Suit of Armor: 3 Soccer “Wearables” that Help You Recover Faster

 Image Source: Soccer Supplement

By now, you’re no stranger fitness wearables. We wouldn’t be surprised if you’re wearing a FitBit or Apple Watch right now, whether it’s to track your heart rate or number of calories burned for the day. After all, if you want to improve your performance on the pitch or gym, you need to measure your current output. 

But today, we’ll introduce a different class of wearables—soccer recovery wearables. They’re unassuming “gadgets” that combine low-tech form with high-tech function to help you prevent injuries and burnout. There’s no learning curve involved to use them—just slip em on and get their benefits. 

1. Ice/Heat Packs

If you want mutant-like recovery, then you need BOTH ice and heat—not one or the other. Ice reduces inflammation, eases pain, and accelerates recovery, especially within the first 48-72 hours after a game or practice. Heat loosens stiff muscles, reduces spasms, and increases blood flow, boosting recovery after the first 48-72 hours. Of course, it’s tricky to do them both. 

That’s combined ice and heat packs come in. Throw them in the freezer for a dose of cold therapy, and then toss them in the microwave to give you some heat later. 

Our Universal ice/heat pack, in particular, lets you target any sore body part and comes with elastic straps to keep it secure. The Universal pack and our knee/elbow-specific ice and heat pack both contour to your body shape, so you get maximum coverage and comfort. And of course, they’re ultra light for easy carrying and transport. 

Recommended Use: 15-20 minutes of ice, 15-20 minutes of heat on most affected areas after games of practice. 

2. Compression Sleeves

Compression therapy isn’t new, yet athletes underestimate its power. Compression gear is Swiss Army knife for recovery—it improves blood flow, promotes lymphatic drainage, and improves muscle oxygenation, all of which hasten recovery. That means less muscle soreness and stiffness after a game but also, improved running mechanics and coordination during a game. 

We have a few a compression devices you can add to your gym bag.

They include our BodyShield Knee Sleeve and Ankle Sleeve, both of which stabilize the joint and muscles, so you feel noticeably less sore after games. 

There’s also our No Strain Arm Sleeve that also uses compression tech to keep inflammation and injury risk down. Goalkeepers, in particular, can see a difference with arm sleeves since they’re diving and blocking non-stop (which can make them sore fast). 

Recommended Use: Wear compression sleeves during games. 

3. Biomechanical Shorts

Here’s a fun fact: muscles vibrate (oscillate) when you put them to work. You don’t notice it, but constant vibrations cause inflammation, fatigue and microtrauma (tiny tears) that reduce muscle strength. They also reduce blood flow, put stress on tendons, and can lead to poor muscle activation patterns that increase injury risk. 

Wearing biomechanical gear reduces these vibrations (and lowers muscle damage) without inhibiting muscles itself. That lets you sprint, cut, jump and more, at your full potential minus the punishment of excess soreness days later.

Our Flocky Activator Shorts does exactly that. It dampens vibrations while activating muscles so that you’re using your muscles correctly, at full force, minus the excessive energy. We also fitted it with compression fabrics increase its recovery power.

There’s also our Axsist Socks that reduce vibrations and increase stability of the foot. This helps reduce the trauma from ground contact as you run. 

Recommended Use: Wear during games and practices. 

Bounce Back Faster than Before

How seriously you take recovery can mean the difference between a short career and a long one. Look at CR7. True, he’s probably a genetic freak and has access to best medical staff there is. But he’s a beast when it comes to recovery, and that focus has allowed him to play at a high level, even at the cusp of 40. 

So take notes. 

Of course, the question remains: how do you track whether these wearables work or not? It’s simple—by the way you feel after games. If you feel less soreness and fatigue after wearing soccer recovery “wearables”, then it works. No need to check an Apple Watch to read numbers, charts, and graphs. They’re not the end-all, be-all of soccer recovery, but they’re easy-to-wear, and low-cost tools that can prevent burnout and build longevity. 

Looking to speed up your recovery after games? Check out our line of recovery gear to help you hit the pitch again with less soreness.