Can a massage gun take the place of your therapist?

Massage Gun, also known as percussion massagers, percussive treatment, and vibration therapy, provide many advantages of massage without the expense or inconvenience of seeing a massage therapist – something that is now prohibited, with physical distance. These electric instruments, which start at $100 and look like power drills, provide a forceful message and often come with a variety of attachments, such as balls of varied stiffness and finger-like tips, as well as different settings. While they are intended for use by everyone, according to Hugh Williams, marketing director of Addaday, a massage gun maker, they are most popular among endurance athletes such as triathletes and ultramarathoners. However, with the advantages come specific concerns. Here’s what you should know before attempting to use one.

Advantages

Josh Shadle is a massage therapist and CrossFit enthusiast from Boulder, Colorado, who believes his massage gun has helped him recover. Every night, sometimes for hours, he uses it, and it’s basically like a reflection of an excellent massage therapist, Shadle says.

The gun, like conventional massage, tries to relieve inflammation by pushing extracellular fluids like lymph fluid and venous blood out of muscle tissue and into the circulatory system. It can aid in the relaxation of tight muscles, the breakdown of scar tissue and adhesions, and the reduction of muscular discomfort and tension. Percussive treatment to be equally beneficial as massage in preventing DOMS in short research published in the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research.

Unlike many other kinds of bodywork, it is conceivable and suggested to practice percussion massage on oneself. According to Alan Novick, doctor and chief of the Hollywood, FLA Commemorative Rehabilitation Institute.

if someone else is using the gun on you, they can’t tell how much pressure they’re exerting on your body or how much pain you’re experiencing as a result, regardless of their credentials, skill, or experience.

If you use it on yourself, on the other hand, you have that immediate feedback loop and you won’t be exerting as much pressure, says Novick.

Likewise, if you use the gun and feel electric sensations, like your funny bone traveling down to your palm, Shadle explains, you’re probably not going to keep doing it.

Shadle can use massage guns before or after a workout to wake up muscles or help with healing. He recommends them for persons of all ages, “from the wounded athlete to the software engineer” who is always at a computer since they are simple to use and may decrease tension and boost function.

Is it possible to have too much of a good thing?

When it comes to massage guns, more isn’t always better. What is the limit? If the tissue turns extremely red pretty quickly, [this] suggests there’s a lot of blood flow in there, Shadle explains. He suggests shifting the massage gun to another portion of the body at that time. He also warns that if you leave the massage gun in the exact location for too long (in some situations, more than a few minutes), the skin may become uncomfortable and itchy, and bruising may appear. In general, he recommends avoiding holding the gun in a static position for more than a few seconds and instead of moving it in a short radius in one location.

Pricing

A short search on Amazon yields many possibilities, with prices ranging from $100 to well over $2,000. Nobody knows why prices vary so significantly.

There are several characteristics to look for when making a purchase. Some purchasers may wish to think about a company’s reputation and the availability of customer assistance and warranties. “Because t[massage guns] are so strong, I want a firm to be behind me if something goes wrong,” Shadle said, explaining why he chose a name brand over a generic.