The recovery conundrum: Why even pros are hungry for more
From weekend warriors to elite athletes, recovery is the most important step in any exercise routine. You have tried ice baths, foam rolling, stretching, or maybe massage on and off for years, and chances are your workout peers and favorite athletes have, too.
But there is only so much relief traditional methods can give when it comes to deep fatigue, stubborn soreness, or chronic inflammation. Cold water and static stretching can help with acute discomfort, but they do not always address underlying circulation, tissue repair, or systemic stress in a way that keeps you consistently performing and feeling your best.
Infrared technology is used by professionals to support physiological readiness. Backed by emerging science and measurable changes in performance and soreness, infrared based recovery is becoming part of the toolkit in many professional training environments.
It is associated with changes in inflammatory signaling and oxidative stress markers, and enhancing cellular energy systems, which together can make a meaningful difference in how you feel between training sessions.
At Body Lab Studio in Myrtle Beach, we make these advanced, professional grade recovery technologies accessible in a modern, supportive environment, with no celebrity status or sponsorship required.
The difference between infrared recovery and traditional methods
Muscle repair from deep within for faster, more lasting results
Ice baths, traditional heating pads, and hot tubs primarily influence the surface of the body or create very general thermal stress. They can be useful, but they often do not penetrate deep enough to address where your muscles and joints most need help after intense training.
Infrared wavelengths promote deep-tissue warming through advanced thermal conduction. This internal warming supports vasodilation, enhances microcirculation, and increases heart rate in a way that is similar to light to moderate exercise.
The result is that oxygen and nutrients are delivered more efficiently to muscle fibers and connective tissues while metabolic by-products from exertion are cleared more effectively.
Human performance research supports this. In a controlled crossover study of 16 physically active men performing heavy lower body resistance exercise, a single post exercise infrared sauna session (20 minutes at 35 to 50°C, emitting far infrared radiation) attenuated the drop in countermovement jump performance at 14 hours post workout and reduced next day muscle soreness compared with passive rest, indicating faster neuromuscular recovery and better perceived readiness.
In another study of 10 male athletes who completed both strength and endurance training protocols on different days, far infrared sauna bathing improved jump performance 30 minutes into recovery after an exhaustive endurance session compared with no sauna, suggesting that it may support the clearance of metabolic byproducts and restore explosive power.
At Body Lab Studio, our Infrared Wellness Pods and infrared fitness sessions are designed to optimize this deep warming effect. The pods deliver gentle, even heat that raises core temperature without overwhelming you with hot air, while infrared fitness combines movement with targeted infrared exposure to support both cardiovascular and muscular recovery.
Real inflammation relief without relying only on ice or medications
Ice packs and anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen are traditional go-tos for soreness and inflammation. While they can be useful in acute situations, overreliance on cold or frequent medication comes with limitations and potential downsides.
Cold exposure primarily numbs tissues and constricts blood vessels, which may not always be ideal immediately after strength or skill work when your body is trying to adapt. Anti-inflammatory medications, when used excessively, can have gastrointestinal, kidney, and other side effects and may blunt some training adaptations if used indiscriminately.
Infrared based approaches work differently. Rather than simply blocking pain signals or constricting vessels, infrared and related light therapies appear to support the body’s own anti-inflammatory pathways. Research on photobiomodulation with red and near infrared light shows that specific wavelengths can act on mitochondria and other light sensitive targets to influence oxidative stress and inflammatory mediators.
Narrative and mechanistic reviews describe how these wavelengths can improve mitochondrial efficiency, modulate reactive oxygen species, and affect signaling pathways linked to inflammation and tissue repair in nerves, blood vessels, and skin.
A key mechanism involves nitric oxide, a signaling molecule that helps regulate blood flow and vascular tone. Animal and human research demonstrates that red light exposure can increase nitric oxide availability, trigger vasodilation, and enhance endothelial function.
In one experimental mouse model using 670 nm red light, full body exposure increased plasma nitric oxide precursor levels and produced measurable vasodilation, supporting the idea that light can improve microcirculation at the capillary level.
Other work has shown that applying near infrared laser light to the forearm of human volunteers for 30 minutes increases nitric oxide levels in local venous blood and reduces vascular resistance. These changes are directly relevant to athletes, because better perfusion means more efficient delivery of immune cells and nutrients and more effective clearance of inflammatory by-products from hard sessions.
When combined with lymphatic focused modalities like body rollers and LPG Endermologie, infrared based recovery can support the movement of fluid and metabolic waste, helping to reduce swelling, tightness, and that heavy legs feeling after training or competition.
Holistic, whole body recovery you can feel and see
True recovery is not just about a single sore muscle. It is about your entire system, including your nervous system, circulation, and lymphatic system. The lymphatic system is one of the primary routes for clearing cellular waste, immune by products, and excess fluid, but it does not have a central pump like the heart. Instead, it depends on movement, breathing, pressure changes, and tissue compression.
Infrared based recovery can support this system in several ways. Gentle heat and improved blood flow can enhance lymphatic fluid movement by encouraging vasodilation and subtle changes in tissue pressure.
Photobiomodulation science points to effects not only on blood vessels but also on light sensitive ion channels and receptors (including transient receptor potential channels and opsins) that help regulate how tissues respond to heat, mechanical stress, and fluid shifts.
A recent review of light and heat activated ion channels describes how infrared and visible light can activate specific channels involved in calcium and sodium flux, which in turn can influence vascular tone, smooth muscle behavior, and inflammatory responses key to whole body recovery.
When paired with mechanical techniques like body rollers or LPG Endermologie, which rhythmically compress tissues and stimulate lymphatic channels, the result is a comprehensive, full body reset.
Many active people benefit from this kind of support, noticing reductions in post workout puffiness, less swelling in the legs or feet after travel or heavy sessions, and shorter recovery times between demanding efforts.
At Body Lab Studio, we intentionally design our athlete recovery protocols to include both infrared and lymphatic components so that you experience improvements in how you feel, how you move, and even how your skin looks following intense training blocks.
Safe, noninvasive, and appropriate for a wide range of athletes
One of the reasons infrared recovery has become attractive to elite athletes is its safety profile and flexibility. Infrared based sessions are noninvasive, nonmedicated, and generally have no downtime.
In exercise studies using far infrared sauna, participants tolerated sessions well, with no serious adverse events reported. In one trial, brief 10 minute post exercise infrared sauna sessions were repeated several times per week during a multi week training program without impairing cardiovascular markers or autonomic recovery.
In photobiomodulation trials targeting the brain and skin, light doses are carefully controlled and have been applied across a wide range of ages and health backgrounds with a strong overall safety record.
When used appropriately, infrared and red light based therapies can be integrated multiple times per week without interfering with training. The intensity of heat and light can be adjusted to match an athlete’s tolerance and schedule, making it possible to use infrared recovery around practices, games, and travel.
This same flexibility makes infrared wellness suitable for athletes and active individuals of all backgrounds, not just professionals. Whether you are a working parent squeezing in early morning workouts, a recreational runner preparing for a race, or someone returning to fitness after time off, infrared recovery can be calibrated to your needs.
As with any modality, individuals with significant cardiovascular or medical conditions should consult their healthcare provider, but for most healthy adults, infrared based recovery represents a calm, supportive way to enhance how the body feels and functions over time.
Why pros must try for infrared
Elite athletes and their performance teams are constantly seeking ways to recover faster without compromising long term health. In applied sports settings, they report benefits with structured infrared and light based therapies that often include:
- Accelerated muscle recovery and reduced next day soreness
- Improved flexibility and readiness for the next training session
- Decreased joint stiffness and greater comfort between games or events
- More steady energy and less sense of being chronically drained
These outcomes align with what is seen in controlled research on infrared sauna and photobiomodulation. In the post exercise infrared sauna trial in resistance trained men, next day countermovement jump performance was better preserved and muscle soreness was lower compared with passive rest, suggesting that even a single session can influence how explosive performance and subjective comfort rebound after hard lifting. In the far infrared sauna recovery study in men, jump performance 30 minutes after an exhaustive endurance session recovered more fully when the athletes used far infrared sauna compared with no sauna, pointing to a beneficial effect on neuromuscular function and cardiovascular recovery.
Mechanistic reviews of brain and vascular photobiomodulation further show that red and near infrared light can improve cerebral blood flow, support endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity, and modulate oxidative stress markers. While these studies are not conducted exclusively in athletes, the underlying physiology is the same. Better vascular function, improved mitochondrial efficiency, and more balanced inflammatory signaling are all factors that can support consistent performance and resilience in anyone who trains hard, not just professionals.
At Body Lab Studio, working parents, Myrtle Beach locals, frequent travelers, and clients of many ages who are tired of feeling inflamed, stiff, or stuck in their progress can benefit from similar protocols adapted to their level. By customizing session length, intensity, and wavelength combination, clients can experience improved recovery, reduced stiffness, and enhanced circulation without the need for long downtime or intense heat exposure. Over time, consistent use can help support joint comfort, maintain mobility, and promote a greater sense of overall well-being.
The Body Lab Studio athlete recovery protocol
Layering modalities for deeper, more sustainable results
Infrared wellness and fitness
POLY red light therapy
Lymphatic recovery
EMS + RF: Muscle Conditioning & Tissue Support
For athletes focused on muscle activation, aesthetic conditioning, and local tissue quality, our EMS (Electro-Muscle Stimulation) combined with RF (Radiofrequency) offers a targeted, performance-adjacent approach.
EMS works by inducing controlled, involuntary muscle contractions, supporting muscle engagement and neuromuscular activation in specific areas. RF delivers localized thermal energy to the dermal layers, supporting skin firmness and tissue elasticity through collagen stimulation.
This combination is best positioned as a conditioning and sculpting modality, rather than a primary recovery tool. Because EMS places mechanical demand on muscle tissue, it is typically scheduled away from intense training or recovery-focused sessions, and used strategically to support muscle tone, posture, and physique maintenance during lighter training phases or aesthetic-focused blocks.
Targeted Red & Near-Infrared Light Therapy (Localized Support)
For athletes dealing with localized areas of tension, stiffness, or repetitive strain, Body Lab Studio offers targeted red and near-infrared light therapy as a focused complement to full-body infrared sessions.
These localized light applications deliver specific wavelengths associated with cellular energy support, circulation enhancement, and tissue comfort, making them useful for areas that take repeated mechanical stress such as joints, tendons, or overworked muscle groups. Rather than acting systemically, these sessions are designed to support localized tissue environments alongside broader recovery strategies.
When paired with full-body infrared wellness sessions, targeted light therapy can help address both systemic recovery needs and area-specific concerns without introducing additional mechanical load.
How These Modalities Fit Into an Athlete Recovery Plan
When integrated thoughtfully, often during deload weeks, travel periods, or aesthetic conditioning phases, EMS + RF and targeted light therapy can support athletes by improving tissue quality, maintaining muscle readiness, and enhancing overall comfort without replacing foundational recovery tools.
At Body Lab Studio, practitioners clearly explain the role and intent of each modality, ensure appropriate spacing from high-intensity workouts, and tailor session timing based on training load, goals, and individual tolerance. This structured approach helps athletes feel supported, balanced, and resilient, while keeping recovery, conditioning, and performance clearly defined and safely aligned.
Infrared vs traditional recovery: A simple comparison
Penetration
Comfort
Lymphatic support
Inflammation
Safety and downtime
Why Body Lab Studio is the right choice for your infrared recovery in Myrtle Beach
If you are seeking peak performance, want the look and feel of genuine recovery, or are simply ready to move beyond chronic soreness and lingering inflammation, Body Lab Studio’s infrared wellness programs can fill the gap traditional routines leave behind. Clients choose us for our calm, non intimidating environment, our knowledgeable and supportive staff, and our science informed, tailored sessions. Most importantly, they choose us because we deliver the same categories of technology leveraged by elite athletes, adapted with precision and personalized care for everyday lives.
If you are ready to experience what infrared wellness can do for your recovery, you can explore our RESET Membership for year round, structured access to core programs, or book your first infrared and red light therapy session to get started.
