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If you had asked us a few years ago what we thought of compression boots, we would have said it was an innovative product with potential. The big question is, will they disappear like other fitness product fads, or will technology continue to improve?” The latter appears to be driven by innovative product designs from two major brands, Normatec and Therabody.
Yes, there are other brands that make compression boots for post-workout recovery, but the truth is that no one works quite like Normatec and Therabody. For example, since we originally covered .css-38knzi{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.125rem;text-decoration-color:#d2232e;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:inherit;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s escape-in-out; transition: all with 0. 3s escape-in-out;}.css-38knzi:hover{color:#000;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;background-color:#F3B032;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s escape-in-out;transition:all 0.3s escape-in-out;} a truly wireless iteration of their eye-catching 2021 boot called the Jet Boot. As for Normatec, we recently tested the Normatec Go, an ultra-portable compression boot system that targets the shin for easy mobility recovery.
Over the past few years, MH Fitness editors and experts, including NASM Senior Fitness Editor Brett Williams and CSCS MH Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel, have spent countless hours testing these boots to evaluate their comfort, fit, value, and how well they support recovery. We also reached out to Physios Renato Sanchez (PT, DPT, CSCS) of Bespoke Treatments San Diego and Daniel Giordano (PT, DPT, CSCS) of Bespoke Treatments NYC for help.
“Compression boots were originally developed to treat various circulatory disorders and fluid retention,” explains Dr. Sanchez. Compression therapy has only recently become popular in the fitness industry as a means of muscle recovery.
For those of you who were skeptical about compression boots, we got it. To be clear, there is still a serious lack of scientific research to support claims that compression boots help speed up or improve the recovery process. (Brands may tell you otherwise, but we only do independent research.) Instead, we can only tell you what we think after using them ourselves.
“There is limited reputable scientific evidence that compression boots are actually effective in accelerating lower body recovery. However, compression boots have value,” says Samuel. “The end result is definitely relaxation, which allows my nervous system to tone down, and that tone is restorative.”
To help you choose your fast-growing options, we’ve rounded up the best compression boots for all types of people. Below are six well-chosen compression boots to suit all workouts and budgets.
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Our Therabody JetBoots review received massive editorial acclaim thanks to the wireless internal boot pumps built into the bottom of each foot. There are no cords or controls for you to hold on to, which means you can literally put those bad guys on your body and enjoy 20-100mmHg pressure. anywhere – be it on the couch or in the airport lounge.
“I love the ease of use of JetBoots. It’s a super-comfortable no-tether experience: put them on, press the button on one leg (they connect automatically… even more convenient) and start the air massage,” says Samuel.
Brett Williams, Senior Editor at NASM, MH, is completely blown away by the wireless design. “I love the ease of using them in bed.”
More affordable, but with a shorter battery life and dependence on an external pump: this is the essential difference between TheraBody Prime and JetBoots and Pro systems.
However, we found the Prime came with a simple control panel, smart app connectivity, and the same pressure settings and performance features as when using JetBoots. If you want to save some money and still get quality performance, these options are for you.
While most compression boots are easy to use, Normatec’s latest generation offers a serious user experience with a clean zipper design and comfortable, lightweight controls. Seven customizable compression settings are available, as well as Normatec ZoneBoost technology, which provides extra time and pressure on specific pain points, such as the upper quadriceps on the morning of leg workout.
“My Normatec outriggers are very reliable and load quickly. I usually use them when I sit on the couch watching TV or working on my laptop. I like to wear them and still be productive,” says Peloton coach Red Lopez.
What are the buyers saying? “As a nurse who works many hours a day and as an active person, this is incredible! I first got into sequential compression after running an ultramarathon. It really saved my legs from feeling like shit,” says one reviewer on the Hyperice website.
Arguably the coolest compression boot design, our Normatec Go review found these portable boots to be easy to carry and easy to use. The downside is that they only cover the calves, so you won’t get any quad or hamstring work, but if you want all the fun of compression boots without much investment, then this is a great option. Just because they’re smaller doesn’t mean you’re sacrificing performance: these shoes are especially good for building muscle after a long run or long day’s walk.
“I can get the pressure my calves need without lying on the couch. Go is easier to play video games or type with Gos, and I’ve actually used it on planes,” says Samuel.
What are the buyers saying? “During the flight, I swelled up: in just an hour of the flight, I had [ankles]. Those bad guys were the cure,” said one Normatec Go buyer.
Perhaps the best of the TheraBody compression boots. The only downside to Pro systems is that they rely on an external pump (not completely wireless), but controllers can help provide a fully customizable unique recovery experience. First, the Pros can be programmed with your favorite presets. They also come with two special preinstalled programs not available in Prime or JetBoots: Isolation Mode and Interval Mode. Since then, customization has only become more intense. We’re talking about adjustable pressure time, hold time and pressure range, giving you the freedom to work your muscles in the best way you see fit.
What are the buyers saying? “I wish we could come up with a way to wear them to work, they really fit any time you want a massage,” says one reviewer on Therabody.
While TheraBody has a legitimate full body system, we believe Normatec covers your more inflammation-prone areas like your thighs and legs. The Normatec kits are also a lot cheaper as the TheraBody is about $300 more expensive and you still need an extra wrist cuff if you want to train both arms at the same time.
What are the buyers saying? “This is just another addition to the body recovery systems I have purchased over the years. The quality and exceptional customer [service] keeps me coming back,” says Normatec 3 Full Body buyer.
“Because each chamber in the shoe is filled with air and compressed more tightly, it prevents a lot of blood from circulating to that part of the body,” Samuel said. “So when the boot first compresses your foot and then your calf, your blood flow to those areas is restricted. As this compression continues around the entire leg, your blood flow becomes more restricted. But after a while, the chambers contract methodically, allowing blood to flow first into the thigh, then down through the calf and into the foot.”
The theory behind this practice is that blood flow helps deliver nutrients for effective leg recovery, but this has not been proven.
“There is conflicting evidence that compression devices help with long-term muscle recovery after DOMS,” Dr. Sanchez said. “However, there are studies that suggest short-term relief of exercise-induced muscle damage.”
Despite the lack of evidence, gentle squeezing of the leg muscles can be relaxing, sometimes like a massage.
To make sure your circulation is not interrupted, TheraBody and Normatec limit their devices to only reach a certain pressure (measured in mmHg). So as long as you put your boots on properly and use them for a certain amount of time, the risk of injury is low. If this is your first time using compression boots, be sure to start at the lowest setting for short periods of time first. Then, as you get used to using compression loading, you can use higher mmHG levels and time settings.
Buying a pair of compression boots is a big investment, so we’ve taken the time to review the most trusted products. Compression boots can be very expensive because you are bringing a high level of compression therapy technology into the comfort of your own home.
So given the prices of Normatec and Therabody, you have to consider the amount of research and development it took to help improve compression boots while still being easy to use. Specifications such as simple control panels, built-in internal pumps, preset programs and compression targets are just a few examples of technologies that have improved over the past few years.
The next important consideration is portability, as brands have been able to reduce the size of their products, making it relatively easy to move around the house and travel. Finally, there is safety, as brands need to make sure their compression boots work within a certain range to ensure you get the muscle tightening effect without going too far and potentially causing injury.
According to Dr. Giordano, compression boots can be used every day. Especially for people who are actively involved in sports.
“They’re often used after strenuous exercise, but they can also be used pre-workout as part of a warm-up,” says Dr. Sanchez. “I recommend using it 10-15 minutes before your workout.”
Remember: It’s important to talk to your doctor first about whether compression boots are right for you.
At Men’s Health, we pride ourselves on providing reliable and trustworthy product recommendations to our readers. We believe our readers deserve the very best, which is why we always do thorough research and testing before making any recommendations. For this story, we spent hours researching the top rated massage guns online and tested 8 of the 10 massage guns listed above. We also interviewed experts including physiotherapists Renato Sanchez, PT, DPT, CSCS and Daniel Giordano, PT, DPT, CSCS.
Our writers and editors are experts themselves, relying on their informed opinions to select products and ensure the highest quality of our content. Our product recommendations are editorial only, and while we may receive free products to test and review, we only recommend products that have impressed us the most. We never let retailers or public contacts dictate content or product range to us, so you can trust us to provide you with reliable and unbiased product recommendations.
For the past two years, we have consulted with the editors and reviewers of Men’s Health fitness magazine about the best compression boots. Experts including our Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel, CSCS, and Fitness Editor Brett Williams, NASM, have tested every major compression boot brand for performance, fit, price and ease of use.
John Thompson is Gear and Business Editor at Men’s Health covering fashion, beauty, gear and technology. He has worked as a Style & Gear editor for BroBible.com and as a business writer for TheManual.com. His interests include buying rare vintage clothes and spying on his favorite baseball team, the Kansas City Royals.
Talyn Appleton is Men’s Health’s fitness and business editor covering fitness, nutrition, health and wellness. She has served as Associate Editor of General Surgery News and Nutritionist at The Food Institute. Talene is a retired professional dancer who enjoys cooking gourmet meals for her friends and family in her spare time.
Ebenezer Samuel, CSCS, Men’s Health Director of Fitness and Certified Trainer with over 10 years of training experience. He has recorded workout times for NFL players and track and field athletes, and his current regimen includes strength training, HIIT and yoga. Before joining Men’s Health in 2017, he was a sports and technology columnist for the New York Daily News.
Talyn Appleton is Men’s Health’s fitness and business editor covering fitness, nutrition, health and wellness. She has served as Associate Editor of General Surgery News and Nutritionist at The Food Institute. Talene is a retired professional dancer who enjoys cooking gourmet meals for her friends and family in her spare time.
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Post time: Jul-21-2023