How handheld massage devices became household items
Therapeutic massage can be a very effective recovery treatment for athletes suffering from tired, achy muscles. It is one of a range of techniques used to mitigate the negative impact of training and help you bounce back quicker.
But traditional massage isn’t always available or affordable when you need it, particularly if you regularly train hard. It also may not be rapid enough or exert enough pressure to address certain deep-tissue conditions. Massage guns solve many of these issues by offering quick and affordable relief for regular muscle pain, without the hassle or cost of an office visit.
The healing power of percussive therapy
According to the National Center for Biotechnology Information, any therapeutic massage can raise skin and muscle temperature and stimulate blood and lymphatic flow. As a result, muscles become more relaxed and elastic, inflammation is reduced and you enjoy an improved range of motion in your joints. The science behind massage guns is a specific type of massage called percussive therapy, a treatment that has been around for centuries.
Percussive therapy is the combination of vibration and intense, repetitive pressure; a key element in Swedish massage, for example, where it is referred to as tapotement. Taken from the French word meaning “to drum,” tapotement entails rhythmic percussion on the affected area, usually using the edge of the hand or fingertips to stimulate the body’s various systems.
The first electronic percussive (or thumper) massager was patented in 1974. Initially developed for chiropractors to help patients relax before an adjustment, the Vibrotoner quickly caught on with physical and sports therapists. While these bulky electronic massagers were ideal for use in clinics and for professional sports teams, by the 2000s, even the average gym-goer was looking for a more convenient (and inexpensive) alternative to visiting a massage therapist.
Working to alleviate his own back issues, and keen to take advantage of a hugely popular self-massage trend, chiropractor Jason Werseland set out to design a portable massage device that could be used anywhere. In 2016 he patented the first massage gun, the Theragun.
The personal massage gun
The Theragun, and indeed most massage guns today, are handheld implements that look like a large drill. You can pinpoint exactly which muscle needs attention and target the affected area with a quick blast of deep-tissue massage, relieving pain and inflammation in minutes and reducing recovery time — a boon for professional athletes who need to sustain peak performance levels.
Massage gun manufacturers, in turn, have partnered with professional athletes to boost their visibility. Many athletes and celebrities, like Kevin Durant and Aaron Rodgers, have invested in — and endorsed — Werseland’s company Therabody, manufacturer of the Theragun. Therabody’s main competitor is Hyperice, the company that makes the Hypervolt massage gun. That company enjoys a lucrative partnership with both the NBA and the NFL.
Features of today’s massage guns
Since Theragun took the market by storm, a wide range of massage guns have been developed, all with differing features and prices.
Massage guns are ergonomically-designed
Massage guns are available in two basic shapes: a donut design and a drill-shaped design. The donut shape can be more effective at targeting hard-to-reach areas but essentially, you should choose a model whose shape and weight are easy for you to handle. This is especially true for people with upper body injuries or arthritis.
Massage guns with customizable settings
Athletes often have multiple areas of the body that require therapy so most massage guns offer a variety of different settings. A device that offers lots of different speeds, like the Playmakar MVP Percussion Massager, can target various muscle groups with customizable intensity. Amplitude (how much force is applied to your body by the gun) will also factor into the intensity of the massage and is usually measured in pounds. A choice of attachment heads is also something that will help you target your recovery process.
Rotation is another important feature, especially for treating areas that are hard to reach. The most effective massage guns will rotate at least 90 degrees, which will allow you to treat different areas of the body with a consistent amount of pressure.
There isn’t a ton of scientific data behind some of these features, so you may be best served by choosing a massage gun that offers multiple settings. The fourth-generation Theragun Pro, for example, offers the same 60-pound punch as other Theragun models, but now has five speeds instead of two in addition to six attachment choices.
Massage guns with noise-reducing technology
Some massage guns now feature innovative noise-reducing technology. A loud device can be irritating, especially if you are using it at the gym. It can also make it difficult for you to relax, which defeats the purpose of the massage. Fortunately, as technology improves, massage guns are becoming more powerful while simultaneously becoming quieter.
Portability of massage guns
If you travel regularly or want to take your massage gun to the gym, there are several portable massage gun options. These tend to be lighter, smaller and have less powerful motors. Hyperice offers the Hypervolt Go, for example, which is 30% smaller than its original model and weighs a mere 1.5 pounds. It offers the same RPM, has three speed settings and two attachments.
Massage gun prices
The many features of today’s massage guns make for a huge variation in price. Devices that are noisier, feature lower RPM and have a shorter battery life will be the most affordable at $65-$180. Mid-range devices can still be noisy but offer more speed options, a higher top speed and a longer battery life. You can expect to pay roughly $180-$560 for these. At the high end of the market, ultra-quiet massage guns with multiple settings, very fast top speeds and up to a 4-hour battery life can cost between $560-$1,370.
A portable device that began as a convenient recovery tool for elite athletes, the massage gun has made it possible for anyone to treat their sore, stressed muscles and reduce recovery time without having to make an appointment for a massage or physical therapy. Bryony Gilbey is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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