What Does a Massage Gun Do? What are the Benefits of Massage Guns?
By Naila Syifa
Updated March 2024
If you're looking for a way to speed up recovery after a workout or relieve muscle soreness, a massage gun can be a great investment. But what exactly does a massage gun do and how does it work? What benefits can it provide for your body? Let's explore these questions in more detail.
What is a massage gun?
A massage gun is a handheld device that applies percussive therapy to muscles and soft tissues. They are portable, mostly battery-powered, and come with different interchangeable heads or attachments to target different muscle groups.
In many cases, the device looks like a drill, but a well-known brand Theragun has a distinctive triangular design for easier grip and better reach. Different massage guns have different speed settings, amplitude, and force, so it is important to choose the one that suits your needs and preferences.
What does a massage gun do?
Theragun Pro (5th Gen)
A massage gun percusses or vibrates a targeted muscle area, warming up the muscle and increasing blood flow to the area. The massage gun head penetrates the muscle tissue at a certain amplitude, helping to relax the muscle and relieve soreness and stiffness.
This method of percussive therapy can have a range of benefits for the body, including reducing soreness, improving range of motion, increasing blood flow, and increasing muscle recovery time.
You can simply view a massage gun as a massage therapist, but it doesn't get tired, can be used at any time and anywhere, and can save you money from repeated visits.
What are the benefits of massage guns?
Theragun Relief
In short, these are some of the benefits of massage guns:
• Increase blood flow
• Relieve muscle stiffness, soreness, and tension
• Speed up recovery
• Increase mobility and range of motion
• Help to break up scar tissue
• Provide relaxation
Increase blood flow
The percussive action of a massage gun helps to increase blood flow to the targeted area, which can deliver oxygen and nutrients to the muscle tissue more efficiently. This increased blood flow can also help to flush out metabolic waste products that build up in the muscle tissue after exercise.
Relieve muscle stiffness, soreness, and tension
Massage guns can provide relief from muscle stiffness, soreness, and tension by applying percussive therapy to the affected muscle groups, helping to break up knots and adhesions.
Speed up recovery
Using a massage gun after exercise can help speed up muscle recovery. The vibrations from the massage gun can help to reduce inflammation and promote tissue repair, helping you to recover faster from a workout or injury.
Increase flexibility and range of motion
Warming up muscles with a massage gun before workouts can increase flexibility and range of motion, making it easier to perform exercises and activities that require a greater range of motion. A prepared muscle is also less likely to get injured during physical activities.
Help to break up scar tissue
A massage gun that penetrates deep into the muscle tissue can help to break up scar tissue, though not completely. After the initial healing period, you can use a massage gun to help loosen up the scar tissue and improve mobility in the affected area.
Provide relaxation
By helping to release tension in the muscles, a massage gun can promote feelings of calm and well-being while also reducing stress. Certain models, like Theragun Sense, even integrated a guided breathwork feature to further promote relaxation and mindfulness.
Final Thoughts
Theragun Sense
A massage gun is a great tool to have in your recovery arsenal, providing many benefits for the body. The percussive massage therapy it provides can help to reduce soreness, improve range of motion, increase blood flow, and speed up muscle recovery time, making it an excellent investment for anyone looking to improve their physical well-being. However, make sure to always use it safely and responsibly.
If you like to read more about massage guns, check out our other relevant guides here:
How To Use Your Massage Gun: The Ultimate Guide To Percussive Therapy
Do Massage Guns Work? Are They Good For You?
The Best Massage Guns
The 3 Best Deep Tissue Massage Guns
The 3 Best Budget Massage Guns
The 3 Best Mini Massage Guns
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