You may have seen or heard about massage guns, or other similar gadgets that are designed to deliver targeted massage. Maybe you’ve purchased one already or gotten one as a gift, but if you are not in possession of this tool, you might wonder if you need one. Below, we explain a little bit of our perspective on self-massage – hopefully the extra information we provide is helpful in guiding your purchases!

Massage guns provide ‘percussive’ therapy in the form of a massage gun that looks a bit like a hand-held drill. There are many different brands and models on the market, they are relatively quiet, small, and can provide a means of delivering thumping or hammering bursts of pressure into muscle tissue. Most people seek them out as a means to address delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), muscle stiffness, and fascial restrictions. However, these devices can be quite expensive (typically ranging $150-600), and of note, there is strikingly little research evidence base for their benefits.

Several recent studies found that percussive therapy delivered by a hand-held massage gun was shown to improve joint range of motion, and reduce perceived pain and muscle soreness, but did not otherwise have any impact on muscle strength, muscle power, or performance (neither positive nor negative impact). 

Massage guns like Theraguns and the Hypervolt should not be confused with vibration therapy. Vibration therapy, either via the use of whole-body vibrating plates, or local muscle vibration using a special automated mechanical device on a specific muscle, has been shown to increase muscle activation / stimulation, muscle strength, muscle power, and joint flexibility / range of motion. One popular massage gun states on its website that its massage guns can improve muscle strength and performance, however there are no studies that confirm this statement and the percussion therapy delivered via these devices is not vibration therapy. 

Should I get a vibrating foam roller instead?

Vibrating foam rollers have also been a hot commodity in the past few years, however when compared to a regular foam roller, several studies have shown that there are no significant differences between the two with regard to increasing joint flexibility and range of motion. However, there is some evidence that a vibrating foam roller can increase the muscle contraction of antagonist muscles. Simply speaking, when one muscle contracts, its opposing muscle relaxes and one study found that using a vibrating foam roller on the hamstrings can increase the contraction of the quadriceps muscle, over and above the actions of a non-vibrating roller (Lin et al., 2019). Both foam rolling and vibration foam rolling have been shown to improve pain perception of the tissues, joint range of motion, and muscle oxygen saturation.  

Massage guns do have different attachments that allow you to reach smaller areas of the body, and you can adjust the speed of the percussive treatment, however most users are going to target larger muscle groups that can be achieved using a foam roller, a lacrosse ball/massage ball, or even your own fingers. Massage guns can also be difficult to use on yourself. Trying to get to some of those hard-to-reach places on the back side of your body can be a challenge if you don’t have someone there to help you.  

From limited evidence, it seems like DOMS and range of motion might benefit from percussive therapy (i.e., like what a massage gun might deliver), but not necessarily provide any benefit over and above a typical foam roller or lacrosse ball. With that said, if your goals are to use self-massage to improve flexibility and reduce DOMS but at a cost-savings, a foam roller and a lacrosse ball are going to be your best bet. Stay tuned for an upcoming post where we give a breakdown of foam rolling technique for best results!

At Beacon Physical Therapy, we support our patients in leading a healthy life and establishing a healthy lifestyle. And remember, if you are having an issue, make an appointment today. We’d love to meet you and get you back to doing what you love.