Recovery Footwear Gains a Foothold

As the quest for peak performance becomes an always-on pursuit, exercisers are trying recovery footwear on for size.

Recovery in Motion

Far from a traditional flip-flop, recovery footwear makers are creating slides to support strained muscles — even when you’re not running.

• Offering sandals and slip-ons, OOFOS is a post-workout go-to for endurance athletes.
• Last year, Kane Footwear debuted its sugarcane-based recovery shoe, a Crocs look-alike dubbed Revive.
• Taking notice, Hoka sports its ORA Recovery Slide while lululemon just dropped its Restfeel post-workout slide.

A building trend, Velous Footwear launched its first line of recovery sandals this April. Vionic was quick to follow, announcing new recovery sandals with added support and stability in May.

R&R. Physical exertion requires recuperation, especially for ground-force sports like running. Ignoring this, overtraining injuries can kneecap performance.

• According to studies, 79% of runners sustain some form of injury each year.
• For those training for an organized race, 20% report an injury.
• Citing overuse, 86% of cyclists reported injuries, with 36% requiring medical treatment.

Now, consumers are deciding to do something about it — and from cryotherapy to massage guns, recovery is becoming big business. Including athletic recovery, the global sports medicine market is projected to clear $9.5B by 2027.

More accessible than an ice bath or bodywork, slip-on recovery shoes fill a need, providing frictionless relief.

Looking Ahead

Better flips appeal to a much wider audience than just athletes — and this space is just getting going. On their feet for hours a day, nurses and healthcare workers slip on BALA. Cooking up comfort, MISE makes clogs for kitchen workers.

Takeaway: Pushed to the limit, high performance shouldn’t end with the workout. For those putting in the miles, support is expanding — encompassing even the walk away from the finish line.