Everything you need to know about Massage Gun

January 03, 2023 6 min read

what is a massage gun?

The massage gun is also known as percussive therapy or vibration therapy device. A massage gun produces vibration in your muscle tissue which helps in recovery. Massage gun comes with different attachment and each attachment have a unique purpose. you can target different body areas by using these massage gun head attachments. A massage gun is portable and does not need to be plugged into an electrical socket. A massage gun has a rechargeable battery and multiple speed levels.

How does a massage gun work?

A massage gun produces a vibration in the muscle that’s why we also called percussive therapy. The head attached to the message gun hit the muscle with a vibrating motion. This vibrating motion releases tension in the sole muscle area also it can help to increase blood flow to the tense area as a result muscles recover faster.

Benefits of massage gun

This massage gun is a valuable investment for sport man, athlete, gym person even everyone who perform physical activity. The benefits of a massage gun are mentioned below.

prevents muscle soreness, improves blood circulation, and range of motion and strength.

Most bodybuilders, fitness, athletes, and enthusiasts suffer from muscle soreness. This muscle soreness decreases your range of motion which affects your performance. Massage gun percussive therapy increased blood flow in the sole or tense area which helps in muscle recovery so that they can perform their best.

How to use a massage gun to loosen tight neck and shoulder?

This message gun can be great if you feel stiff and tight in your shoulder. First, we discuss where to use and where not to use a message gun.

Never use the massage gun on the side or the front of your neck because there are all kinds of nerves, sensitive arteries, and blood pressure sensors.

Don’t use them over the AC joint, shoulder blade, and backbone.

I recommended using a massage gun on the lower part of your neck. Don’t use it in the upper part of your neck because using the massager in the upper part of the neck tends to cause too much head vibration.

I recommended using a massage gun for this whole area to cover all the important muscles.

You can use a massage gun on these muscles.

I find the foam ball the best for the neck and shoulder area. Don’t press too hard just the weight of the machine is usually enough.

How to use a massage gun on your lower back and glutes?

This massage gun is great if your back is stiff or tight. How we test back inflammation. If your back hurt to extend or hurts on side bending that indicates inflammation in this case you should be icing your back not messaging it. The first question that comes to mind is where to use and where not to use a message gun.

You can use the massager on your back. Don’t use the massage over the spinous processes of the vertebra, the hip right out to the side, or on the side of the lower back. Where the kidney and other organs are.

Use foam ball head attachment and start off focusing on the main band of muscles running up either side of the spine.

Take particular care in the lowest part through if it’s tender. It could be inflamed so avoid that spot.

Use the two bony lumps of the pelvis as a reference point.

Tightness in the glute max and Medius contributes to a lot of back issues. So, the next area you can work on especially the top half of the pelvis.

If you want to try to mobilize the restricted lumbar vertebra concentrate just on the side of the spinous processes.

If you are pretty bony you might need to put the foam ball on the side so it does not jackhammer up and down.

I find the foam ball the best for the back and glutes area. Don’t press too hard just the weight of the machine is usually enough.

Usage time

When you use a first-time massager in the back only use it for 30 seconds to one minute on each side. The next day you can increase it to two to five minutes if you want.

How to use a massage gun on your legs?

Message guns are great for recovery after leg workouts, running, and cycling. Massage guns are also very helpful for knee pain, hamstring, quads, and calves strain problems. Both recovery and rehab often involve a lot of light repetition movements of muscles so I recommended using a massage gun with muscle movement to maximize effectiveness, especially in the legs. For general tips don’t use a massage gun for more than two minutes on any one area of inflammation like bursitis or tendinitis and stick to the foam ball tip for the legs because the plastic tips can tend to bruise the soft tissue

Where not to use a massage gun?

Avoid the bony point of your hip up the side of your pelvis because there is a bone that could be irritated by a massage gun and keep away from other bony points like your knee and the front of your pelvis where the bone sticks out and the heals and lastly stay clear of the area of superficial nerves and blood vessels like the groin the back of the knees or between your ankle bone and the Achilles tendon on either side.

Where to use the massage gun?

The first area I recommended focusing on is the outer thigh, particularly the lower half. The iliotibial band and outer quads can get very tight after quad-heavy exercises like weights, running, and cycling. So, focus on that area with the foam ball.

Next work the front of the thigh but particularly the top half.

The inner thigh is another important area to cover especially if you get a problem with your abductors. I find the best position for this area is in the crossed-leg position using the other hand to raise and lower the knee

You can use a massage gun on the hamstring muscle. When you use a massage gun on the hamstring muscle flex and extend the leg through its full range of motion.

Calves are another sensitive area so be gentle here to sit with your leg crossed and gently flex the ankle as you massage work in the belly of the muscles.

Finish off on the fleshy part on the outside of your shin bone. Do this section lying down with your leg up make sure you move the message gun from the foot towards the knee to help drain this area and flex your ankle gently to help clear out any fluid.

How to choose the best massage gun head for the best results?

We have six different types of massage gun heads. Each massage gun heads have unique functionality.

There are six types of massage gun heads

Big size ball
Small size ball
Bullet
Fork
Flat head
wedge

Big size ball

You can use this head versatile. It is made from rigid foam. The surface area on that is pretty large. You can use this head on the leg, thighs, hips, and chest.

Bullet

The surface area is pretty small. This is going to be delivered as the most targeted kind of treatment. You can use it on your feet, hands, and soles. This is going to be a kind of deeper massage treatment.

Flat head

This is ideal for flat muscles in the forearms, lower legs, and shoulder. This is a flat hard attachment and this thing is great for working on those flatter muscles and tendons. You can use this on Calves, Lower Back, Sides, and Hip Region.

Small size ball

You use this head on underarms, biceps, thighs, calves, and shoulders. It is made from rigid foam.

Wedge

This massage head surface is solid. It is used for scraping along the upper arms, chest, IT bands, and shoulders.

Fork

The U-Shape fork massage gun head is ideal for relaxing the muscles of the spine, neck, and Achilles tendon. The surface area is pretty small. This is going to be delivered as the most targeted kind of treatment.