Never again sore muscles thanks to compression boots?
After sports, comfortably regenerate your legs in front of the TV or in the hammock, and without any annoying cables. Thanks to the RecoveryAir JetBoots from Therabody, this is possible. But it has its price.
After sport is before sport, so regeneration is important in between. From Therabody comes the next generation of pneumatic massagers. There are three variants in the RecoveryAir line: Prime, Pro and JetBoots. I tested the latter for a few weeks and am convinced by this product. However, this conviction is costing me dearly. But first things first.
The technology of JetBoots
Simplified, the JetBoots from Therabody replace the classic sports massage after training or a competition. Here, muscles and tissues are gently compressed with the help of compressed air - which effectively replaces the hands of the masseur or masseuse. The only difference is that the pressure comes from all sides at the same time.
This is controlled via four chambers that gradually fill with air. The pressure build-up always starts at the feet and moves from there towards the centre of the body and back again. This pressure build-up and release results in a faster exchange of blood in the treated areas, which is supposed to supply the legs better with nutrients and thus lead to a faster recovery.
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The pressure unit mmHg is also known as millimetre mercury column and is used in medicine to indicate the pressure of body fluids, such as blood pressure. Physically, mmHg describes the static pressure generated by a column of mercury one millimetre high. 1 mmHg corresponds to a pressure of about 133 Pascal or 0.00133 bar. Two values are taken to determine blood pressure: The systolic blood pressure measures the maximum pressure generated in the tension phase of the left ventricle. The diastolic blood pressure indicates the residual pressure present in the relaxation phase of the heart. Ideally, the blood circulates at a maximum pressure of 120 to 80 mmHg.
Technical specifications
- Completely wireless, with integrated internal pumps
- integrated control panel
- Patented "TruGrade" technology for safe, precise pressure application
- Patented "FastFlush" technology for complete pressure build-up and release in 60 seconds
- Bluetooth connection to the Therabody app
- 2 preset routines (Warm-Up and Recover) only via the Therabody app
- 4 time intervals (20 min, 40 min, 60 min and continuous)
- 4 pressure settings (25, 50, 75, 100 mmHg)
- save a routine that has only been shared with you via the Therabody app
- Save an unlimited number of personalised routines only via the Therabody app
- 240 minutes of battery life
- Easy-to-clean, hygienic design
Scope of delivery
- 2 compression boots with integrated pumps
- 36W charger - jack connector
- dual charging cable
- Bag for compression boots
The operation of the JetBoots
The RecoveryAir JetBoots can be operated in two ways: Via the integrated controls on the boots themselves or via the Therabody app. Two modes are available: "Recover" for the time after the activity and "Warm-Up" for the time before the activity. This mode is designed to replace the classic warm-up before exercise.
On the integrated control panel, only preset time intervals and pressure settings are available. That's why I controlled each of the JetBoots via the app, which connects to the Boots via Bluetooth. This works quickly and smoothly. You then select the mode, the duration of the massage and the pressure. From 10 minutes to 90 minutes or endless and from 23 mmHg to a maximum of 100 mmHg.
This is where some guidance in the app would be useful to give an approximate indication of how long and with how much pressure I should regenerate. For example: "After a 10-kilometre run at an average pace of five minutes per kilometre, 20 minutes at 70 mmHg would be useful". Something like that. At the beginning, I simply took the 30 minutes with 50 mmHg given by Therabody as standard in the app and later increased it to 60 to 70 mmHg. That works for me. I find anything above that uncomfortable. By the way, you can adjust the duration and pressure to your needs at any time during the massage. That's great.
The design of the inner chamber ensures a seamless, easy-to-clean interior. After use, quickly wipe out the interior with a dry cloth. So moisture and bacteria don't stand a chance.
Which size should it be?
The RecoveryAir JetBoots from Therabody are available in sizes S, M and L. I'm happy with size M. I'm happy with the M version. It fits my legs perfectly. By the way, here is the corresponding size chart from the manufacturer:
How I tested
I've been testing the compression boots for a few weeks now, focusing mainly on weight training, with a few cardio sessions on the gravel bike. In each case I deliberately tried to induce muscle soreness in the legs. The workouts consisted mainly of front squats, back squats and deadlifts with the barbell. Or leg presses, hamstring curls and calf raises on the corresponding machines. Always two to three sets of one minute with 90 seconds rest between sets. I progressively increased the weights from set to set.
I also rode my gravel bike a few times and covered between 20 and 30 kilometres per ride. Here, I focused on high aerobic and anaerobic loads in each case.
To make a comparison, I massaged the right leg with the JetBoots after each activity, leaving the left untreated.
Conclusion: Cool product, but (too) expensive for me
The target group for Therabody's RecoveryAir JetBoots is primarily sportspeople. However, as the product generally promotes blood circulation and prevents tired and swollen legs, it is also aimed at people who, for example, often stand in their everyday working lives.
What did I say about the RecoveryAir JetBoots?
What do I get from the JetBoots as a hobby/healthy athlete? According to my subjective feeling, the effect after training on the bike is not very great. I don't feel a big difference between an unmassaged left leg and a massaged right leg the day after the activity. The situation is different with strength training. Here the effect of the pressure massage is clearly noticeable. While the muscles of the left leg hurt a lot on the first and especially on the second day after the workout, the right leg feels great. No discomfort and only very slight fatigue.
Supposing I were a professional athlete - for example, a hockey player or skier - training twice a day for two hours, and my club, sponsor or federation provided me with the RecoveryAir JetBoots, would I use the product? Absolutely. The compression boots are a great addition to the classic sports massage and without any cables they are a good thing, especially when you're on the move.
But I'm not a professional and I don't exercise four hours a day, but four hours a week. Would I be willing to put 1000 francs on the table for such a product to escape a sore muscle every now and then? Well, we all have our own value systems. In this respect, such amounts are to be seen relatively. For my part, however, I would rather invest these 1,000 francs in something else. For example, in a subscription to my fitness centre or as a down payment on a new gravel bike. Including the occasional sore muscles as collateral damage.
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Patrick Bardelli
Senior Editor
Patrick.Bardelli@digitecgalaxus.chFrom radio journalist to product tester and storyteller, jogger to gravel bike novice and fitness enthusiast with barbells and dumbbells. I'm excited to see where the journey'll take me next.
