How to choose a massage gun ?

2021-07-23

Massage guns are taking the fitness gadget world by storm. These percussive therapy devices target sore muscles with rapid-fire pulses, aiming to provide the benefits of massage therapy from the comfort of your home.

Many Massage Gun users swear by the gadget`s ability to help relax muscles, boost post-workout muscle recovery, and prevent delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMs) by increasing blood flow to the soft tissues and reducing lactic acid buildup.

While researchers have yet to confirm the efficacy of massage guns specifically, studies do support the therapeutic capabilities of vibration therapy and massage, both of which are part of percussive therapy.

What to Look for in a Massage gun

Noise

The motors that power massage guns can be surprisingly loud, so it can be a rather unpleasant experience to use them on neck and shoulder muscles. Luckily, lots of the newer models prioritize decreasing this motor noise.

Stall Force

This term refers to the amount of pressure you can apply to the head of the massage gun before the motor stalls. [It`s important because if you want to add the pressure of the massage gun on the tissues and the unit stops moving, then it`s not helpful and the massage gun isn`t doing what you need it to do," says Dr. Karena Wu, PT, and owner of ActiveCare Physical Therapy in New York City and India. Folks who want deeper, more aggressive percussive therapy typically need massage guns with higher stall force.

Weight

Because these devices are often held with one hand, weight is a vital factor. [Weight is important because you have to hold the unit in your hand and be in a position to have the massage gun hit your tissues," says Wu. She notes that if a unit is too heavy, you can end up with a fatigued arm, unable to target the correct tissues.

You want to feel confident that you can hold the massage gun steadily and safely on the targeted muscle while it`s running at top speed.

Customizability

Some massage guns come with a handful of head attachments, some offer an adjustable head angle on the device itself, some provide both of these features, and some neglect both. Wu says that pinpoint, flat, and curved attachments help target a variety of different muscles and tensions. [If you`re really tight and tender, then starting with a flat head attachment would be best to warm up the tissues without discomfort," she says.

Consider customizability as you think about which muscles you typically need to target and what type of massage therapy you enjoy using on those muscles.

Previous: How to Use a Massage Gun Safely