Massage guns are also called percussive therapy, percussion massagers, and vibration therapy. It provides different benefits of massage without more expensive or the hassle of a visit to the massage therapist, which is presently forbidden, with physical distancing. These electric tools start at $100 and they look similar to power drills, provide a vigorous massage and commonly come with a selection of attachments such as fingertips, or balls of different firmness and provide different settings. While they are created to be utilized for anyone, they are most famous among endurance athletes like ultramarathoners and triathletes.
How Do Massage Guns Work?
Table of Contents
Percussion massage guns sound and look like power drills, but they are best at making you feel better. The increased blood flow, low soreness, and low tension are blessings for athletes who train hard. Massage guns help to improve range of motion, providing a better pre-exercise warm-up and faster post-workout recovery. Massage guns provide a direct pulse of vibration from muscles, which helps lower delayed onset muscle soreness. It enables you to reduce pains and aches that occur after a gym session a little easier. It raises lymphatic flow, lowers lactic acid levels in the body, and decreases the risk of muscle strain.
Top Massage Guns
Homech Massage Gun
Image SourceThis massage gun helps to recover and activate, and improve mobility. The ergonomic design with an anti-slip handle increases convenient usage, and the battery life stays for up to 10 hours. The auto power-off technology shuts the device automatically after 15 minutes. You can customize your treatment with 20-speed levels and 6-massage heads. This device features high quality and brushless motor bearing that assure silent operation.
Pros
- Lightweight
- Anti-slip handle
- Ergonomic design
- 20-speed levels
- LED display
- 6 massage heads
- Brushless motor
Cons
None
Opove-M3-Pro-Massage-Gun
Image SourceThis massage gun looks amazing. It has hand-held percussion massage providing pulses of concentrated pressure deep into muscle tissue. It is a type of deep tissue massage that relieves knots and tension in the muscles, offering relief from stiff and sore muscles. It also increases blood circulation and develops a range of motion.
With the right usage, this device can also help to lower the recovery time you need after an injury, also offer relief to soreness and pain that commonly follows an intensive exercise, such as martial arts. The device automatically powers off after 10-minutes to save you from injury.
This massage gun has a comfortable and smooth massage. It provides 3-speed strength levels that make you adjust the intensity of massage you need. It has long battery life that lasts up to 3 hours after massage after every charge.
Pros
- Long battery life
- Quiet motor
- Ergonomic
- Easy-to-use
- Attractive design
- 3-adjustable speed settings
- Lightweight
- Rechargeable battery
- 4 massage heads
- Travel-friendly with carrying caseÂ
Cons
None
LifePro Sonic-Handheld-Percussion-Massage-Gun
Image SourceThis massage gun helps to reduce pain and sore feeling after intense exercise. The powerful motor stimulates deep in tissues, sends relaxing waves in the body.
You can add it into pre-workout warm-up or after-workout recovery sessions with sufficient ease.
The sonic promote regular mobility and flexibility. It works well as a trigger point massage method for relieving joint pain. You also get mismatched customer support with a 100 money-back guarantee. The percussion massage gun is good for utilization at the sports club or gym. The brushless motor provides you the best operation, so you can massage muscles without creating more noise or bothering your surrounding people. The rechargeable battery provides long life of 3-6 hours. Therefore, you can have days at a stretch without getting to charge it.
You can get from levels of intensity and switch between five massage heads to provide a precise message for different muscle groups and body parts. The durable body will offer stable performance at all speed levels from 20Hz to 45Hz.
Pros
- Quiet brushless motor
- 5-massage heads
- Lightweight
- Ergonomic hand grip
- Easy-to-use
- Long battery life
- Rechargeable battery
- Portable
- 5-flexible intensity levels
- Lifetime warranty
Cons
- ExpensiveÂ
Exerscribe-Vybe-Brushless-Personal-Percussion-Massage-Gun
Image SourceThis massage gun may not be the fastest device out there, but it is undoubtedly among the strong ones.
This remarkable device has a high-quality development and is created to help to get the benefits from the self-recovery tool. No wonder they confidently provide you a one-year warranty also 3- day money-back guarantee.
This massage gun has 3- tips designed to target different groups of muscles:
high-quality ball for little muscle groups the long ball for bigger muscles groups
a cone for when you want the best extensive tissue massage.
The compressed message gun has a convenient case that makes it great travel-friendly.
You can have from 6 speeds and a good percussion vibration range of 500-2400 strokes every minute. Both are adjustable and can be helpful for tolerance. The handle has an ergonomic form with a powerful push-button, making it easy to use for most people. This massage gun is not for correcting muscle tension or knots. You can also use it to enhance the range of motion or relax or contract muscles.
Pros
- 3-massage heads
- Long battery life
- 90-degree rotating massage armÂ
- Fast-charger
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- 6-adjustable speed levels
- 1-year warranty
- Rechargeable batteries
- Brushless motor
Cons
- Not a quiet operation.Â
Every fun Massage Gun
Image SourceThis massage gun works effectively for relieving muscle soreness and pain that happen after exercise. The high torque motor has 12MM amplitude and strong battery cells offer a deep tissue massage and revitalize sore tissue and paining muscles. This massager provides 3200 shocks every minute that sends waves of relaxation from the body. It provides a long battery life of around 10-hours and has 5-massage heads and different speed settings.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Long battery life
- Ergonomic design
- 5 massage heads
- Quiet operation
- Wireless
- Portable
- Durable
- High-torque powerful motor
- 5 adjustable speed levels
- 15-month warranty
Cons
None
Legiral Muscle Massage Gun
Image SourceThis massage gun helps to relax your muscle pain, flexibility, and improves motions, and enhances blood flow. The high torque motor provides 20-adjustable intensity levels and 6 massage heads, which can be utilized for different body parts. The high-quality rechargeable battery takes 2-3 hours to charge it completely. The ergonomic design and the non-slip handle help users to get convenience. This massage gun features an LED control and adjusting vibration and speed levels.
Pros
- Ergonomic design
- 20 intensity levels
- Non-slip handle
- Comes with a travel case
- High-torque motor
- Long battery life
- 6 massage heads
- Touch screen LED control
Cons
None
Gocheer-Muscle-Massage-Gun
Image SourceThis massage gun offers deep and strong vibrations that relax stiff muscles and soothe your sore tissues at the same time. You can utilize it regularly to soothe pains and aches after a challenging exercise or as a comforting message after having a stressful day.
You can pick from 20-adjustable speed settings under 1200-3180 beats every minute for a massage good suited to your requirement. The battery is strong and long-lasting, so a single charge is all you require for up to 8-hours of use. The high-definition LCD touch screen also works as a battery indicator to alarm in time for the next charge.
The massage gun has modern technology to lower noise output considerably. Even at the highest vibration setting, the noise does not grow 60 dB so that you can feel a peaceful and refreshing massage. It weighs 2.2 lbs and provides a user-friendly design. It is easy to use anywhere.
Pros
- Electronic shut-off feature
- Quiet operation
- 20 adjustable speeds
- Easy to use
- Long battery life
- Heat distribution functionÂ
- Replaceable massage heads
- Inbuilt LCD touch screen
Cons
- Expensive
- May have quality control issues.Â
Benefits of Massage Gun
Prevent Injury, Enhance recovery and sports performance
Image SourceMassage gun helps to develop muscle contraction, which results in the strengthening and lengthening of facial muscle and muscles. Making massage therapy your post-workout routine and lifestyle is the best way to relieve stress. The main massage purpose is to help you relax your muscles and relieve body tension, which would help to reduce the time between workout and muscles recovery, as toxic debris are instantly getting flushed out and making muscles recovery fast.
For each deep tissue massage with a massage gun, tensions and fluid are release within the deep muscles and increase circulation as the tissue cells and blood exchange substances to boost tissue metabolism.
The oxygen and nutrients supply is also increasing due to massage gun, therefore more blood circulation from the body. It also helps to stop overtraining because of sedating impacts on the nervous system. It heals and stops injuries, as the enhanced circulation helps break down adhesions and boost nutrient production and fluid to repair tissue fast.
Massage guns also increase the flexibility and efficiency of muscles by increasing performance and power.
Â
Advanced Vibrational Healing & Powerful Pain Relief
Image SourceVibrational healing is a type of healing, which is based on subtle energies and vibrations, without any dependence on other healing systems. It is based on every person’s unique energy field and is called to be efficient. Interestingly, a massage gun offers a similar benefit, as it delivers vibrations deep into the muscle by utilizing the percussive therapy method. The vibrations from doing massage help to increase blood and lymph circulation around the body, which benefits produce extra nutrients and oxygen into the muscles. The result of this improved range of motion, speed up recovery, relieve muscles fatigue, and soreness, and pain relief. Pain in the neck, lower back, and shoulders can easily be improved with the advanced vibrating massage guns effect.
Rehabilitation
Image SourceMassage is popular for rehabilitation therapy, as it not only speeds up the recovery process but also stops re-injury. Massage guns work as a supplement toward the standard injury for the recovery process and improve the healing of atrophied muscles because of disease or trauma. Increased circulation into the fascial tissues and muscles helps the injured part to have more flexibility and heal in a short time.
Release Lactic Acid
Image SourceLactic acid occurs when the oxygen levels in the body have a low level and the body starts to compensate for it by saving newly created lactate into energy. It often happens during an intense workout, and the lactic acid tends to develop in the bloodstream faster than it can burn. It could make you get exhausted, get a cramp, and nauseated in muscles. A massage gun can save this, as it helps to release the toxins and lactic acid from muscles to surrounding tissues. It will help to lower muscle soreness risk that often occurs after a prolonged exertion because of lactic acid accumulation.
Increases Lymphatic Flow and Blood
Image SourceMassage guns offer deep tissue massage, which raises the rate of nerve receptors helpful for dilating blood vessels. The lymph works to eliminate toxins and waste from the body tissues and the flow is controlled by contraction of muscle, this means fewer active people might not be stimulating sufficient lymph circulation while active people might be getting more from it. It could lead to lymphedema if not managed. However, with a massage gun, you can create balance, as it helps to increase circulation in the entire lymphatic system.
Activates Muscles and Nervous System
Image SourceThe nervous system regulates and stimulates the activity of muscles and manages the homeostasis of the body. For each activity on the muscles, the nervous system gets seen. Massage guns help to stimulate the sympathetic nervous system receptors, which lead to vasodilation in the muscles and skin, thereby realizing tension and help muscles relax and improve mobility.
Relieves Muscle Stiffness and Spasms
Image SourceMassage guns can benefit to relieve muscle stiffness and spasm cause ischemia in the muscles, which means the muscle have low blood flow. It could result in spasms that are achy to the touch. The massage gun works by adding pressure on tendons, muscles, and ligaments to help to relax and lower painful contractions and spasms.
Â
Breaks up Scar Tissue
Image SourceWound tissue is created from collagen fibers that maintain restore damaged fibers in the body. However, the flexibility of the tissues does not consider as natural muscles tissues of the body. Massage guns offer deep tissue massage, which will help to break down these scar tissues, thereby decreasing pain and restriction. You can use these massage guns for sports injuries and tissue scars post-surgery.
Increase Range of Motion Quickly
Image SourceMassage guns give work to muscles, tendons, connective tissues, joints, and ligaments, all of which work together to help mobility. With the regular use of massage guns, the joints will get more flexible and less likely to sprains and strain. The fascial tissue and comfortable muscles and enhance blood flow and develop a range of motion and elasticity.
Wellness Benefits
There are different other health benefits you can get from massage guns. It includes raised mobility, improved immunity, and increased sleep. It also helps to lower anxiety and depression, digestive disorders, fibromyalgia, and stress-related insomnia.
Â
Effects of Massage Guns
Image SourceInitial research shows that, when you do before exercise, vibration therapy is as good at stopping soreness as traditional massage in women without training.
Massage guns boost blood flow, which increases nutrient absorption in muscles while also eliminating blood that may be entered in muscles, which is a common happening, often following long-term inactivity that causes swelling. If you use the gun directly after doing exercise, it may promote the removal of metabolites – waste products linked with workout, which can lead to burning in the muscles.
Â
What Are the Best Ways to Use The Massage Gun?
You do not wish to overstimulate the muscle. Extra use drives fluid into the muscle without having it flow out again. It is a good tool, so keep it over a low setting. Higher settings are reserved for truly large folks.
Cautions
Generally, massage guns are safe for use for sore muscles and tools to increase fitness. However, you should be aware of common mistakes while using massage guns.
Do not use a massage gun:
On musculoskeletal injuries like strains and sprains
On-body parts
Open wounds or bruises
Unexplained pain
Without consulting a doctor for osteoporosis or arthritis, musculoskeletal or fibromyalgia condition.
How Frequently to Use a Massage Gun?
You can safely add a massage gun to your everyday workout routine if you use the right techniques and do not overdo it and follow proper instructions given by an expert.
Your Massage Gun Game Plan
Before Doing Your Workout
Image SourceMassage guns are considered as recovery tools in the present fitness trend, but you can add them for either situation. Using a massage gun as a warmup tool helps to get you to hook up that fearing foam rolling ordeal. In hypothesis, percussive therapy is doing various things you like in a warm-up.
Initially, it is raising blood flow in targeted muscles.
Secondly, the beating is turning on the sensitive nervous system, the fight-or-flight mode that preps your body for play and activity.
To utilize the massage gun to basic for a workout, aim for the muscle group you are doing training. Therefore, if you are going to do bench press, you will need to hit pecs, or if you are going to perform pulldowns and rows, you wish to hit lats. Spend 30-seconds for working with muscle belly only, not feel toward a joint. Stay on the deepest part of the tissue.
During a Workout
Image SourceBetween sets, you can also take benefits of a massage gun, tight parts, loosening tense. So, you can have more from the next set. For example, you may sense your chest tighten slightly after a set of bench press reps and feel to stretch. But research shows us that statically stretching a muscle may lower benefits and pressure output. Instead, use the massage gun for 15-seconds on a muscle part that feels tense. It should raise blood flow and stimulate muscles, loosening them again for the remaining workout.
After Your Workout
Image SourceWhen your complete exercise, your body increases its state. But a massage gun can, in theory, help to relax the nervous system.
The sooner you fire up your sensitive nervous system, which helps to govern rest and your relaxation, the sooner your body changes into recovery mode.
To utilize the massage gun to do this, fire it up and spend 90-120 seconds moving upward and downward every muscle group. Again, you are doing this from the muscle belly, not near joints. It will help to relax muscles.
When to Get a Physical Therapist for Treating Pain
Like always when starting to utilize a new tool for muscle recovery, know your body. If you are not sure whether your pain is right for the usage of a massage gun, talk to your physical therapist. If you see abnormal pains and aches, look for a medical professional as soon as possible. No prescription is required in most cases, but you can have a regular check-up.
The Difference Between Foam Rollers, Massage Guns, and Other Muscle Recovery Options
Image SourceMassage guns provide the same things as massage but in a different way. So, they will provide the same effect as foam rolling and massage. The one you choose may depend on personal preference. Foam rolling uses myofascial release to reduce muscle tension. Fascia is the linked tissue that surrounds blood vessels, muscles, and nerves. For different reasons, fascia can become tight, even inflamed and when that occurs, your ability to move can be hindered. Yet the slow to moderate sustained pressure you use with a foam roller can benefit the tight part of the body to release or relax. You might get the same effects by holding a massage gun to one part, but it does not qualify as a myofascial release because of its rapid, effective nature.
The massage gun targets a particular part of the body better than a foam roller, especially those that are difficult to reach, like the biceps, pectoral muscles, and psoas muscles, which run from the low spine to toward the tops of the femur bones in legs.
Static stretching also uses slow and sustained stretches over a muscle to boost relaxation and lower muscle tightness feeling and like foam rolling.
How to Choose A Massage Gun While Purchasing?
Image SourceMassage guns are not cheap. These guns may cost many dollars, which is why you should analyze your purchase carefully. Search online reviews to begin. Because the massage guns have different sizes, so choose comfortably according to your levels. Some have adjustable handles and heads. Think, more if you wish to take the device over the go; if so, mini massage guns might be a good option, as they need easily fit into a backpack.
No matter the size, check the different attachments with a gun to help you hit hard-to-reach or difficult parts. It should also provide different settings to choose gentle to extra intense movement. Focus on how intense or loud the gun is and how it is suitable for your enjoyment.