Knees Hurt After Exercise? Try These 3 Best Knee Massagers For Relief

22 Aug

Knee pain after exercise is a common source of frustration for people with active lifestyles who want to keep active. It is tempting to try to ‘push through’ knee pain, but pain is a sign that something isn’t right.

Knee pain can stem from acute injuries from impact, twisting, overuse injuries as well from poor biomechanics. It is important to address knee pain with both targeted recovery tools, rest and addressing things like posture, movement patterns and even nutrition to get to the root cause.

For targeted recovery from knee pain, tools like massage guns and knee massagers and massage guns can help to address tight musculature that may be contributing and help with reducing pain associated with injury.

Using a massage gun around the knee itself can be difficult, so it is better to use a specifically designed knee massager to help with recovery. In this article, we offer a handful of the best knee massagers to help with knee pain and recover faster to remain active and get back to your sport, game, training and pain free movement.

Best Knee Massagers – Our Top Picks

Best Overall: Therabody RecoveryTherm Knee Massager

Best Value: Hydragun HeatPulse Knee Massager

Best Budget: Goldmille Cordless Knee Massager

What Does a Knee Massager Do?

A knee massager offers a range of therapeutic benefits aimed at alleviating knee pain and promoting overall joint health. These devices typically incorporate several key functions to address different aspects of discomfort and mobility issues associated with knee conditions.

Heated therapy is a common feature in knee massagers, providing warmth to the affected area to help increase blood circulation, relax muscles, and reduce stiffness. This can be particularly effective for soothing chronic pain or discomfort caused by arthritis, tendonitis, or overuse injuries. The gentle heat helps to improve flexibility and mobility in the knee joint, promoting faster recovery and enhanced comfort.

Percussion and massage release mechanisms are another integral part of knee massagers. These functions use rhythmic vibrations or percussive movements to stimulate muscles, tendons, and ligaments around the knee. By targeting deep-seated tension and knots, percussion therapy can help relieve tightness and improve range of motion. This type of massage release is beneficial for athletes recovering from intense workouts or individuals experiencing muscle stiffness due to prolonged sitting or standing.

Infrared light therapy is a more advanced feature found in high-quality knee massagers. This therapy utilizes infrared wavelengths to penetrate deep into tissues, promoting healing at the cellular level and reducing inflammation. Infrared light can accelerate the natural healing process of injured tissues, making it a valuable addition to knee massagers designed for therapeutic use.

The effectiveness of a knee massager often depends on the quality and combination of these therapeutic functions. High-quality devices offer customizable settings and ergonomic designs that enhance user comfort and convenience. Whether used for rehabilitation after surgery, managing chronic knee conditions, or preventing injuries, a well-chosen knee massager can provide targeted relief and support ongoing joint health.

Temperature Therapy

The concept of temperature therapy, whether it's the application of heat or cold, has long been recognized as a valuable tool for muscle recovery. It operates on a simple yet effective principle: heat promotes increased blood flow and metabolic processes, expediting the body's natural healing and recovery mechanisms while reducing pain. Conversely, cold therapy restricts blood flow and curbs inflammation, leading to a similar pain reduction effect.

When you combine these two modalities, often referred to as contrast therapy, you unlock a proven method for diminishing delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), aiding in general athletic recovery, and managing chronic pain.

Most knee massagers are designed to provide mainly heat to the knee and surrounding tissues to promote blood flow and speed up healing, although some also offer cold functions.

Percussion and Massage Therapy

Percussion massagers have been extensively studied in scientific research, demonstrating significant benefits in reducing Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and preparing muscles for physical activity. These devices utilize rapid pulses of pressure to penetrate deep into muscle tissue, promoting blood flow, reducing muscle stiffness, and accelerating recovery after strenuous exercise. This makes percussion massagers not only popular among athletes and fitness enthusiasts but also beneficial for individuals seeking relief from everyday muscle tension and soreness.

Most knee massagers are designed with versatility in mind, accommodating various leg and knee sizes through adjustable straps or clips. These features allow users to secure the massager comfortably around the knee, ensuring effective treatment without discomfort or slippage. The adjustable straps or clips provide a snug fit, enhancing the massager's effectiveness in delivering targeted therapy to the knee joint and surrounding muscles.

A knee massager typically offers multiple modes to cater to different therapeutic needs. Higher-quality models often integrate percussion massage with thermotherapy, combining the benefits of deep tissue massage with soothing heat therapy. This dual-action approach helps to alleviate pain, reduce inflammation, and promote muscle relaxation, offering a comprehensive solution for managing muscle-related issues in the knee area.

The incorporation of thermotherapy in knee massagers is particularly beneficial for enhancing circulation, speeding up healing processes, and improving joint mobility. By providing customizable modes and adjustable settings, these devices empower users to tailor their treatment according to their specific needs and preferences, whether for recovery from injury, rehabilitation after surgery, or regular maintenance of knee health.

Infrared Light Therapy

While many affordable knee massagers may not include infrared light therapy, higher-quality models often integrate this advanced feature for enhanced therapeutic benefits. Infrared light therapy, also known as Far Infrared Radiation (FIR), has gained recognition for its ability to penetrate deep into body tissues, promoting healing and reducing inflammation. This non-invasive therapy stimulates cellular activity, increases circulation, and accelerates the natural recovery processes within the knee joint.

Knee massagers equipped with infrared light functions typically incorporate this technology seamlessly into the design of the knee sleeve or pad. The infrared emitters embedded within the fabric emit gentle yet penetrating waves of light that reach deep into the muscles and tissues surrounding the knee. This targeted approach helps to alleviate pain, improve joint mobility, and support overall knee health effectively.

Although knee massagers with infrared light therapy tend to come at a higher price point, the added therapeutic benefits justify the investment for many users. These advanced devices offer a comprehensive range of healing properties in a single product, making them particularly valuable for individuals managing chronic knee conditions, recovering from injuries, or seeking proactive measures to maintain joint health.

Users can adjust settings and modes to customize their treatment experience, tailoring infrared light therapy sessions to suit their specific needs and comfort levels. This versatility enhances user satisfaction and ensures that individuals can benefit from ongoing relief and support for knee-related issues.

Best Knee Massagers of 2023

Best Overall: Therabody RecoveryTherm Knee Massager

Price: $319USD

Functions: Heat, Cold, Massage, Percussion, Infrared Light

Warranty: 1 year

Comfort: 5/5

The Therabody RecoveryTherm Knee Massager is by far the most advanced and high quality knee massager out there. This knee massager really does blow the other brands out of the water with its functionality, although you should be prepared to pay the premium price it comes with.

The Therabody RecoveryTherm Knee Massager is $319, but combines all of the key treatment modalities to maximise its treatment potential and effectiveness for treating knee pain, including heat, cold, massage, percussion and infrared light.

This is really an all-in-one knee recovery system, with three built in treatment programs that allow you to apply it and press a button to receive the ultimate knee pain relief. The power of far infrared light, woven into the fabric of our design.

It is fitted with Germanium fabric that naturally emits far infrared light is used to help regulate temperature, increase circulation, and enhance the body’s natural healing process.

The Therabody RecoveryTherm Knee Massager has a battery life of 60 minutes in cold mode, 90 minutes in hot mode and 30 minutes in contrast mode. It comes with a soft case, removable battery and a 1 year warranty. If you have the budget, this is the one!

Best Value: Hydragun HeatPulse Knee Massager

Price: $199AUD

Functions: Heat, Massage, Percussion

Warranty: 1.5 years

Comfort: 4.5/5

At less than half the price of the Therabody equivalent, the Hydragun HeatPulse Knee Massager is the best value knee massager. The Hydragun HeatPulse is slightly less functional than the Therabody knee massager, offering only heat, massage and percussion, but is also only $199.

The Hydragun HeatPulse is a super comfortable ightweight anti-fray Silkro™ fabric for a snug and customized fit on any knee, that I have found to be handy after a long run to minimise knee pain and also fantastic for using on long flights to reduce the amount of knee pain and stiffness I get in my knees.

The Hydragun knee massager has 5 heat settings and can heat between 40-60C, and has 3 different speed settings. The Hydragun knee massager comes with the HeatPulse Knee Massager (comprising custom-fit sleeve and detachable control pod), 1 extension strap (for using HeatPulse on the shoulders), and a USB-C charging cable. This is also the best and most compact knee massager to travel with, packing down super tight and lightweight.

Best Budget: Goldmille Cordless Knee Massager

Price: $79AUD

Functions: Heat, Massage, Percussion

Warranty: 1 year

Comfort: 3.8/5

For the best budget knee massager, the Goldmille Cordless Knee Massager on Amazon is the most suitable option. This knee massager is only $79 and still offers decent functionality, however maybe not as quality in the comfort and material realm.

This is a perfect combination of heat therapy and vibration massage on a budget for addressing knee pain and offers 3 different temperature settings, with a built-in thermal protection module to avoid overheating.

This knee massager on Amazon is a cheap tool to provide improved joint flexibility and circulation, reduce pain, stiffness and swelling in the knee.

Frequently Asked Questions

Knee massagers help in relieving pain, reducing swelling, and improving circulation in the knee area after physical activity.
They typically use techniques like heat therapy, percussion, and massage release, or infrared light therapy to alleviate discomfort and improve knee function.
Look for features like adjustable intensity levels, heat therapy options, and specific massage modes tailored to knee relief.
They can be beneficial in managing symptoms of arthritis by reducing stiffness and improving mobility.
Generally, they are safe, but individuals with certain medical conditions should consult a healthcare professional before use.
Usage time varies by device; it's important to follow the manufacturer's guidelines and listen to your body's response.
While helpful, they should not replace medical treatment for knee-related issues and injuries.
Regular use can contribute to better knee health by enhancing circulation and reducing tension.
Improper use can lead to discomfort or bruising, so it's important to use them correctly.
Using a knee massager post-exercise can be more beneficial for recovery and pain relief.

Conclusion on Best Knee Massager

Knee massagers are a crucial tool if you are someone who suffers from knee pain, and can be used as an effective at-home tool to compliment treatment from other practitioners like physiotherapists, chiropractors and exercise physiologists who will provide corrective movement patterns to address the root cause of the knee pain.

The combination of heated therapy, massage and percussion, as well as infrared light therapy in some cases, a quality knee massager could be a game-changer for your knee pain. While knee massagers can offer effective pain relief, it is still important to assess an existing injury with a qualified professional to ensure a knee massager is a suitable tool to use for your specific injury.