Massage Gun: Does it Hurt?
If you love hitting the gym multiple times a week for strength training, are a dedicated athlete, or struggle with chronic muscle fatigue, tension, and soreness, the idea of a deep tissue massage probably sounds pretty good right now. Many of us would love to visit a massage therapist regularly to loosen up tight muscles and boost recovery, but in addition to being expensive, personal massages require scheduling and a lot of time. Massage can be a powerful and beneficial tool for recovery if it’s available when you need it the most. While you’re not likely to ever have a personal masseuse on call, massage guns can offer improved recovery and healing of massage right in the comfort of your home. If you’re interested in purchasing a massage gun, you may be wondering what the benefits are, if they hurt during use, and if they really work.
Why Do People Use Massage Guns?
If you’re ever had a massage that “hurts so good,” as the therapist breaks up tense, tight, knotty muscles, you undoubtedly understand the appeal behind massage for recovery. Massage guns offer the benefits of massage targeted in the places you need it most, helping to enhance performance and recovery and reduce pain. For example, if you completed your long run on Saturday morning and you wake up on Sunday with sore legs, you can use a massage gun to help work out the soreness and pain. Massage guns can improve muscle strength, flexibility, coordination, and performance in just 30 seconds of use. How exactly do they work? Massage guns use a technology called percussive therapy, also known as vibration therapy. The device sends rapid bursts of pressure into the muscles while the head of the gun rotates to work each part of the muscle. Percussive therapy has been shown to reduce delayed onset muscle soreness, or DOMS, after a workout, reduce pain and tightness, and increase blood flow to a targeted area of the body. Increasing blood flow to a specific area helps to reduce inflammation and muscle tension while dissolving the knots in the muscles that can result from chronic stress, tension, or an intense workout. Some people also use massage guns prior to a workout in order to help get their muscles warmed up.
Do Massage Guns Hurt?
If you’re thinking that was an awful lot of talk about “rapid bursts of pressure” and other painful-sounding descriptions, don’t worry. Using a massage gun doesn’t hurt as it relieves the tension and soreness in your muscles. Of course, the amount of pressure you use and the amount of time you spend using the device is up to you. While massage guns may feel a bit uncomfortable as they work out the kinks in your muscles, you’ll feel significantly less soreness and pain after you use one.
Do Massage Guns Really Work?
We’re pleased to report that massage guns do really work, and the proof is offered in numerous studies, with new studies conducted regularly to learn more about the benefits. One study conducted in 2014 demonstrated that massage and vibration therapy, which are part of percussive therapy, can help prevent DOMS and can reduce muscle pain and tightness after a workout. Athletes and healthcare practitioners who have used the devices also report high rates of effectiveness from personal anecdotes regarding the application of the device.
If you want to improve your performance, reduce your recovery time, and receive the benefits of massage therapy from the comfort of your own home but are wary about possible pain caused by massage guns, you’ve got nothing to worry about. You’ll feel a lot better after you use one and realize that the only thing you have to lose is pain from all that soreness!
