Everything You Should Know About Massage Guns

Few things are better than a good, relaxing massage after a long day. It helps ease the built-up muscle tension, making you feel refreshed and rejuvenated. The only problem is that scheduling a massage with a professional masseuse can put quite a dent in your budget.

Therefore, if you want to enjoy massages whenever you need them, your best alternative could be using a massage gun. Let’s go over how they work, what benefits they bring, and whether they are a good choice for you.

What is a massage gun?

A massage gun is a simple yet powerful tool that helps ease tension and muscle soreness using vibrations (or percussions). Also known as a percussion massager, it’s shaped like a power drill and usually boasts several detachable heads that can help target specific muscle groups.

Most commonly, it will come with an all-purpose rubber, ball-shaped head, a flat head suitable for larger muscle groups, a conical head suitable for joints, and a U-shaped head used for the neck and back.

How massage guns work

A handheld massager works by delivering continuous, rapid bursts of pressure to the muscles. The rubber head moves quickly up and down or in circles, thus increasing blood flow to the area and promoting relaxation.

Massage guns will have several intensity levels to provide the optimal percussion therapy for your needs. Lower intensity levels are best for joint pain, back and neck soreness, and shoulder tension. Higher intensity levels are great for preventing muscle soreness after a heavy workout, offering an excellent form of deep tissue massage.

It’s usually best to start with a lower intensity and slowly work your way up to ensure greater comfort.

Who should use a handheld massager?

A handheld massager is almost like your personal massage therapist, and it works well for almost anyone. It’s most commonly used by amateur and pro athletes alike as it can help warm up the muscles pre-workout and relax them post-workout.

It can be a valuable device even if you lead a largely sedentary lifestyle. As it can help alleviate muscle tension and soreness in your back, neck, and shoulders, it’s the perfect tool for those who spend most of their day sitting in uncomfortable office chairs. As long as you’re healthy, you can benefit from using a massage gun.

You should, however, avoid using percussion massagers over wounds or injuries. If you’re pregnant or have skin, muscle, or bone issues, you should consult your doctor before using a handheld massager.

Benefits of using a massage guns

A massage gun boasts an array of benefits that you’ll enjoy:

• Promotes blood flow, allowing more nutrients to reach your muscles;
• Relieves stress;
• Aids muscle recovery;
• Alleviates pain;
• Reduces cellulite;
• Decreases delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS).

To enjoy all the benefits of a massage gun, you need to learn how to use it right. In general, you should keep the massage shorter than 15 minutes and avoid holding the massager over a single area for more than a minute or two. Of course, you should always read the instructions before use since all handheld massagers are different.

Misconceptions about massage guns

There’s a common misconception that massage guns work better at the highest intensity levels. That’s simply not true. As a matter of fact, if you have sensitive skin or extreme muscle soreness, higher intensity could do more harm than good.

Therefore, you’ll always want to ensure that you start at the lowest setting and work your way up. Using a massage gun can, at times, be uncomfortable, but it should never be painful!

Conclusion

When used right, massage guns could be an excellent choice for you. They deliver an abundance of benefits, promoting muscle recovery, easing tension, and eliminating soreness. Give a massage gun a try and see how well it can work.