Massage guns have become highly sought after items among athletes. They promise to help with problems such as muscle soreness and late-onset muscle aches (pains), but since it is a relatively new product, experts have not yet had time to analyze its effects on our body. In this article, we explain what these weapons are and what science has to say about their use so far.

percussion therapy.
Guns work by moving a head in a straight line to strike the area to be massaged. Movement can vary according to the frequency with which these vibrations occur, as well as the force and depth with which the head hits the muscle. The depth these guns reach when their heads hit our muscles is key to their proper functioning.

Its use is designed to treat discomfort and muscle problems associated with sports practice. They are based on the application of physical therapy or massage, called percussion therapy, aimed at relieving muscle tension or, in other words, myofascial relaxation.

When and how will you use them?
Thanks to this percussion therapy, massage guns have three main goals: reducing muscle soreness, preventing pain, and improving range of motion. Other potential benefits may be improved blood circulation, healing of muscle tissues and facilitating relaxation.

They are often used both before and after exercise. They are generally used both in specific areas of the muscle and in large areas of the muscle, but should not be used continuously in the same place as they can have harmful effects.

And what do we know about its effectiveness?
The growing popularity of these devices is spreading not only among traditional users, but also among specialists. Scientific studies on the actual effectiveness of these guns for personal use are limited, as they are relatively new products, but the effectiveness of percussion therapy has been analyzed by researchers.

A review of recent literature published as a preprint and therefore not yet peer-reviewed found that the use of these massage guns prior to physical activity alleviated pain perceived by their wearers, without harming muscle activation levels and the force provided by these guns. could develop. Similarly, a 2020 study concluded that using this type of device before exercise can help improve the flexibility of athletes without affecting their muscular abilities.

In another study in the journal International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, a research team concluded that percussion therapies can delay the loss of muscle velocity in the exercise analyzed. A recent study was published in this journal Medicine and Science in Sport and Exercisefound that percussion massage therapy was able to induce a delayed blood response.

Percussion and vibration.
Percussion therapy is somewhat similar to vibration therapy, but there are differences. Vibration therapy focuses on relieving stress in the muscles and improving blood circulation, the latter shares with percussion therapy. However, it can be thought of as more powerful and directed, meaning it focuses more deeply on a muscle or a specific area of ​​it.

Vibration therapy has also been analyzed by various authors. It has also been shown to reduce muscle soreness and promote faster recovery after exercise. The effects of vibration therapy were of course not much different from a traditional massage.

A tool to have on hand.
Massage guns have enormous potential, but more work will be required to confirm what results this translates to. Also, such treatments cannot be used to replace traditional physiotherapy treatments as they focus on daily sports practice but lack the control factor that is often required.

As with any device of this type, precaution is advised, as misuse can lead to bigger problems than the one you’re trying to solve. It has been stated before that the device should not be used for more than a few seconds at each point of the muscles to be treated, but the first precaution is to follow the advice of experts who know the details of our physical condition. For example, the presence of certain injuries that may be aggravated by the use of these devices.

Image | Liam Moore