Despite their novelty and increasing interest by the clinical and scientific communities, there is limited scientific evidence to support their use and standardize their effects and parameters.
There is currently limited evidence that vibration or percussive therapy delivered through the medium of a massage gun works in the same way it does in clinical studies to deliver improved recovery. They rightfully point to the links being found between increased blood flow and improved recovery in studies.
“Massage therapy has been noted to relax the nervous system by slowing heart rate and blood pressure. Stress and pain hormones are also decreased by massage, reducing pain and enhancing immune function,” says Dr. Tiffany Field, who heads a touch research institute at the University of Miami Medical School.
Decreasing pain: The research seems to suggest that massage guns are better than placebo, foam rolling, and sports massage at decreasing pain. Improving flexibility: The available research seems to agree that massage guns can improve flexibility.
These are the only massage guns eligible for purchase with your HSA or FSA and are FDA-approved Therapeutic Class II medical devices. The backbone of our Massage Gun Technology is a higher amplitude - a technical term for how far the massage head extends and retracts to reach your body and deliver the massage.
Massage guns help to get rid of those toxins, which promotes quicker muscle recovery. Massage guns are beneficial when you use them on yourself. Yes, you could have a trainer do it for you, but by using them on yourself, you will know exactly where your trouble areas are, and you can help your healing that much better.
Gentle vibration and percussion on muscles is probably good for most people. Ask your doctor, masseuse, or physical therapist if a massage gun is a good tool for you to use. You may not want to use one if you're on blood thinners because this could cause bruising.
“You do not want to use percussive therapy (a massage gun) over an artery,” Krzyzanowicz told Health in a statement. “In the neck we get worried with blood flow to the brain, and in theory, percussion could temporarily starve the brain from blood flow, causing mini-stroke or stroke-like symptoms.”
Despite their novelty and increasing interest by the clinical and scientific communities, there is limited scientific evidence to support their use and standardize their effects and parameters.
Reduced soreness after exercise
Lactic acid builds up in your muscles after exercise or other activity. This build-up often causes pain and soreness. When you use a massage gun after a workout, the percussion forces muscle fibers to release lactic acid, reducing the soreness you'll feel.
Muscle knots don't contain toxins. But some people claim that deep tissue massage can lead to lymphatic drainage and the release of toxins. While the lymphatic system does work to remove waste products from your body, there's limited research on lymphatic drainage treatment in general.
Your urine may become darker and smelly due to the stimulation of the kidneys. Your urination frequency may also increase throughout the day because your body is ridding itself of all the excess toxins. Lastly, you may feel sore and fatigued following your session.
Medical research has shown massage has several physiological benefits that improve health and wellbeing. It has been shown to be a beneficial treatment in certain cancer patients, HIV patients, pregnant mothers, premature babies and in the elderly, just to name a few!
The chemical release caused by rubbing the skin plays a significant role in easing your pain. When the therapist places pressure on your skin, it stimulates the vagus nerve. This sensory nerve releases a chemical cocktail of wellness into your bloodstream.
Advocates say that as little as 15 minutes a day of whole-body vibration three times a week may aid weight loss, burn fat, improve flexibility, enhance blood flow, reduce muscle soreness after exercise, build strength and decrease the stress hormone cortisol.
Massage guns are designed to help improve muscle recovery, increase blood flow, and reduce muscle soreness and tension. While using a massage gun may help to improve circulation, it is not designed to burn fat directly.
Professionals have been using genuine vibration massagers to deliver these for decades. While massage guns do give some vibrations, as we will see they give far less vibrations than a proper vibration massager, and these are at the wrong frequency to have the therapeutic effects.
It vibrates to help blood, oxygen and nutrients flow into the muscles, which can promote healing and faster recovery after a workout. Massage guns can also break up the tissue around the muscles (muscle fascia). This tissue can tighten up when it's stressed, which can lead to muscle stiffness or soreness.
In terms of effectiveness, muscle massage guns have been shown to be highly effective in treating muscle knots. One study published in the Journal of Chiropractic Medicine found that using a massage gun for just one minute on each trigger point led to significant reductions in pain and discomfort.
“If you're treating a more specific area, having more control with a smaller head can be helpful and also improve safety with its use.” Manage frequency. While you can use a massage gun daily, Dr. Aeder recommends limiting use to two to three times per day.
According to sports therapist Willum Ogden, head of medical at Flow Recovery, this stimulation of the nerves promotes several things, including increased blood flow and lymphatic drainage, which can contribute to an increase in muscle flexibility and joint mobility.
But while there is plenty of anecdotal evidence in support of using them to break up scar tissue, this effect has yet to be proven by clinical studies. Ask your healthcare provider before using a massage gun to ensure your wound is completely healed and ready.
Risks of using a massage gun
Improper device placement over these structures can cause severe damage. Massage guns on injured and inflamed connective tissue can further damage the structure and increase inflammation. For example, use on a torn ligament, like an ankle sprain, could injure it further.
Researchers concluded that massage gun use may even hurt performance in some cases. Another study found that massage guns enhanced range of motion but didn't strengthen muscles. But a review of 13 studies found that percussive therapy from massage guns may cause temporary increases in muscle strength and flexibility.
If you have a herniated disc or low back pain that radiates down one or both of your legs (also known as sciatica), a massage gun may help with the pain, numbness, and tingling that many people experience.