Home Recovery Glossary: 14 Terms Explained
The words that show up in home recovery specs, reviews and how-to guides, explained without jargon.
- Active recovery
- Light movement like walking, cycling or mobility work on rest days to promote blood flow.
- Amplitude
- How far a massage gun head travels per stroke. Longer amplitude feels deeper.
- Cold water immersion
- Sitting in cold water, often used by athletes after hard training. Start conservatively and follow medical advice if you have heart conditions.
- Related: Best Cold Plunge Tubs →
- Compression boots
- Inflatable leg sleeves that squeeze in sequence to massage the legs, powered by a pump.
- Related: Best Compression Boots →
- Contrast therapy
- Alternating heat and cold, such as a sauna followed by a cold plunge.
- DOMS
- Delayed onset muscle soreness, the stiffness that typically peaks 24-72 hours after unfamiliar or hard exercise.
- Foam roller
- A cylinder used for self-massage by rolling body weight over muscles. Density ranges from soft to very firm.
- Related: Best Foam Rollers →
- Infrared sauna
- A sauna that uses infrared heaters to warm the body directly at lower air temperatures than a traditional sauna.
- Related: Best Infrared Saunas →
- Myofascial release
- Applying pressure to muscles and surrounding tissue to reduce tightness, the aim of foam rolling and massage tools.
- Percussion massager
- A handheld device that delivers rapid pulses into muscle tissue, commonly called a massage gun.
- Related: Best Massage Guns →
- Red light therapy
- Exposure to red and near-infrared LED light. Research is ongoing and results vary, so treat claims with caution.
- Related: Best Red Light Therapy Panels →
- Stall force
- How much pressure a massage gun can take before its motor stops. Higher stall force suits large muscles and firm pressure.
- TENS
- Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, low-voltage current through skin pads used for pain relief.
- Related: Best Muscle Stimulators →
- Trigger point
- A tender, tight spot in a muscle. Balls and hook tools let you apply pinpoint pressure.
- Related: Best Trigger Point Tools →