The fitness industry is full of questionable products backed by overzealous claims, but percussion massage guns were something that always seemed appealing. The benefits of massage are well touted, from exercise recovery to general wellbeing. Percussion massage guns should be no different.
They gained popularity a few years back and are now becoming ubiquitous in the sports world. It’s not unusual to see it on NBA sidelines during games, where trainers use it on players to keep tight muscles loose. If it’s good enough for professional athletes, that’s enough social proof for me.
The problem was that the ones advertised were very expensive, upwards of $400. I couldn’t bring myself to spend that much on what would be considered a luxury item for me.
Then one day I felt a tweak in my lower back while on the leg press machine. By the time I got home it stiffened up and I couldn’t pick up anything off the floor. The next day I mentioned it in passing to a client and she let me borrow her massage gun. Now I had a chance to rate its effectiveness without purchasing it.
At risk of sounding hyperbolic, the results were extraordinary. I’d estimate an 80% improvement in range of motion over the next few hours from using the percussion massager. I could now bend over with minimal pain, whereas before I was doing a bodyweight squat to pick up my keys.
I was so tempted to buy one because of how impressive the results were, but still couldn’t imagine forking over hundreds of dollars for one. To my surprise, my client said that the one I was using was only about $100.
After looking online, I realized she wasn’t lying. I purchased one like this and was well on my way. It’s no TimTam or Theragun, but it’s more than enough to get the job done. If browsing through products you’ll notice that the massagers in this price range are all generally the same. They all have adjustable speeds and come with a variety of attachments.
Personally, I stick with the flat attachment that looks like a hammer and the big foam ball. The ability to change speed and intensity is valuable when using it on different parts of the body. The number of levels on the percussion massager typically ranges from 5-20. Mine has 20, but honestly it gets redundant at a certain point (i.e. you’re not really going to notice a difference between level 13 and 14).
Personal anecdotes are fine, but what does the research say? As a relatively new instrument, the research is limited, but some still exists.
Range of Motion
A 2020 study looked at the effects of percussive massage treatment on range of motion for the plantar flexor muscles. These are muscles in the calf and ankle area which are engaged when the foot moves in different directions. An injury called plantar fasciitis has become prevalent in recent years in both sports and the general population, which perhaps was the inspiration for this study.
This study was a landmark one in a sense. The authors suggest that it may be the only one to date to look at percussion massage therapy’s effects on muscle performance and range of motion acutely.
It was a well controlled study involving 16 healthy males separated into two groups. The results showed an increase in dorsiflexion range of motion for the group that received the massage gun treatment.
This goes hand in hand with my personal experience. The subjects in the study even had no pre-existing injuries like I did.
Pain Relief
Pain is subjective, which makes it much more difficult to extrapolate hard data from studies. Even with a well-defined scale, your interpretation of pain may still be different from mine. Nevertheless, a meta-analysis was conducted on the effects of general massage therapy toward pain. A meta-analysis is a review of all the relevant studies in the chosen field that meet a certain criteria.
67 studies were reviewed in this meta-analysis and it showed that massage therapy is a definite beneficial intervention when it comes to pain relief.
This meta-analysis focused on massage therapy in general (which in of itself can be hard to define) rather than a percussion massage gun. However, it’s pretty evident that a massage gun mimics the effects of what a massage therapist would do. There’s argument that it’s even more effective given the limitations of a massage therapists hand strength compared to a machine.
In addition, many people can’t afford to see a massage therapist at their leisure. The upfront cost of a percussion massage gun isn’t much more than a one hour session, if at all.
Muscle Soreness
Delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) occurs as a result of muscle damage sustained from a workout. It lasts for a day or two after the workout but can limit performance in subsequent training sessions.
A study was performed measuring vibration therapy’s effect on DOMS. It was shown to be effective in reducing muscle soreness, increasing range of motion, and increasing blood flow.
Vibration therapy is similar to massage gun therapy but not exactly the same. There are two types of vibration therapy, localized and full body. Percussion massage gun therapy is more similar to localized vibration therapy, which focuses on one area of the body.
How to Use a Massage Gun
If a person purchases a product and uses it improperly, it’s likely that they will have a negative opinion of it. There is a right way and a wrong way to use a massage gun.
First is when to use it. While using the massage gun immediately post exercise seems logical, it’s actually not the best time. If you’ve ever gotten a deep tissue massage before, you probably noticed that you were sore the next day. While a massage is designed to loosen up tight muscles and improve recovery, it is a stress in its own unique way. By using it immediately post workout, you’d essentially be doubling up the stress on your body.
You have the stress from the workout itself, followed by the stress from the massage gun. At the very least, wait a few hours or better yet use it on an off day.
Generally speaking, the most optimal time would be to use it as a warm up tool before training. The study referenced earlier on the percussion massager’s benefit on dorsiflexion had participants use it for prior to training.
When I would run, the limiting factor would be foot pain. My cardiovascular system held up, but foot and ankle pain would force me to slow down or stop. Using a massage therapy gun along with some light stretching was like night and day.
With that being said, it’s important not to overdo it. Too much stretching and massage work prior to exercise can leave muscles overly pliable. The concern is that joints become unstable, which can lead to potential injury.
Beyond that, many people simply don’t know how to use a massage gun properly. They use them too close to large bones and joints which can be dangerous. Aside from rare circumstances where you have a very tight knot in the muscle, the massager should never bounce around like a jackhammer. It should be relatively smooth (all things considered) and be easy to move around a large muscle.
Who Can Benefit From a Massage Gun
Anyone who performs resistance training workouts over a long period of time is likely going to experience tightness in muscles. Even if you do everything properly; eat right, get sleep, cool down after workouts, and stretch, tight muscles are an inevitability. If you don’t exercise but sit at a desk all day you also may experience this. Historically the only thing you could do is see a professional masseuse. It’s effective, but costly and time consuming.
Now you can have the benefits of massage at your fingertips. People who don’t work out but still experience chronic pain could obviously benefit as well. Chronic pain, whether from an old injury or otherwise, is a debilitating thing. While it certainly isn’t a cure for everything, at the very least a massage gun is a convenient tool to keep around. Most of them come in a small, easy to carry bag which holds the massager and its attachments, which makes it easy to travel with.
There’s always a silver lining; had I not tweaked my back on that leg press I probably would have never purchased a massage gun. Even though I got the cheaper version, it has held up over time and does everything I could ask for. You don’t have to charge it that often, even when using it on the highest setting. If you’re an athlete, someone who works out or runs often, weekend warrior, or just someone who experiences annoying pains from time to time, it’s highly recommended to pick one up and give it a shot.