If you’ve ever had a massage before (which many people would have), you’ll agree it’s a completely life-changing experience. As your masseur massages your sore muscles, you may feel the pain go away immediately. You feel lighter and less stressed. Best of all, you can get back to the gym without worrying about physical pain. Oh, what a wonderful gift massage is!
Now imagine experiencing this kind of relief anytime, anywhere. Isn’t it cool? That is why percussion therapy is all the rage these days. It offers the same benefit as a traditional massage, minus the expense and hassle of seeing a therapist. It involves the use of portable devices called massage guns.
A massage gun is a high-intensity device that can aid in muscle recovery. While massage guns are designed for everyone, they are most popular with professional athletes and trainers. Percussion therapy is the best option for people who want quick relief from sore muscles.
Fast, convenient, claims to be effective, sounds like a perfect hoax, right?
No. Despite being a recent innovation, percussion therapy proves that it is more than just advertising. And there are several studies to support this.
These massage guns have been in high demand in recent years, which can only be attributed to the many benefits they have to offer, from relieving aches and pains to improving blood circulation, among others. It’s noteworthy that it also helps reduce your recovery time while doing all of this.
Why do you need a massage gun?
Gun massage therapy is likely to be just as effective as receiving a traditional massage, although it also won’t be able to mimic some massage techniques, such as effleurage (circular stroking movements) and petrissage (kneading movements).
One of the main reasons many people enjoy massages is the relaxed atmosphere and personal approach (har har), which you don’t get with a massage gun.
That said, massage guns do better than a traditional massage in terms of comfort and cost-effectiveness. You can do it anywhere, anytime, and without having to hire a masseuse or go to a salon.
They are certainly not a must-have tool, but if you have the money and are looking for a more convenient alternative to traditional massages, they are a good option.
If you want one, read on for the 10 benefits of a massage gun.
Below are the top 10 benefits of a massage gun you should know about:
1. Sports performance, injury prevention, and recovery
The percussion massage delivered by a massage gun helps improve muscle contraction resulting in lengthening and strengthening of the muscles and fascial tissues. Making massage therapy a part of your post-workout lifestyle and routine is a great way to relieve stress. The main purpose of a massage is to help relax the muscles and release tension in the body which would help shorten the recovery time between workouts as toxic waste is constantly being removed to allow the muscles to recover in the shortest possible time.
With each deep tissue massage with the massage guns, fluids and tension are released into the deep muscles, improving circulation as blood and tissue cells exchange substances that help stimulate tissue metabolism. The supply of nutrients and oxygen is also improved by massage, which increases blood circulation throughout the body. It also helps prevent overtraining due to the calming effect it has on the nervous system. It heals and prevents injury, as improved circulation helps break down adhesions and the increased production of nutrients and fluids can aid in rapid tissue repair.
Sports performance is also improved as massage guns help increase power and performance, making muscles more flexible and efficient.
2. Advanced vibrational healing and powerful pain relief
Vibration healing is a form of healing that relies on subtle vibrations and energies, without any dependence on other healing systems. It is based on each person’s unique energy field and is known for being efficient. Interestingly, a massage gun offers the same benefit because it vibrates deep in the muscle using the “percussion therapy” technique. The vibrations of the massage help improve blood and lymph circulation throughout the body, producing more oxygen and nutrients in the muscles. The result of this is rapid recovery, improved range of motion, pain relief, and relief from fatigue and muscle aches. Pain in the neck, shoulders, and lower back can be easily relieved with the advanced vibrating effect of the massage guns.
3. Rehabilitation
Massage is known as one of the most effective forms of rehabilitation therapy as it not only speeds up the recovery process but also prevents new injury. Massage guns complement the standard injury rehabilitation process and promote the healing and recovery of muscles weakened by trauma or illness. Improved circulation to muscles and fascial tissues helps injured areas become more flexible and heal quickly.
4. Releases lactic acid
Lactic acid is formed when the oxygen content in the body is low and the body begins to compensate by converting the newly formed lactate into energy. This often happens during strenuous exercise, and lactic acid tends to build up in the bloodstream faster than it can burn out. This can make you feel exhausted, nauseous, and muscle cramps. A massage gun can reverse this by helping to release lactic acid and other toxins from the muscles into surrounding tissues. This helps reduce the risk of muscle soreness that often occurs after prolonged exercise due to lactic acid build-up.
5. Increases blood and lymph flow
The massage guns provide a deep tissue massage, which accelerates blood flow and stimulates the nerve receptors responsible for the dilation of blood vessels. Lymph removes waste and toxins from body tissues and its flow is controlled by muscle contractions; This means that less active people may not stimulate lymph circulation enough, while very active people may accumulate too much. This can result in lymphedema if it is not controlled. However, with a massage gun, you can create a balance as it helps improve circulation through the lymphatic system.
6. Activates the nervous system and muscles
The nervous system stimulates and regulates muscle activity and maintains the body’s homeostasis. The nervous system is registered for every activity of the muscles. Massage guns help stimulate receptors in the sympathetic nervous system, causing vasodilation in the skin and muscles, releasing tension and relaxing muscles while improving mobility.
7. Relieves muscle spasms and stiffness
Massage guns can help relieve muscle spasms and stiffness that can come from intense exercise. Muscle spasms often lead to ischemia in the muscles, which means that the muscle has insufficient blood flow. This can lead to spasms that feel painful. The massage gun puts pressure on the muscles, tendons, and ligaments to help them relax, reducing spasms and painful contractions.
8. Breaks down scar tissue
Scar tissue is made up of collagen fibers that help repair damaged fibers in the body. However, the elasticity of the tissues does not correspond to the natural muscle tissues of the body. Massage guns provide a deep tissue massage, breaking down these scar tissues, relieving pain, and easing disability. You can use massage guns not only for sports injuries but also for postoperative scar tissue.
9. Improve range of motion quickly
Massage guns work on muscles, connective tissue, tendons, ligaments, and joints, all of which work together to promote mobility. With the constant use of massage guns, the joints become more flexible and less prone to strains and sprains. Relaxed muscles and fascial tissue and improved blood circulation work together to improve the body’s flexibility and range of motion. Improved range of motion would result in additional benefits such as improved athletic performance and better stimulation of the body’s natural lubricants to keep the body flexible.
10. Wellness benefits
In addition to relaxing muscles and relieving pain, there are many other health benefits of massage guns. This includes increased mobility, better sleep, and better immunity. Massage gun is also helpful for depression and anxiety, fibromyalgia, digestive disorders, and stress-related insomnia.
How to use
Use a massage gun on your legs, back, shoulders and hips, but avoid your neck as it can be dangerous. To use one, hold your head against your skin, about an inch away, and let it pat for a few minutes (or sometimes even less) before moving to another part of the body.
Many premium massage guns have adjustable speeds and mix-and-match massage heads to give you options when it comes to intensity and pressure level.
High-performance percussion therapy guns typically have a frequency of 22 to 40 hertz, meaning they “hit” the target area of the muscle 22 to 40 times per second. This means that even a few short minutes with a gun can have a huge impact if used before training.
Cheaper options have a lower hertz, but can still be used for aches and pains.
In most cases, you don’t want to use a weapon on one muscle group for more than a few minutes at a time. The whole session before a workout can take 10-15 minutes while it can last long after a workout.
After purchasing a massage gun, read the instructions carefully and consider following a preset routine, if offered. The length of the session you want to do and the pressure to apply based on the specific muscle group you are targeting, your pain level, and your goals.
When in doubt, ask a professional for help with how to position the gun, how long to use it, and how much pressure to apply.
Conclusion
We all get stressed out by the daily activities. However, if you don’t manage this stress properly, it can harm your health over time. A massage gun can be a trick to successfully deal with stress in the shortest possible time and in the most convenient way, while at the same time getting the many other benefits attributed to it.