Massage gun FAQ
What is a massage gun?
“Put simply, it’s a handheld device that sends vibrations through your muscle at a high frequency of around 40 percussions per second”, says Jonathan Codling, a physiotherapist at luxury health club Third Space in London. “These vibrations are called percussive therapy, which is based on the principles of massage, vibration therapy and foam rollers.”
When used before or after a workout, many claim the ‘pummelling’ motion variously improves athletic performance, reduces your risk of injury, reduces Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) and increases your range of motion by increasing blood flow to your muscles. Anecdotal evidence also suggests massage guns (also known as muscle guns) can help ease chronic pain and improve sleep.
What is the most effective massage gun?
While plenty of people report positive experience with the devices, experts maintain that there will need to be more research into the benefits of percussive therapy to say for sure.
“The current research is a promising start,” says Sam MacGregor, clinical lead in the physiotherapy team at Loughborough University. “There are studies that prove they can increase your range of motion and reduce the self-reported feeling of DOMS, but fuller evidence for how they actually work isn’t really there yet.”
Codling concurs. “It’s difficult to pin down because the technology is accelerating before the research is there to support it,” he says. “These devices are running ahead of the evidence which is, so far, a mixture of theory from massage brought together with some very limited studies on percussive therapy.”
Do massage guns work for back pain?
One of the problems you encounter when trying to ascertain whether massage guns work is that some of the studies cited by some brands are commissioned by the brands themselves, raising the inevitable question of bias. However, a small but growing body of evidence does look promising; for instance, a study from universities in Switzerland and Belgium has proved that two minutes of treatment increased blood flow and oxygen saturation in the muscles of participants.
It’s surely a good sign that, even though there isn’t extensive evidence to back them up, MacGregor uses massage guns with his clients. “The majority of clients I’ve used them with really recommend them,” he says. “For people who train a lot, if they use a massage gun before or after training, it really helps loosen them up.”
If you’re interested in other ways to improve your fitness, read our tried and tested guides to the best protein powders, yoga mats and fitness trackers.