Rest Day!

Affordable and Effective Tools for Post-Game Recovery

By Tyler Traskos|Updated on June 27, 2023 (originally published on March 25, 2022)

Your pre-game preparations and training (hopefully) include tried and true methods that reduce injury and keep performance at the highest level. What you do after a game or a long training session is just as important. Athletic trainers have tools that are very effective for recovery – muscle compression systems, cryo-therapy options, and shelves full of rollers – but let's face it, these aren't always attainable for athletes doing at-home or on-the-road recovery. While you may not always be able to have the state of the art options in your at-home arsenal, there are countless inexpensive and accessible options at your disposal.

Recovery Items

Muscle Rollers
At some point in their career, almost every athlete has bought a foam roller or a variation of a muscle roller, and they'll tell you that it is one of the best purchases they ever made. Muscle rollers are not only inexpensive (many coming in at $30 or less) but they are also extremely effective, and portable. There may be a bit of a learning curve when first starting out, and your first few attempts can lead to bruising, but in time you will find that you'll want your roller in your athletic bag at all times. Muscle rollers also come in many different forms for all areas. In addition to your standard foam roller, spike ball rollers and hand rollers are also great options for deeper, more pinpointed treatment while keeping the same versatility of a traditional foam roller. In terms of price and ease of use, muscle rollers can't be beat.

Massage Guns
Slightly more expensive, yet highly effective tools for muscle recovery, are massage guns. If you've never used one of these, think of a muscle roller but on steroids.

Massage guns can be found at cheaper prices (some under $100), but on average, you should be prepared to spend around $120 – $150 for one that's decent quality. That said, if you consider yourself a serious athlete, this is an investment that you will not regret. Many massage guns come with a variety of attachments that can be used to pinpoint certain muscle groups. Most also feature adjustable speed settings to account for the level of fatigue or soreness. Finding the right combination of these features may take some time, but once you find the golden combination, your muscles will thank you. In addition, some massage guns also come with a convenient carrying case to make use on the go, or even mid-game use a breeze.

Heating Pads
Yet another simple and inexpensive tool for muscle recovery comes in the form of heating pads. While a heating pad might not be a quick solution to knots and tightness like a foam roller, heating pads interact with your muscles on a deeper level that promotes healing and recovery over time. Firstly, heating pads coax veins to expand, which increases blood flow to the affected area. This increased blood flow brings along more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, promoting healing. Heating pads also work to release the buildup of lactic acid in exhausted muscles, which promotes overall relaxation.

Resistance Bands
Resistance bands are a great dual purpose tool that boasts a low price tag and unmatched portability. Firstly, resistance bands are a great tool for stretching before or after a workout or a game. They are also great for low-stress training and strengthening of muscles. Both of these things can help with recovery from injury, as well as prevention of future injury. These bands typically come in sets of 5 to 6 bands with varying levels of resistance, and are easy to toss in a training bag and take with you as they take up virtually no space in a bag.

Ice Wraps
Ice wraps are a great way to make icing your muscles easier and more effective. An ice wrap is more or less a sleeve that has a place where you can insert an ice pack. You can then attach that sleeve (usually with velcro) to any part of your body to keep a firm compression on your ice pack on the affected area. Similarly this could also be used with a heating pad to achieve the same effect but with heat as opposed to ice. An ice sleeve is a great tool to make your recovery process easier and less intrusive on your day to day life. As an alternative, products such as IcyHot and Biofreeze provide a heat and cold recovery substitute. These products are available in many forms such as gels, sprays and creams.

Household
If you ever really find yourself in a pinch with none of your usual recovery arsenal in reach, another great way to stretch out for recovery is with pretty much any surface you can find at home or even on the road. Things like chairs, step stools, stairs and even walls are all you need to get a great stretch in. Chairs are great for stretching legs and knees, walls are great for arms, shoulders, and your achilles. There are countless ways you can stretch out for no cost right in your own home.

Where to Find

If you're looking to add to your collection of recovery tools, but aren't looking to break the bank, there are a lot of places that you might just find some great deals at! Discount retail stores like TJ Maxx and Marshalls are a great place to find good deals on some of the items mentioned in this list. Another thing to do is talk to your friends and see if they have anything they don't use, and check online markets like FaceBook marketplace and Nextdoor! You may even be able to get one from your trainer or physical therapist. While you may not strike it big on deals, it never hurts to check!

Recovery is one of the most crucial parts of any post-game routine for athletes, and is the key to not only healing current injuries, but preventing future injuries. We all get sore at some point or another, but that little bit of soreness you feel after a long training session or a hard-fought game is nothing to take lightly. The options mentioned in this article are just a few of the many options out there for at-home muscle recovery. Your health should always be priority #1, and if you take care of your body, your body will reward you.

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