If you have ever canceled your plans or decided to rest all day due to fatigue, soreness, or muscle pain, believe me, you are not alone. Whether you overworked the previous day or had a grueling workout, the aches and tensed muscles can, unfortunately, affect your productivity the next day.
However, you can always jump back from the pain with the right methods.
Although stretches and yoga are one way of gradually getting you back to your feet, you should look into the best massage guns to speed up your recovery.
Not only are percussion massage guns quite precise, but they also target your deepest muscles for optimum results. If you are interested, keep reading to learn more about these massage guns. We have also reviewed five of the best percussion massage guns in the market.
What Is a Deep Tissue Massage Tool?
A deep tissue massage tool is quite simply a handheld device in the shape of a gun. It has a motor-driven head attachment that sends rhythmic pressure pulses to your targeted muscles and joints.
While the massager head on the gun pulses over one area, it sends high-frequency vibrations deep into your tissues. As a result, the massage helps relieve tension, ease your tight knots, and even break up scar tissue.
Besides this, the concentrated pulses go further from your soft tissues to your internal system as well. The percussion massage improves blood flow to provide oxygen and nutrients to your muscles, thereby accelerating repair time.
If all this was not enough, these massage guns improve our physical response, performance and boost flexibility.
The majority of the massage guns come with various speed settings and multiple head attachments to customize your massage session completely. Hence, you can target different sore parts in your body according to your needs.
Furthermore, these percussion massage guns are quite portable and are completely wireless for your ease. The massage gun is also quite safe for use all over the body, from calves and soles to your back and shoulders.
Since these guns cut down your recovery time to a minimum, they are preferred for use by most athletes, sports teams, and even by people suffering from chronic illnesses.
Also read: 10 CrossFit Gears You Don’t Want to Miss Out!
Best Percussion Massage Gun Reviews
If yoga, stretches, and pain killers fail to improve your fatigue and sore muscles, your best bet is to invest in a high-quality percussion massage gun. We have compiled a list of the best massage guns to boost your health and performance in the following section.
Read the following reviews to find the best massage gun for your needs.
ExoGun DreamPro
The ExoGun DreamPro is one of the top-rated massage guns that offer multiple settings for a completely customized massage.
It comes with a touch screen panel from where you can choose from six different speeds. As a result, the massage gun can deliver 1200 to 3200 strokes per minute with a frequency range of 20 to 53 Hz. While higher speeds are beneficial for cramps and faster relief, slow-speed settings are suitable for milder aches.
Besides this, the percussion massage gun includes four head attachments with the gun. You get a bullethead with a tapered end for smaller muscles and stiff knee joints, and a large, spherical foam head to relieve large sore muscles.
Along with this, the U-shaped fork attachment helps to de-stress nerve pain and pressure along your spinal column. Lastly, the gun includes a versatile flat head for large muscle groups all over your body.
The ExoGun is quite compact, portable, and comes with a shock-absorptive grip too. Since it is completely wireless and rechargeable, it is quite easy-to-handle too. What’s more, the brand has used a 2400mAh battery that recharges in just two hours and works for around four hours.
Overall, the massage gun is quite precise with its SmartShock Technology. The gun sends well-balanced blows to your target areas, boosting oxygen and blood flow to accelerate recovery.
Hypervolt by Hyperice
The Hypervolt massage gun is one of the most known percussion tools in the market owing to its versatile use and excellent performance.
With five different head attachments, the gun is quite notable when it comes to post-workout recovery. It comes with fork, cushion, bullet, flat, and ball head attachments that target different muscle sets in your body.
You can use the percussion gun to ease knots and soreness from your neck and shoulders to your legs and soles. Besides this, the device weighs just 2.5-pounds and comes with a rechargeable battery that lasts three hours on a single charge.
Hence, you can take it on your travels or your gym for a quick post-workout massage session for faster recovery.
Moreover, the gun allows you to select the speed from three different speeds, giving you a maximum of 3200 percussionss per minute. Meanwhile, the patented QuietGlide motor gives you ultra-quiet yet precise movements on target areas.
Theragun G3PRO Percussion Device
The Theragun is another well-known name when it comes to percussive massages. Along with the Hypervolt and ExoGun, the G3PRO is used by many athletes to boost their performance and enhance recovery.
The percussion gun comes with six different head attachments for versatile use. These include a Supersoft head for extremely sore areas and joints, a dampener for bone pain and tender spots, a standard ball attachment, a wedge head for your shoulders, a unique thumb head for the lower back, and a cone for your hands and feet.
Besides this, Theragun is extremely precise when it comes to deep muscle tissue percussive massage. It delivers exactly 16mm amplitude percussion into your body, reaching almost 60% deeper than standard massagers.
What’s more, Theragun has a Bluetooth-connected app from where you can control its settings. You get five built-in speed options with a range of 1750 to 2400 percussion per minute.
Moreover, the gun has an OLED screen that displays your speed and a force meter that monitors your massage closely. The gun also has a quiet operation and comes with two rechargeable batteries with 150 minutes of battery one each.
When it comes to its ergonomic design, the Theragun G3PRO offers more versatility than any other percussion tool. You can move the arm in four unique positions to reach various angles and planes on your body for optimum results.
Lifepro Fusion FX Heated Massage Gun
The Lifepro Fusion FX Gun has a heating system that uses heat and massage to relieve soreness. These two methods help reach the deepest part of your muscles to give instant relief to strained and sore muscles.
Besides this, the two-in-one function is quite efficient at boosting your blood flow, reducing pain, and healing your injured tissues. You can easily cut down your recovery time and get back to your routine with every therapy session.
Along with this, you get five different speed settings and five head attachments to customize your massage session. Overall, the gun ranges from 1600 to 3200 percussion per minute and amplitude of 10mm for optimum results.
As for the battery life, the percussion gun uses a rechargeable battery that runs for three to five hours on every charge.
TimTam All New Power Massage Gun
The TimTam Massage is beneficial for people with extremely sore muscles. It delivers almost 2500 strokes per minute for instant relief to all muscles in the body. Apart from this, it has a one-touch trigger, allowing you to start your massage therapy with no hassle.
What’s more, the massage gun has a very quiet operation, works smoothly, and sends precise blows to your muscles at 16mm stroke length. You even get a 90-degree rotating head to adjust the position to your liking. Hence, you can even reach hard-to-reach spots for optimum recovery.
If all this was not enough, the TimTam has a long-lasting battery that offers 40 minutes of continuous use.
Overall, the massage gun shows results in just seconds, reducing pain and inflammation to keep you on your toes every day. With regular use, the TimTam has shown an increase of 2 to 2.5% performance on average.
What to Look For In Your Percussion Massage Tool
Now that you know how beneficial percussion massage guns are, let us look at the most important features of a high-performance gun. The following section will help you find the best gun for your needs.
Speed Control
The best percussion massage guns offer versatility when it comes to speed control. For example, the ExoGun provides six speeds, and the Hypervolt gives you three-speed options to choose from.
Therefore, you can customize your massage session according to your needs. If you have only mild pain and soreness, a low-speed setting is more than enough to help you recover quickly.
On the other hand, high-speeds are beneficial for extreme post-workout recovery for athletes.
Head Attachments
Similar to speed control, different head attachments help to use the percussion gun for different needs. Specific heads target specific muscle groups in the body to reduce the stress on your body.
For instance, spherical and flatheads target broad and larger muscles in the body. Meanwhile, bullet and U-shaped heads are more specific for smaller target areas for the best possible results.
Battery Life
If you want to use your percussion for longer periods, it is vital to check the battery life of each before purchase. Most high-quality percussion massage guns come with a rechargeable battery that can work for a couple of hours on a single charge.
With longer battery life, you can take your massage gun on your travels or use them in your gym with ease.
When Should You Get a Percussive Massage?
There is no particular time to use a percussion gun for massage. Since the device is lightweight and portable, you can use it wherever to relieve your sore muscles.
If you are an athlete, you can even use the percussion gun pre-workout as a warm-up before your grueling exercises. Next, you can use it directly after your routine for faster recovery.
For sore muscles, cramps, or chronic pain, the percussive massage has the best results right before sleeping. Besides improving your sleep quality, it will boost blood flow to the fatigued areas during the night.
Who Can Get a Percussive Massage?
A Percussion massage therapy is beneficial for anyone suffering from tension, knots, soreness, and injured muscles. If you partake in intense physical activities or sit for long hours on an office chair, a percussion massage can be life-changing.
Many doctors also use percussion massage as a rehabilitation method for muscle injuries resulting from surgery, illness, or even trauma.
This massage is especially useful for athletes who strain their muscles regularly during grueling workouts. Instead of suffering from stiff and aching muscles the next day, they can use a percussion gun to boost their recovery.
Not only will it improve oxygen and nutrient delivery to the target areas, but percussion massage initiates powerful muscular contractions to enhance your strength. It will reduce the physical strain on your joints, relieve your fatigue, and get rid of your tight muscles.
Who Should Not Get a Percussion Massage?
Although a percussion massage is beneficial for almost everyone suffering from sore muscles and tension knots, there are a few contraindications too. The following people should consult their doctors before opting for a percussive massage.
- People who bruise easily or suffer from some bleeding disorders should not use a percussion gun.
- A percussive massage is contraindicated in pregnancy, especially if it is high-risk.
- Do not use a percussion gun if you have any nerve disorders. This includes multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, or any peripheral neuropathy.
- Make sure to contact your doctor if you want to opt for percussion massage after surgery. Since there is a risk for strokes from blood clots, keep away from any massage after surgery.
- Do not use a percussion tool on open sores or skin disorders.
Last Thoughts
If you do not want yesterday’s workout or fatigue from long hours to keep you down the next day, a deep tissue massage is all you need. With the help of a high-performance percussion gun, you can target even the deepest muscles for instant relief and boost your recovery.
What’s more, percussive massages are well-known for even improving your muscle strength, performance, and endurance. Read the article thoroughly to find the best deep tissue massage tool for your needs.
