Have you ever skipped doing a proper warm down and stretch after a workout because you just didn’t have the time? Hey, we all have.
That’s just the reality of trying to stay fit in amongst the hustle and bustle of everyday life. When you’re pushed for time, a warm down — never mind a proper massage — is the first thing to go. What you need are the tools to help you stay on top of both your body and your schedule.
Enter the massage gun. Turns out that those mesmerising skin ripples are more than just a weird flex. This form of portable muscle therapy began with professional athletes but has trickled down into the lives of your average gym-goer who doesn’t have the time or money for foam rolling sessions on sore days. That means you, us, everyone.
If you have chronic shoulder, neck, or back pain, the ability to give yourself a deep-tissue massage at home can be life-changing. You’ll find there’s a range of models to hit the spot of your muscle recovery needs — from the basic to pro athlete level. Here’s some useful information to get you started.
How do massage guns work?
Percussive therapy is the name of the game, and it’s a more professional term for “your muscles like it rough.” Athletes use deep-tissue massage for quick pain relief and faster recovery times. This is when a professional masseuse delivers forceful, rapid thumps to a specific area of the body to stimulate a specific set of muscles. The percussive therapy afforded by a massage gun lets individuals perform this same type of penetrative tissue attention on themselves without extra help, and these devices are said to provide hours worth of massage benefits in minutes.
What are the benefits of a massage gun?
Massage guns deliver short-duration pulses to enhance the blood flow, soften knots, and accelerate the repair of muscle fibres, all of which can lead to better-prepared warmups and quicker recovery times. Your mood might see a spike, too. The pressure point relief that massage provides has been linked to decreased levels of cortisol (the stress hormone), an increased production of endorphins (the feel-good chemical), and even a lower heart rate.
We should point out that percussive therapy isn’t a fix-all. A massage gun can replace pricey massage appointments, but there’s literally no substitute for the nutrients you get from a balanced diet, sleep, and getting proper hydration are still crucial to the muscle growth and recovery process.
Percussion massagers vs. vibration massagers — what’s the difference?
Percussion massagers mimic the kneading hands of a masseuse, providing pressure that hammers below the top layers and work damaged muscle fibres. Perfect for heavy-duty workouts. Casual exercisers and chronic pain sufferers may prefer surface-level rumblings from a vibration massager, which gives speedy pulses but less “punch”.
What features do massage guns offer?
Massage guns tend to offer some key features that appear in multiple models:
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Battery life — Many people depend on their massage gun for a rushed cool down in the middle of a busy schedule, and charging after every use is a huge inconvenience. The best massage guns will get up to three hours of battery life while the weaker ones max out at around 40 minutes.
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Massage heads – The first thing you’ll notice when buying a massage gun is that they usually come with a selection of heads, each designed to work specific muscle groups in a different way and get different results.
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Noise — No one wants to sit at the gym (or at home with a sleeping baby) using a device that sounds like a pneumatic drill. It’s impossible for massage guns to be completely silent, but check the reviews for sound levels.
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Speeds — Look for a gun with different speeds, or revs per minute (RPM. But don’t forget that higher speed doesn’t always mean vigour. The amplitude (how deep the massage head will push into your body) relies on the amount of force behind each pulse, and heavier force on a slow RPM setting will feel more intense than a faster RPM setting with weaker force.
Keep these points in mind when shopping around for a massage gun.
What is the best massage gun?
There is a lot to know about massage guns, and it’s important to do your research before making a purchase. To make your job a little easier, we have tracked down six of the best guns to cover all muscular bases. We’ve tried to find something for everyone and every budget. You just need to scroll through the options and pick a favourite. Your muscles will thank you — well, they certainly won’t complain as much.
These are the best massage guns in 2024.
