compression boots recovery running sports massage wellness

Recovery for runners and sport: feel ready for your next session

Oct 16, 2026by PURE Spa UK

The long run is done. The medal is on the hook, or the match is won, or the eighteenth green is behind you. And now your calves feel like they are made of rope, your legs are heavy, your lower back is tight and the walk to the car feels twice as long as it did this morning.

That is the moment PURE was made for.

Picture the next day. You step out of bed and your legs feel light. Your calves have some give in them again. You are already planning your next run instead of dreading it. Recovery is where the training pays off, and we have built a menu that athletes love.

Compression boots: the runner's secret weapon

Therabody compression boots are at Lothian Road, Union Square and Witney Lakes: 30 minutes £35, 60 minutes £55. You sit back, fully clothed, while the boots squeeze and release your legs in waves from feet to thighs. Phone down, eyes closed, legs being looked after.

In a trial of 72 finishers of a 161 km ultramarathon, compression made runners feel less tired straight after the session (Hoffman 2016). A 2024 review of 17 trials found it eased muscle soreness straight after and again four days later (Maia 2024).

Sports massage: hands that know where you are tight

Every PURE spa offers sports and deep tissue massage: 40 minutes from £72, 60 minutes from £100, 90 minutes from £140. Your specialist therapist works into calves, hamstrings, glutes and lower back, the places that carry the miles.

In the same ultramarathon trial, one massage cut leg soreness straight after the race (Hoffman 2016). Golfers love it too: book a sports massage at Witney Lakes after your round to loosen a tight back. Book 60 minutes or more and you get 60 minutes of spa and wellness facilities on top (facilities vary by spa, visit our spa page for details).

Cold plunge and Fire & Ice: the pro ritual

At Union Square and Lothian Road, take a Cold Water Therapy plunge (10 minutes, £15) or book Contrast Therapy "Fire & Ice" (60 minutes, £40). For team players, this is the one. A 2022 review of 52 studies found cold water helped people feel less sore, feel more recovered and keep more of their power the day after high-intensity, sprint-style exercise (Moore 2022).

Hyperbaric oxygen: an hour of deep, quiet rest

Our hyperbaric oxygen chamber at Union Square, Lothian Road, West Nile Street and Witney Lakes lets you recline in a calm, private chamber breathing 90 to 95% oxygen. 30 minutes £45, 60 minutes £85. In a 2025 crossover trial, people felt less tired after a hyperbaric oxygen session (Yagishita 2025).

More for the kit bag

Pre-race, a Theragun session is a warm-up favourite: in one study, five minutes of percussion on the calves increased ankle range of movement by 18% with no loss of strength (Konrad 2020). Book the Theragun Full Body Massage (60 minutes, £95) or a 40-minute leg session (£69).

At Union Square, Zerobody dry float (30 minutes £45, 60 minutes £55) is the recovery bed pro teams use: its maker lists NFL, MLB and NBA teams and US Soccer among its customers (Starpool). You lie fully clothed on warm water and float, weightless and dry.

How to time your recovery

The day of the run or match: get your feet up in the compression boots, or take a cold plunge if you love the rush. The day after: book a sports massage to work through calves, hamstrings and glutes while they are still talking to you. In a heavy training block, a regular slot gives your legs something to look forward to week after week. Before race day, a lighter massage a day or two out leaves you loose and ready on the start line.

All PURE spas open seven days a week and late, so an after-training slot is easy to find.

Build your reset

Performance Recharge (Union Square, Lothian Road, West Nile Street). Our signature Performance Recharge Experience: 30 minutes in the compression boots plus 60 minutes of hyperbaric oxygen. 90 minutes, £115. The complete post-race reset.

After the match (Union Square or Lothian Road). Fire & Ice (£40), then a 60-minute sports massage (from £100). From £140.

Long run Sunday (Lothian Road, Union Square or Witney Lakes). 30 minutes in the boots (£35), then a 60-minute sports massage (from £100). From £135.

Book your recovery

The miles are in the bank. Now cash them in. Book Performance Recharge, book compression boots or book a sports massage online now, and get back out there feeling light.

Pregnant or under medical care? Have a quick word with your GP before you book.

A wellness experience, not a medical treatment.

Frequently asked questions

How do I recover after a long run?

Refuel, rehydrate, then give your legs some proper attention. Compression boots and a sports massage are the classic pairing: in a trial of ultramarathon finishers, both made legs feel better straight after. At PURE, book 30 minutes in the boots (£35) followed by a 60-minute sports massage at Lothian Road, Union Square or Witney Lakes.

Should I get a massage before or after a marathon?

Both work beautifully. A lighter sports massage a day or two before race day leaves legs loose and ready. After the finish, book a 60-minute sports massage to work through tight calves, hamstrings and glutes. Every PURE spa offers sports massage from £72, and 60-minute treatments include 60 minutes of spa and wellness facilities.

Are compression boots good after a marathon?

Runners love them. A 2024 review of 17 trials found compression eased muscle soreness straight after a session and again four days later. Sit back fully clothed in Therabody boots at PURE Lothian Road, Union Square or Witney Lakes: 30 minutes for £35. Or book the Performance Recharge Experience: boots plus hyperbaric oxygen, 90 minutes, £115.

Is a cold plunge good for runners and team sports?

It is a pro favourite. A 2022 review of 52 studies found cold water helped people feel less sore and more recovered the day after intense exercise. Book a 10-minute Cold Water Therapy plunge (£15) or the 60-minute Fire & Ice contrast session (£40) at PURE Union Square, Aberdeen or Lothian Road, Edinburgh.

What is the Performance Recharge Experience?

It is PURE's signature recovery package: 30 minutes in Therabody compression boots, then 60 minutes reclining in our hyperbaric oxygen chamber breathing 90 to 95% oxygen. 90 minutes for £115 at Union Square, Lothian Road and West Nile Street. Perfect after a race, a big match or a heavy training block.

Where can I get a sports massage after golf?

At PURE Witney Lakes, right by the course. Book a 40 or 60-minute sports massage, from £72, to loosen a back and shoulders that have been swinging all round. Add 30 minutes in our compression boots (£35) for tired legs too. Sports massage is also available at every other PURE spa.

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