You also regularly get advertisements from Theragun, Flow Sports and Co. and wonder whether a massage gun is useful? We have done some research for you!
At the moment you can hardly do without massage guns advertising. Photos and videos are constantly displayed in the Instagram and FaceBook streams. But is the purchase really worth it?
Is there just a short trend or is a massage gun useful? If you are asking yourself these questions, then you feel the same as I did.
You can save yourself the time for lengthy research. I have summarized everything you need to know here.
Table of contents
What is a massage gun anyway?
Before you think about whether or not to buy a massage gun, you should first know exactly what it's good for.
Visually, it looks a bit like a mini drill or a cordless travel hairdryer.
However, a massage gun is a device with which you can neither dry your hair nor drill holes in the wall. It helps you relax tension, massage the muscles and relieve sore muscles.
The small handy devices work with shocks and pressure on the muscle and can also release deep-seated tension with various attachments.
What advantages has the device
If you're unsure, then maybe these benefits will help. A massage gun is
- easy and intuitive to use
- inexpensive to purchase
- a good alternative to traditional massages
- ready for use at any time
- adjustable to your needs
As in trigger point therapy with a masseur, the gun acts very precisely on a specific point. The massage head loosens the fibers and adhesions.
In effect, the device does the same as a masseur and works on a painful area.
For whom is a massage gun useful?
If you often suffer from tension, then it may be worth considering a massage gun. The vibrating shock movements loosen your muscles and fascia tissue.
As a result, very many tensions disappear quite quickly. It is wonderfully suitable for self-massage. Unlike other massagers, you can massage specifically where it hurts.
Depending on the attachment, you can treat small or large areas.
The gun can deliver up to 3200 beats per minute. Through these fast vibrations you stimulate the blood flow to the muscle. The better the blood supply, the faster it can take care of tension and also sore muscles.
The intensity of the vibrations is relatively strong. You can choose it yourself and take a light massage for regeneration. Or use a little more power for tension.
But no matter which program you choose, it's always a deep massage. The vibrating strokes penetrate deep into the muscle tissue and loosen the fasciae. The pain that conglutinated fasciae can bring is known mainly from the shoulder and neck area.
There are different models and sizes of the devices. If you are not a professional athlete, a massage gun that is small and handy is useful. If you regularly do a lot of sports, you need a stronger model that has more power.
Flow Mini for hobby and recreational athletes
For the mini model, you can choose between blue and pink. It is described as the perfect device for getting started with vibration massage. It has a very high power and at the same time light weight.
The Mini Flow weighs just 800 grams. Unlike many large models, it is very light in the hand. It is the lightest massage gun on the market.
Because it's so convenient in your hands, you can use it to massage your own back and neck without it getting very heavy and causing you wrist pain.
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 Massage Gun from Flow Recovery is on sale right now!
You can choose from 3 programs at the touch of a button. The first program delivers 1800 beats per minute. The second 2400 beats and the very intense 3200 beats per minute.
If you want, you can also activate the flow mode. This alternates between 1800 and 3200 beats per minute.
Our clear recommendation if you are in the Massage gun test are looking for a model for leisure, are not a professional athlete and want to enjoy the many benefits of the massager.
Flow Recovery Pro Massage Gun for Professional Athletes
Or how about with the Pro Version? You have to dig a bit deeper into your pocket, but the device can do a lot more.
Unlike the Mini for hobby athletes, this model is aimed at sportsmen, athletes and physiotherapists. In other words, to real professionals.
With up to 5 hours of battery life, this gun is one of the models with the longest runtime ever.
Technical details
- Beats: up to 3200 per minute (program 3)
- Weight: 1.1 kg
- Volume: 40 dB
- Massage programs: 3
- Essays: 7
- Watt: 100
- Stroke: 14 mm
This device is rather not suitable for hobby athletes. You can buy it of course, but you are also with the Flow Mini Massage Gun very well advised and can save you a lot of money.
As a pro, however, the Mini won't have enough skill for you. Feel free to try out both. There is a 30 day money back guarantee!
With the code "wegoflow10" you can get 10% Discount secure when ordering!
Find out more about the Flow Pro here!
The Renpho Massage Gun
The massage gun from Renpho has the most positive reviews on Amazon. Why? The reason is simple: it is priced so that really everyone can afford it.
It is also interesting for amateur athletes because it is not so expensive. On Amazon, the model tops the best list.
With 30 intensity modes and 8 massage heads for not even 100 euros, it has a very good price-performance ratio.
Technical details
- Beats: up to 3200 per minute
- Weight: 680 g
- Volume: 45 dB
- Massage programs: 5
- Essays: 6
- Watt: 20
- Stroke: 10 mm
At 45 dB, it is still one of the quiet massage guns, but it is noticeably louder than Flow Recovery's devices. The manufacturer promises 3 to 5 hours of battery life - depending on the program.
Find out more about this massage gun here!
The Orthogun massage gun in test
Orthogun is designed for professional and amateur athletes. It helps you improve blood and lymph flow.
You can choose from 5 programs, the highest of which is 3200 revolutions. The lowest program is a pleasant massage and the highest one will really shake you up.
It fits very well in the hand because it is very small. With only 828 grams, it is one of the lightest massage guns on the market. The battery lasts up to 6 hours, an empty battery is recharged in 30 minutes.
- Beats: up to 3200 per minute
- Weight: 828 g
- Volume: 52 dB
- Massage programs: 5
- Essays: 7
- Watt: 160
- Stroke: 11 mm
For your massage you can choose from 7 attachments. 2 of them are made of metal and therefore suitable for massage oils. The possibility to work with massage oil distinguishes this device from others. Because this is not possible with any other massage gun.
For sensitive areas, there is a soft attachment that is particularly gentle on the skin.
If you choose the OrthoGun, you get a two-year warranty. The dealer promises to replace the device immediately against warranty if there are problems.
You can use the Order Orthogun directly from the website and save yourself 10 euros!
Find out more about the OrthoGun here!
How do I use a massage gun wisely?
Let's clarify this with two examples.
Example 1: Tension in the neck
Example 2: Muscle soreness in the thigh
Do you want Release tensionFirst of all, you have to look for the tension. Feel the painful area with your fingers. Have you found the trigger? Very good!
Sometimes, by the way, it can be more than just a small spot. Often the pain radiates far in all directions.
To start with, it's best to use the general attachment. It is relatively large and suitable for large muscle groups. Later you can switch to the small attachment.
Turn on the machine, choose the lowest intensity so you can get used to it. With most devices you can choose from 1200 to 3200 beats per minute. Hold the massage gun on the painful area. And gently go up and down.
Treat the affected area for one minute first. If it doesn't seem intense enough, you can increase the number of beats per minute.
You will most likely not notice an immediate improvement in tension. You have now stimulated the blood circulation. After the application, your body will work at full speed and will take care of the tension. Give it time to do so.
You can treat the affected area with the massage gun 2x per day.
But be careful: do not massage directly on the bone. The gun is made for fascia and muscles.
Massage gun for sore muscles
Sore muscles after a workout hurt because we overloaded the body. Small hairline cracks have formed in the muscles, which are now laboriously and slowly repaired.
And that hurts quite a bit. Why a massage gun is useful for muscle pain? Here, too, blood circulation plays a role.
Because if the affected muscle is better supplied with blood, then it also regenerates faster. So you get rid of the pain in the muscle faster.
For the massage of the sore muscles you always choose the largest attachment. It distributes the shocks over a large area, which feels pleasant. A small attachment feels anything but good when you have sore muscles.
Anyone who works out regularly knows what it feels like when a sore muscle starts to develop. Often you feel it right after the workout. You can use the massage gun right after your workout. Or later, when you already have a sore muscle.
What you should consider before buying
There are devices for professional athletes, for amateur athletes or those for tension. And then there are massage guns that are suitable for all situations. Which massage gun is useful for you, of course, depends on what you plan to do with it.
To make your decision easier, here are a few criteria you need to consider before buying.
Vibrations and shocks per minute
The standard for popular models is between 1200 and 3600 strokes per minute. Make sure that the vibrations can be adjusted.
Especially with older models there is often only on and off but no possibility to regulate the intensity.
Volume
Such a massage gun can be quite loud. The Flow Mini massage gun is 45 decibels at the lowest level and 65 decibels at the highest.
This is also the volume that is roughly maintained by all devices on the market. The lower the decibels, the more pleasant it is, of course.
Stroke length
Stroke what? It describes the distance the gun head travels. That is, from the device to your muscle. The greater the stroke length, the stronger the vibrations.
The largest stroke length can be found at Theragun. It is 16 mm. Most other models are between 10 and 12 mm, which is perfectly adequate.
Battery
Since you use the massage gun at home, you usually have a power outlet nearby. The individual units also do not last forever. Therefore, the battery is not essential for the purchase decision.
If the runtime is about 2 hours, you have found a suitable model. The battery does not have to last much longer.
Accessories
How many attachments are included? This is one of the most important questions of all. Because different attachments help depending on the body part.
The standard attachment is the air cushion padded attachment. It is perfect for large areas of the body such as the thighs. Also a U-shaped and a trigger point attachment may not be missing.
Our conclusion
Whether a massage gun is useful depends on what ailments you have. If you work out a lot and often have sore muscles or suffer from tension from time to time, then such a device makes sense.
As with all gadgets, you need to pay attention to regular use and make it a routine so that you notice a quick effect.
Have fun with it! :)
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