Often used to massage away muscle soreness, stiffness, and pain, massage guns have been around for quite a while, with a significant amount of fuss, facts, and myths surrounding their usage.
Chances are pretty high that you have seen at least one of them in your local drug store or major retailer. Maybe you’ve ever seen or heard about them online. If you or someone you know is considering using one, you might be asking yourself, “Are they really that good?”
In this post, we shall cover a few pointers that may help answer the commonly asked question of how effective are percussive therapy guns?
How Does Percussion Therapy Work?
Percussion therapy involves placing various hand-held tools onto the bones in the hands and wrists of the patient. The tools used range from massage balls to simple bracing devices, and include, but are not limited to:
- Pinches
- Pumps
- Grounding devices
- Textured cylindrical knobs
This also includes percussive therapy guns, which we shall be focusing more on for the rest of the article.
The purpose of percussion therapy is to relieve pain and speed recovery. In the most simple and common version of the treatment, a therapist uses their hands to apply pressure against different points of the painful area, simulating the motion and sensation of a tennis ball hitting the wrist in the process.
What are Percussive Therapy Guns?
The fact that percussion therapy may be used with massage guns has probably surprised many, including massage therapy practitioners and their clients. In fact, these tools are increasingly gaining popularity, with famous athletes such as LeBron James.
Christiano Ronaldo has also been spotted using what appeared to be Therabody’s Theragun after intense training or matches. These devices make it possible to massage different parts of your own body.
You simply have to hold the massage gun and direct it on the muscles you need to massage using a significant amount of force. The gun gives percussive or vibration therapy by frequently applying bouts of pressure on muscles in a swift up-and-down motion in a fashion similar to a small jackhammer.
How to Use a Percussive Massage Gun Properly
Whatever your reasons for getting a massage gun, it is crucial to understand how to use the device. Most handheld massagers – or percussion massage guns – do not come with instruction manuals; they’re basically a tool, an accessory to do the work of your therapist.
However, that shouldn’t discourage you at all. In most cases, you will find the device usage information on the manufacturer’s website. You can also ask your massage therapist, or if they use the same tools, how they like to use them.
Are Massage Guns Really Effective?
The effectiveness of massage guns varies considerably, and it is important to consider how and why your therapy tool is being used.
For example, when performing a massage to an area where the pressure may be too strong, the hand that is not being used may compensate and force the pressing motion. This is called sub-maximal pressure, and many doctors believe that it actually worsens the massage.
This is why using a massage gun may be more effective than conventional massages. However, their effectiveness is determined by a few factors, including the device brand and model you purchase, as well as the features, vibration speeds/ intensity, and how long the unit lasts with a full charge.
The best perk is probably the fact that you can use the device for self-massage, so you don’t have to visit your therapist or spa every time you need a massage!