What effect does a massage gun have? Can it really help with tension? I have tested it!
Everywhere you go you are followed by massage gun ads. At least, that's how I feel. My social media channels are overflowing with massage guns of all brands.
But what about the massage gun effect? Does it really help or can you save the money?
I was mega curious and wanted to try it myself. For this I grabbed three massage guns and put them to the test.
Table of contents
But let's start from the beginning for a moment with some basic info.
What is a massage gun?
A massage gun is a device that at first glance looks like a cordless hair dryer or a small cordless screwdriver. However, the principle is quite different. The gadget is a massage device that allows you to massage specific muscle areas of the body.
After pressing the start button, the small device generates jolts that feel from gentle to intense, depending on the level.
With the built-in plunger humming, tapping and vibrating while undulating the skin, thereby loosening muscles.
The devices are designed to fit well in the hands and you can use them yourself on the body. It only gets a little tricky in the neck.
So that the effect of the massage gun can be adapted to the body region, there are different attachments. Depending on the manufacturer, 3 to 7 attachments are included. The most common are:
- BallIt is the standard attachment and therefore included with pretty much every gun. Due to its shape, it can be used with all muscles.
- BulletThe Bullet attachment is used for hardened and stuck fasciae. It is extra small and can do a lot in spots.
- Fork (Fork): This attachment resembles a fork and has a recess in the middle. This makes it very suitable for the back and calf.
- HammerThe best way to massage the buttocks and thighs is with the hammer attachment. It is flat and therefore optimized for large areas - due to its design it is particularly gentle.
Massage gun effect and effects - it really brings!
Massage guns were developed for deep massage. They are designed to loosen agglutinated fasciae, relieve muscle tension and lead to faster recovery in the case of strains.
The different attachments and massage programs allow you to adjust the shock and pressure to the affected areas. The goal is always to stimulate blood circulation. This allows more oxygen and nutrients to reach the muscle/fascia directly. This has a positive effect on regeneration and makes the tissue more elastic.
For months now, the small massage devices have been conquering the fitness industry. Everywhere, people are giving massages for all they're worth. From amateur athletes and professionals to personal trainers and physiotherapists - everyone seems to swear by them.
But why, actually? What is it about the massage gun effect? At least a magical attraction can be said to it, because I hardly know anyone who can not call such a gun his own.
This effect has the massage gun on the muscles
Many sports masseurs and physical therapists use the Guns to get professional athletes back in top shape. From professional sports, the massagers have now made it to amateur sports because they are
- accelerate the regeneration
- Release tension and loosen fasciae
- can improve the range of motion
- Loosen muscles and make sore muscles disappear faster
At least that's what the manufacturers promise. But what does the research say about the effect of massage guns? Well, I did a lot of research, but I couldn't find a meaningful study. Massage guns have been on the market for far too short a time for that.
Not even Stiftung Warentest had time to examine the massagers.
At the same time on the Internet you can find a lot of massage guns experiences of physiotherapists, trainers and sports professionals. Amateur athletes report being ready for sports again faster. And all those who often struggle with tension are also said to benefit from the effect of the massage gun.
The fields of application
You can enjoy the effect of the massage gun with three areas of use:
- After sports: the classic and most common use of the gun is the cool down after sports. Especially after intensive units, the shaking of the muscles can be a boon. Here you should select the lowest program to stimulate regeneration.
- Before training: If you want, you can include the massage gun in your warm up. It can loosen up the muscles after sitting for a long time and prepare them for sports. Warmed up and prepared muscles have been shown to lead to fewer injuries.
- Tension: More and more people are discovering the pleasant effect of the massage gun on muscle discomfort. You can use it to loosen trigger points and activate self-healing.
Help with tension and sore muscles
We all know tension only too well. Especially in the neck it pinches with pleasure sometimes. If, like me, you can feel these points precisely, then they are stuck fasciae.
This often happens when you sit incorrectly at work. These fasciae want to be loosened and that rather more often than too rarely. You can then even prevent tensions from occurring in the first place.
With its impact movements, the massage gun acts precisely at this point. The jolts can also penetrate into the deep-lying muscle tissue. The massage head loosens the fibers. In addition, the vibrations ensure that the body begins to loosen the adhesions itself.
Massage guns work on the principle of percussive massage. This means nothing else than that they target the deep tissue. This tissue can only be reached with a lot of pressure or vibration. A relaxing wellness massage on vacation is unsuitable for this.
Percussive therapy is also called vibration massage. In this form of massage, the tissues are worked with rhythmic and rapid impacts. You can do it yourself at home, if you use a massage gun.
You will feel the effects already after the first application.
What you will also notice quickly is that the blood circulation gets better. Better blood circulation is especially wonderful if you just have a sore muscle. The better and more blood is brought to the affected area, the faster you will feel better.
This is due to the fact that with the blood the nutrients are brought directly to the muscle.
So much for the theory. But is that really the case?
These 12 fascia roller exercises will release your adhesions!
The three guns to release my tension
Before I jump right into the effect, I check with the manufacturers on how to use the device properly.
It can be summarized to three rules
- Massage each spot for a maximum of one minute.
- Move the gun up and down, right and left, and don't hold it in the same place all the time.
- You can massage buttocks, legs, arms, chest, shoulders, back, neck. But you must avoid the head, neck and genital area.
You must not use a massage gun if you are pregnant, have a pacemaker or artificial joints.
Ok, now that I know I fall into the target group, I grab the Gun.
I have three devices in use at the same time. Not every device is the same, some offer more power, others more massage levels, etc. I'll briefly explain the specifics of each device and then I'll write a little more about the massage guns effect.
With me in the massage guns test
The Orthogun in check
The OrthoGun massage gun lies pleasantly in the hand. The manufacturer states on the website that it weighs 828 grams. However, I just put it on the scales myself and it even only weighs 764 grams, making it a real lightweight.
What makes them very special and different from others is that you can use them with massage oil.
For this it has two special attachments made of metal, which are compatible with any massage oil. This is especially pleasant for nasty neck tension. But on the thighs it feels good.
And there is also an extra soft attachment for sensitive areas.
A total of 7 massage heads are included in the delivery.
The Orthogun is very quiet, reaching only 50 dB even at the highest level.
It has an automatic shut-off function and is just as suitable for professional athletes as for anyone who just wants to get rid of tension.
The manufacturer Orthomechanik offers 30-day money back guarantee, 2-year manufacturer warranty and free shipping.
Technical details
- Battery: LG 3400 mAh battery
- Battery life: 3 - 6 hours
- Volume: 35dB - 50dB (depending on the intensity)
- Weight: 764 g
- Power: 18 - 95 W
- Frequency: 25hz; 36 hz; 46 hz
- Torque: 0 - 5.1kg/cm
- Vibration amplitude / amplitude: 12 mm
Find out more about the OrthoGun here!
The OM-Go massage gun in test
The special thing about the OM-Go massage gun is its very compact size. Compared to the other models, this gun fits into any sports bag and even handbag - its dimensions are just 8×15 cm.
So you can use the device for sports and tension. From personal experience, I can highly recommend level 1 for neck tension.
What I really like about it is the feel. Its design is quite different from conventional massage guns. In the neck, on the back of the thighs and other hard-to-reach places, it is therefore particularly practical in use.
Thanks to the four attachments, it is suitable for all areas of the body.
The manufacturer Orthomechanik offers 30-day money back guarantee, 2-year manufacturer warranty and free shipping.
Technical details
- Essays: 4
- Weight: 460 gram
- Battery capacity: 2,600 mAH Li-Ion battery
- Battery life: up to 10 hours
- Volume: 40 dB
- Speed: 1,800 - 3,200 revolutions per minute
Find out more about the OM-Go here!
The Flow Mini for hobby and recreational athletes
Flow Recovery has launched two massage guns. You can choose between one model for amateur athletes and one for professional athletes.
I grabbed the smaller of the two because the large is advertised as a model for professional athletes. And I'm really still miles away from that :)
At the Flow mini massage gun* I like the fact that it is made for small hands. You could almost say it's made for women's hands. For those who value looks: You can choose between pink and blue.
Unlike many large models, it feels light in the hand, which is of course due to its weight on the one hand, but also to its slim design on the other.
With 3 massage programs, it has the least of all three, but it's certainly enough for tension and sore muscles.
Technical details
- Beats: up to 3200 per minute (program 3)
- Weight: 800 gram
- Volume: 40 dB
- Massage programs: 3
- Essays: 4
- Watt: 60
- Stroke: 10 mm
With the code "wegoflow10" you can get 10% Discount secure when ordering!
Be quick! The mini pistol is currently on sale!
This effect of the massage gun promise manufacturers
A deep massage with the help of a massage gun has numerous benefits for your body and mind, but it also makes you feel better emotionally - all this is promised by sellers on their websites. I have summarized the most common effects and implications of the massage gun:
Better flexibility
Are you also always amazed at how agile toddlers are? They don't have strains or other muscle-related problems. Unfortunately, it's quite different for us adults.
Our flexibility is decreasing strongly. Due to school and professional life, we suddenly spend much more time sitting, the movement becomes less and less and on the other hand, most people do not eat healthy. So a lot of things come together in our connective tissue, which causes shortening, tension and adhesions of the fasciae.
The massage gun reaches the muscles through its blows and breaks the adhesions. The deposited slags and tensions are released. We can move much more fluidly again and the pain becomes less.
Increase muscle strength
A massage with the gun can improve muscle strength and performance. Before the workout, it ensures that the muscles are loosened and have better blood circulation. This way, you'll be fully ready from the very first minute of the workout.
After training and in between, the gun ensures that the muscles are better supplied with blood. They do not become stiff and inflexible. You can use it to boost recovery and build muscle faster.
Less neck pain and headaches
Did you know that headaches and migraines are often triggered by tense muscles of the neck? Likewise, a tense thigh causes us to get back pain.
The best approach to avoid this in the long term is to keep the neck muscles relaxed so that the flow of oxygen to the brain is not interrupted. This can be achieved through the regular use of a massager and, of course, plenty of exercise in everyday life.
Less risk of injury
The newfound flexibility also lowers the risk that we will injure ourselves.
Because we no longer suffer from movement pain, our general alertness increases. Our brain becomes more efficient because it no longer has to worry about the pain.
Our mood becomes better as well as our reaction speed. Flexible muscles are always able to act like a shock absorber and protect our bones and joints.
Faster regeneration
The most common reason why professional athletes rely on the effect of the massage gun is the improved and fast recovery. When you put a lot of stress on the muscle, it produces waste products such as lactate, which promotes muscle soreness.
In addition, overuse can cause muscle fiber tears that lead to muscle soreness the next day. The deep vibrations of the gun support the body in breaking down lactate and stimulate blood circulation, which can shorten the healing process.
Better concentration
When our muscles in the neck are tense, we get headaches. The tension ensures that less oxygen reaches the muscles and the brain.
With too much load and pain, the ability to concentrate and attention can fall into the basement. If you regularly loosen the neck muscles with massages and special exercise, you can prevent this.
Likewise, the memory is supposed to be improved in the long run, if you use the effect of the massage gun correctly. Whether this is actually the case, I have tried in a self-test.
I test the effect
How does it feel? Can you hold the devices in your hand for a long time without the hands threatening to fall off? And how quickly does the massage gun work on tension? That's what I asked myself before I set out to test it.
The gun is used on my classic problem area - the neck, on the right. My masseuse thinks it's my mouse hand and that the tension comes mainly from working on the laptop. But because I can do little about it, the massage gun is now supposed to help.
Initially, it feels very exciting because it vibrates neatly even in level 1. The vibrations I feel almost into my head. But do not worry - no danger of concussion :). I notice only a slight tingling.
For the first application I wear a normal T-shirt, but I quickly say goodbye to it. Much more pleasant is the effect of the massage gun when it can directly to the skin.
My hand also starts to tingle properly. It's a little awkward in the neck itself. Fortunately, I soon get the idea to hold the massage head not frontally on the tension, but laterally. This way, the gun is much more comfortable to hold and you don't risk cramps in your hands.
As the manufacturer recommends, I gently slide the massager up and down this area for one minute.
I turn it off, do a little stretching of the head to the right and left. And look: I'm actually feeling much better. The tension hasn't completely disappeared yet, but the mean pinch has turned into a slight tug.
7 massage guns in a detailed test!
Which massage gun is the best?
For me personally the OM-Go massage gun the best massage gun on the market. It is powerful, handy and very compact. Its many programs and attachments make it a great gadget for loosening muscles, massages and after sports.
All three were allowed to my neck. But which device brings the now the best massage gun effect? Can one be called the best? To be honest, that's not so easy to say. Because the guns are very different. Which one is the best for you depends on the intended use and how sporty you are.
With each model, I appreciate different functions. On the
- OrthoGun massage gun I appreciate the two attachments that can be used with massage oil.
- OM-Go massage gun I like the compact design. It's by far the smallest gun on the market, yet it delivers plenty of power.
- Flow Mini Massage Gun I like the pleasant massage attachments and handiness.
Depending on what is important to you, the effect of the massage gun also differs. If you are looking for a professional device because you are extremely athletic, then I recommend the Orthogun.
The Orthogun then if you enjoy using massage oil and want to make the massage more enjoyable.
The small models are optimal for you if you want to use the gun more for typical seat tension.
I can recommend the Flow Mini to hobby and recreational athletes, it only has 3 massage levels, but it is particularly small and compact.
If I had to choose between one of the three models, the Orthogun would be the best massage gun for me personally. Why? Because I want to get rid of tension and keep light muscle soreness at bay.
My conclusion
Whether a massage gun is effective or not depends on what purpose you want to use it for. There are devices for professional athletes, for recreational athletes and those that are made specifically for tension. The device can remove sore muscles, relieve tension or speed up regeneration.
When buying, pay attention to what you want to use it for, then you will definitely find the best massage gun for you!
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