Therabody has today launched its second iteration of the RecoveryAir pneumatic compression boots, which are designed to use cyclical compression to speed up blood flow to sore muscles.
Increased circulation is said to in turn help speed up the recovery of sore and tires muscles. This is the main idea behind the boots, with the second-generation design also offering fully wireless capability.
What are recovery boots?
Recovery boots are a pair of leg sleeves that you can zip yourself into and, when attached to a device, can offer pneumatic compression via ‘internal overlapping chambers’ within the sleeves.
The ultimate form of passive recovery, athletes can sit on the sofa and watch TV while the boots are working their magic. The pneumatic compression is a form of sports massage that uses varying pressure on the muscles, with the inner chambers inflating and deflating in a cyclical pattern over a ’60-second compression cycle’.
Therabody says that the process ‘flushes out fluids containing metabolic waste and ushers in fresh, nutrient-rich blood to the limbs’.
The new RecoveryAir range
The updated range offers three designs, each offering a different price bracket and key focus, depending on what you're after:
The most affordable and simple version in the range is the Prime recovery boots, priced at £599. These offer basic pneumatic compression performed through Therabody's 'proven recovery technologies'.
The Prime has an external pump with controls, where you can choose between four time intervals (20min, 40min, 60min, or continuous). The pressure is adjustible and ranges from 20-100mmHg. Like all boots in the range, the boots function on a repeated 60-second cycle of inflation and deflation.
The shortest batter life of the pack, the Prime still claims to last 180 minutes before recharging's needed, while the JetBoots and Pro boast a 240-minute battery life.
Next up are the JetBoots (£779), which are designed to be portable and convenient to use on the go. This means that they're fully wireless and the pump integrated into the bottom of the boot rather than being external.
As well as having four different time intervals to choose from, it has four pressure settings ranging from 25 to 100mmHg, which are controlled by a one-touch integrated panel.
Then you have the top of the range recovery boots in the form of the wireless Pro boots, which are the newly redesigned model (£1,129). They're designed to allow the user far more room to personalise sessions and target specific sore spots, as well as following 'fully guided treatments'.
The Pro comes with an external pump and controls, which you can use to choose from four preset programmes (warm-up, recovery, isolation and interval), along with four inflation cycles (sequential, wave, isolation and flow).
Therabody says there's also zonal pressure in individual chambers along the leg, with plenty of customisation in the length of treatment, pressure range and hold and release time.
How do you use the recovery boots?
Choose a comfortable surface to sit on and slip the boots on one leg at a time, zipping yourself in. For the Pro and Prime, you'll need to connect the external tubes to the pump. Switch the device on and plug-in if it doesn't have wireless capability.
Then, choose your desired pressure and how long you'd like your session to last. Sit back, and let the boots work their recovery magic on your tired legs.
What makes Therabody recovery boots different?
Therabody says that the brand's boots are the only device to offer ‘a consistent pressure gradient’, which they claim is the most efficient process for recovery. Features include:
- ‘FastFlush Technology’ – one compression cycle takes 60-seconds to compete
- ‘TruGrade Technology’ – graduated pressure that travels up the legs, toward the heart
- Medical-grade material – made from non-porous material that should be easy to clean
- Compatibility with the Therabody App – connect to the app via Bluetooth, from spring 2022
Therabody also says that for each pair of JetBoots sold, the brand will donate a system to a hospital break room (up to 300 units).
Find out more about Therabody here.
Top image credit: Therabody
