Massage guns vs compression boots: Which is better for muscle recovery?

Looking after your body is no longer just about getting a good workout in; it’s ensuring that you’re properly recuperating afterwards, too. Luckily, in 2026, there is a huge range of products designed to aid recovery. In fact, the recovery tech boom is playing a big role in the growth of the sports technology market overall. Estimates show it’s projected to grow from $39.6 billion in 2026 to $192.3 billion by 2034. Two of the most popular products in this category are massage guns and compression boots. Both claim to ease muscle soreness and help you bounce back to training sooner, but they sit at very different price points. You can pick up a basic gun from around £40, whereas the cheapest boots we tested were £300. But which method is actually better for improving workout recovery? Massage guns can help to improve flexibility in older muscles Massage guns work by delivering repeated percussion and vibration to one specific area, which helps improve the mobility and flexibility of a specific muscle. In turn, this can make your muscles feel less tense and stiff. These gadgets can be used before and after workout sessions. While useful for all ages, massage guns can be helpful for anyone looking to improve range of movement, ease muscle stiffness and boost blood flow – whether exercising or not. “It will help temporarily improve your mobility so that you feel like you’ve got a bit more flexibility in that muscle,” explains Jonathan Wreaves, clinical physiologist at preventative health clinic Viavi. But how do they actually work? Most massage guns offer a revolutions per minute (RPM) range, which refers to how many times the massage head moves back and forth every minute. This tends to be somewhere between 1200 and 3500. The lower range is ideal for gentle massage and warming up, while a higher RPM is better for targeting bigger muscle groups and more intense tightness.