Equipment: The Ultratherm Massager
By Steve Ilg

Modern therapy for inflamed or sore muscles includes consecutive 15-minute sessions alternating between hot and cold applications, ideally done throughout the day. But filling this prescription, until recently, has meant nothing less awkward and time-consuming than continually dashing from cold whirlpool to hot tub or cozying up with ice pack, steamy towel, and stopwatch from dawn to dusk.

Now proper hot and cold therapy is available without making treatment a clumsy, daylong event. The hand-held Ultratherm TM2000 shifts instantly from 40-degree to 115-degree applications, and the rechargeable battery keeps the unit humming at either temperature for over an hour. Because the Ultratherm is a mere eight inches long and weighs just 21 ounces, cyclists can stick it in a saddlebag and climbers can pack it to the crag for pre- and post-activity comfort. It's an expensive device at $195, but for the serious athlete who wants to recover without dedicating days to the quest for heat and cold, it's an excellent therapeutic tool and a good investment.

From Duralogic, Box 555, Islip, NY 11751; 516-277-1358.