However what do they do, and are they really efficient? A brand new systematic review of the research on massage guns could maintain some solutions.
How therapeutic massage weapons work
“These ‘therapeutic massage weapons’ are a type of what’s known as percussive therapy, which delivers mechanical vibration—on this case the pinnacle of the therapeutic massage gun delivering repeated contacts—to muscle groups or tendons,” says bodily therapist Andy Barr, DPT
In the event you’ve ever had a therapeutic massage the place the masseuse makes use of a cupped hand approach with fast, repeated contacts (that is known as “tapotement massage”), it’s the identical precept. Chances are you’ll be shocked to be taught that percussive therapy delivered by way of an instrument was first invented within the Nineteen Fifties!
Dr. Barr, who works with elite athletes and has been within the skilled sports activities well being and efficiency area for over 25 years, has lately seen a stark improve in using therapeutic massage weapons.
“Whether or not it’s for participant restoration or if it’s for efficiency—to enrich a warm-up previous to the sport or hold gamers ‘heat’ whereas they’re resting—many groups and gamers use these therapeutic massage weapons always. The continued growth and portability of the instrument have made it even simpler to make use of.”
Associated Tales
The latter level has made using therapeutic massage weapons viable for big swaths of the inhabitants as effectively: The yearly revenue on massage guns is reportedly over 550 million {dollars} and rising.
Must you use one? It is dependent upon your targets
The analysis on the effectiveness of therapeutic massage weapons up up to now had been comparatively combined, however that tends to be the case with any new machine. Nevertheless, there was a brand new high-quality systematic review launched that reviewed a number of research wanting on the influence of therapeutic massage weapons on ache and athletic efficiency.
The outcomes had been fairly attention-grabbing throughout a number of domains. The systematic overview—which checked out 13 completely different papers—discovered that use of a therapeutic massage gun resulted in enhancing a number of facets of athletic efficiency together with restoration as effectively.
Particularly, a single use of a therapeutic massage gun resulted in growing muscle power (significantly within the higher physique) and growing explosive muscle power (suppose quick, highly effective actions like sprinting). With a number of and constant makes use of of a therapeutic massage gun, the examine discovered that muscular ache could be lowered as effectively, particularly for lowering delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) 48 hours after difficult exercises.
Apparently, the examine additional discovered that using a therapeutic massage gun had no overt change on flexibility. However the vast majority of research that discovered a lower in ache additionally discovered an enchancment in flexibility, so there could also be some nebulous connection there!
Primarily based on this new, promising proof, how do you have to be utilizing a therapeutic massage gun to optimize your restoration and athletic efficiency? For restoration and lowering ache, use the therapeutic massage gun constantly after train and/or athletic competitions, as much as 72 hours put up exercise. For athletic efficiency, use the therapeutic massage gun instantly previous to the exercise, whether or not it’s power coaching or athletic actions.
Keep in mind: If flexibility is your primary goal, a therapeutic massage gun isn’t the most effective use of your time. The perfect research-driven technique there continues to be dynamic stretching and eccentric strength training.
