Therabody Releases First Wearable as Approach to Recovery Tech Expands

2022-09-24 00:54:52 By : Mr. Hardy Liu

SmartGoggles use biometric intelligence, massage, heat and vibration to help wearers slow their heart rate in preparation for sleep.

Therabody, the recovery technology company widely endorsed by sports teams and athletes, has released three new products including the company's first wearable. Therabody's approach to recovery technology has expanded since its initial forming, and founder Dr. Jason Wersland believes it's their responsibility  to continue to innovate.

“We started this massage gun space and we have about 75% of the market share, so with all of that comes responsibility of constantly innovating,” Wersland said at a product launch event in Manhattan.

The newest model of Theragun Pro features visually-guided routines built into the device via OLED screen.

The fifth-generation  Theragun Pro  has a new motor that’s 20% quieter than the previous model with five built-in vibrations speeds from 1750 to 2400 PPMs (percussions per minute). The new Theragun Pro also has a small OLED (organic light-emitting diode) screen to guide users through massage routines based on if they’re trying to relax, prepare for sleep, warm up before exercise, or recover from a workout.

“There's pre-set protocols in here so you don't have to use your [Therabody] app, which is nice sometimes because if you're doing a sleep routine for example, we recommend you don't look at your screen before you go to sleep,” Wersland said about the new Theragun.

Therabody’s existing partnerships include deals with European soccer clubs Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid, the NWSL’s Angel City FC, USA Nordic, the ATP Tour, and several teams in the NBA, NHL and MLB. College athletic programs for Notre Dame and Duke also partner with Therabody. Competing company Hyperice has league-level deals as an official recovery technology partner of the UFC, NBA and NFL.

The Mets are one of several sports teams to partner with Therabody.The new Bluetooth-compatible Therabody Mini 2.0 is the company’s smallest massage device yet, weighing just one pound and is approved by the TSA for air travel. Therabody’s new massage SmartGoggles are worn over a user’s eyes and have a sensor to monitor a person’s heart-rate and send combinations of heat and vibrations to help them prepare for sleep.

“This sensor is the same as what you might find in your Oura Ring or Apple Watch, it sits on your cheek and live measures what your heart rate is in that moment,” said Tim Roberts, Therabody’s VP of science and innovation. “Whether you're an Ironman triathlete and your resting heart rates at 30-beats per minute or it's my elderly parents and their resting heart rates are like 70-beats per minute, it personalizes treatment and gives everyone that kind of relaxing effect.”

We started this massage gun space and we have about 75% of the market share, so with all of that comes responsibility of constantly innovating.

Therabody’s product expansion from muscle recovery into sleep comes after the company conducted a 75-person trial that had testers apply a six-minute Theragun massage protocol 30 minutes before they went to bed. The study also had people wear biometric health-tracking devices from Biostrap to measure how their sleep performance was impacted by the Theragun.

“We saw significant improvements in sleep latency, that's how fast you fall asleep,” said Roberts. “We saw significant improvements in sleep disturbances, people woke up and had less disturbed sleep. And then with wearable technology, you have a lot of proprietary algorithms with sleep scores, and they were all significantly improved as well.”

The integrated sensor in SmartGoggles measures heart rate.

Therabody’s athlete investors and brand ambassadors include soccer star Cristiano  Ronaldo, NFL stars Aaron Rodgers, Russell Wilson, Josh Allen and Deandre Hopkins, the NBA’s Paul George, James Harden, Kevin Durant, MLB’s Albert Pujols and Cody Bellinger, as well as WNBA star Breanna Stewart and Olympic freestyle skier Eileen Gu. Therabody strives for “authenticity” in its partnerships with teams and athletes, which often include players using the company’s devices in digital content.

“I don't want someone standing on the sideline holding it going buy a Theragun, I want them doing their thing with Theragun or Therabody products in the background,” said Wersland, the company’s founder. “I've never wanted to be front and center, I always wanted to be an accessory that sort of helps you do what you do. When we put together our contract, we have certain deliverables for teams and there is a lot of thought that goes into that, like when they're using it.”

The Theragun mini 2.0 weighs one pound and is approved by TSA for air travel.

Former professional lacrosse star and Premier Lacrosse League co-founder Paul Rabil joined Therabody as a brand ambassador last year. Speaking at last week’s Therabody product launch event, Rabil said that the Theragun and RecoveryAir JetBoots have been part of his daily routines as part of his recovery from a knee surgery he had last year.

“It was a pretty intense surgery where you lose sensation. And then with the swelling that tends to make its way into my knee, the [Theragun] is pretty nice,” Rabil said. “I set the power down to like 1,750 and will just kind of work angles. And then I use the JetBoots every day. So there's applicable stuff for acute pain and stress. And then there's the additive stuff for performance where there's such a natural fit for athletes and high performing business people.”

Photo credits: Courtesy of Therabody

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