on the go: These sleeves are compact and they can easily find a home in your gym, golf, or tennis bag. Slide on the garment to start your recovery while commuting or during a post-game meal with the crew. If you have a few minutes between tennis sets or holes on the golf course, you could also fit a quick treatment session in during your activity.
- Your tennis elbow flares: If you’re prone to tennis elbow, golfer's elbow, or pain and swelling, use RecoveryPulse Arm to help increase circulation and relieve the pain.
- For relaxation: The compression and vibration in these garments also feel good. You can use them during a more relaxing time (like before bed or while watching a movie). Your muscles will feel more relaxed, and you may even feel more at ease mentally.
- You’ve had a long travel day: RecoveryPulse sleeves also pack well. Long travel days can strain your already active muscles further, and compression and vibration can alleviate soreness from long periods of sitting.
- You’re at your desk: Speaking of sitting, you can always fit in a treatment session when sitting or standing at your desk.
The fabric is sweat-resistant and machine-washable. Just remove the battery before throwing it in the next load.
Key takeaways
- RecoveryPulse Arm and Calf sleeves combine compression and vibration in a wearable device to maximize convenience and efficacy of your recovery.
- Together, these science-backed therapies accelerate recovery, reduce pain and soreness, and increase circulation.
- While RecoveryPulse is particularly beneficial for those looking to enhance their recovery (and performance) for a sport or activity, it can help everyone boost circulation and ease discomfort when your arms or legs need a little extra support.
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