What Do Massage Guns Do And Is It Worth It?

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Picturefit on KZbin! I share some of my health and fitness tips with you. Come check out our content! New fitness topics on a weekly basis. Want to learn about more health and fitness topics? Ask it in the comments! Learn all you need to know and what to do at the gym. Learn about aerobics, strength, hypertrophy, power, and endurance!
Massage guns are used a type of percussive massage therapy. Much like conventional massages and foam rollers, the goal is to massage the muscles and provide myofascial release. This supposedly helps improve range of motion, improve muscle recovery, and reduce muscle soreness, like DOMS.
But how true are these claims exactly? Are there any actual massage gun benefits that make it worth paying a premium? Does the scientific literature in fitness support these claims that popular massage gun companies like to make? Or are massage guns really just another trendy fitness product that is no better than so many of them that have faded away over time. Let's find out what massage guns are actually good for and if they are worth your money.
Referenced Articles
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
meridian.allenpress.com/jat/a...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/...
link.springer.com/article/10....
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29021...
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Any information in these videos should not be taken as personal healthcare advice. If you have questions about your health, please speak directly to your personal healthcare professional. #massage #gains #lifting

[@irispettson]

Can't say I use mine much, but for the occasional painful muscle knot it's actually quite useful. Much easier to deal with them than trying to use a foam roller / massage ball / golf ball. For those instances I'm glad I have it, even if I don't use it much normally.

[@Stalgicmusic]

Agreed. It's nice to have one, and I do think it helps a bit with soreness and instances like that, but you can certainly live with out it.

[@GamerKiwi]

Much easier to use on my back than a lacrosse ball when my sciatica acts up and it's hard to get out of bed

[@M3G4FR34K]

Not to belittle your usage of your percussion device, but have you used or considered a TheraCane (or similar product)? Game changer imo

[@irispettson]

​@@M3G4FR34K And why exactly would that be better than a massage gun with the pointy attachment? But yes, I've tried a similar product and I found it difficult to apply a sufficient amount of pressure to knots on the back with that product, in that case it's easier with the massage gun.

[@M3G4FR34K]

@@irispettson mostly due to it's accessibility, utility, and affordability. I'm not saying it's "better" in a competitive sense, but rather that in these discussions, sometimes something as simple, yet effective as a sturdy cane object is completely forgotten. I will say I'm surprised to hear you weren't able to get the desired pressure from the cane, but just like any other products, you win some you lose some.

[@Noj4888]

While I can confirm that a massage gun can help improve good vibes, but overall I still prefer my magic wand

[@redace7592]

A yooooo 😲

[@Alexander-rd7bi]

ayo

[@kevinl6292]

😮

[@michaelfullerton3626]

O_o

[@0._adonis_.0]

Wtf

[@fieryelf]

I had this part of my body that felt stiff between my legs. Used it on there and it totally fixed my problem. 10/10, I recommend.

[@SamiiRSMT]

​@Thawne1338I put it inside my excretory hole and my wood became a vibratory device

[@gamerFreak0623]

so it is useful on certain organs but how about on muscle tissue?

[@PictureFit]

I've been reading a lot of comments like this. I'm so glad that you guys have been able to get such relief with the massage gun!

[@The1Ab0veAll]

​@@PictureFit I don't think you understand what he meant💀

[@abhayrohit]

i +1 this

[@97Syahmie]

I really love the extra sound effects and details that's been in the newer videos

[@PictureFit]

Thanks my good friend!

[@me0101001000]

I have one, and I really like it. In my personal experience, I get the most benefit from it while I'm holding a stretch. After lifting and cardio, it feels incredible.

[@CruzMonrreal]

I've been using a portable theragun mini for months, and love it. I do a bunch of running, cycling, bouldering, and calisthenics, and it complements a foam roller quite well for all of those activities. Foam roller for bodyweight pressure on large locations, theragun for the smaller spots that still need tlc, but are too awkward to get to with a ball. But probably the best use case is being able to use it while sitting in traffic

[@PictureFit]

Very interesting time to use a massage gun.

[@vasilikik8609]

Don't you feel a little awkward using this in traffic while others are watching you?

[@CruzMonrreal]

@@vasilikik8609 nope. Most of the time, ppl don't watch.

[@vasilikik8609]

@@CruzMonrreal I have both the pro and the mini but I haven't unboxed the mini yet! I'm still thinking if it's worth having a portable device / being able to massage yourself while not being at home 🤔 By now, I use the pro as it's more powerful but only at home

[@S.Clause]

I also use my Theragun Mini while driving. It gets the blood flowing through the thighs , calves and ankles.

[@gaigeeeeeee]

Electric massagers changed my life, lol.. I used to have pretty bad chronic pain in my neck and around my head, nothing ever helped as much as using the massagers did. There are so many uses for them and they feel great to use. I will gladly continue using mine into the foreseeable future and I highly recommend purchasing one to anyone who has been considering doing so.

[@harman5453]

As someone who workouts but also does heavy labour work, its honestly like magic for me! Helps relax the muscles for me and i sleep better

[@M3G4FR34K]

Excellent, informative content as usual!

[@MK-rc3pq]

After an accident, hospital and 3 weeks of rehab, I started functional training at my physiotherapist as I was missing strength and stability mainly in my right leg as well as didnt have much of range of motion in my ankle. I bought a massage gun and applied it regularly in addition to 1x per week therapy session. For me it helped a lot getting the range of motion back and loosening the muscles in my calves as i could easily point the the thing at the right spots. Other messages or foam rolling might have done it too, but it worked and was much less of a hassle, reliant and (relatively) cheap. Still using it on my legs, definetely one of my better purchases :D

[@Angelstar7774]

Getting a knot out with a massage gun is so much faster and drastically less painful than a foam roller or a massage ball! It’s an absolute lifesaver when I have a knot 🙏🏼

[@gaigeeeeeee]

One really important thing is finding a good head for the massager, mine came with 3 or 4 and one of which is a C-shaped head that conforms to the muscle you're using it on, that one has given me the most benefit, but there are plenty of other options out there. Mine also has a heating option that warms it up by a little bit, I don't use the function very often, but when I do it's pretty great. Wpuld definitely recommend.

[@sem8973]

Might be anecdotal, but I find my massage gun to be fairly helpful. I often have very tensed up shoulders to the point my traps etc are rock hard. A good minute of applying a massage gun always relaxes my muscles, making me feel so much better

[@yeahthisismyhandleyouknow]

For my back myofascial pain syndrome, the massage gun is a must-have. The roller or ball can't really reach that point well enough. But massage gun can. In addition, it also really helps with muscle soreness after a big session in a gym.

[@Lowtan]

I was looking at these a couple years ago. Thanks for the video

[@PictureFit]

Np

[@amermeleitor]

It's just feel great, like stretching. Even more with a sore muscles or with DOMS, is a feeling between pain and tickles.

[@xllvr]

I will say that having used one, it's really good for a quick fix. It's not necessary, but it is helpful which is more than can be said about a lot of other stuff EDIT: If you have muscle tightness from a desk job, it’s VERY effective

[@saint82scarlet]

I bought one as I have a rotar cuff injury on one shoulder. I will say, that it does relax me before a work out, however, far nicer when someone else is using it on me, they can get the angle that I just can't. However, noting I bought my for £20, it is definitely value for money, and I particularly enjoy it for relaxation and "good vibes" more than for improving muscle recovery

[@firstlast2386]

Ekrin b37. I use it daily and my chronically tight calves finally released after a week of massages. I truly believe it helps recovery because I can go hard daily now. Also functions as a pre workout warm up.

[@dacedebeer2697]

I'm a big fan of stretching, but for muscle soreness relief my massage gun is amazing, for knots on my traps and my forearms it's great. Since I'm not so young it is one of many tools I use for recuperation. Just avoid using it on sore joints, that can make it worst.

[@grimgamer24]

My dad recently got a massage gun from a physiotherapist and doesn't use it. This video is just in time for me to wonder if it's worth my time or should return it. 😭

[@gui_lampreia]

Hi PicFit, I'm currently thinking about taking magnesium can u make a video about it?

[@isaacclarke3037]

I like how you site your sources

[@stillsalty947]

I really like it to loosen up my upper leg after long runs. Prevents my patellar problems reappearing

[@gasparsigma]

Is there any detail on what types of massagers were used in the research? E.g. jackhammer motion vs. circular motion vs. vibration?

[@coreyembrey]

I definitely haven't had improved recovery, but it's help me with joint pain. I use it on my thighs before workouts involving squats, and it fixed my form. My knees try to pull outwards, and relaxing the muscles 30 minutes beforehand makes me more stable. To be fair, I do static stretching 3 days a week and it helps with low back pain much more than a massage gun.

[@Jeffdachefz]

dude I did multiple tests where I massaged gun one leg and not the other after extreme leg days. The massaged leg was FAR less sore while the one that I didnt massage felt like the hams were tearing apart when I was sitting down at the toilet. I've done this alternating legs for two weeks and the massaged legs always was significantly less sore. Its literally indispensable for after leg day soreness. I use it right after leg day before any doms hit and hitting multiple parts of the hams, quads, glutes where i normally feel sore while i'm watching a movie or something. I'll do another session once the doms start lightly hitting the next day. Its just a more efficient min max way than to do foam rolling, stretching or anything else that you have to dedicate actual time to since you can do it during your content consuming down time

[@Jeffdachefz]

its efficacy is about the same as foam rolling but much easier to do. its WAY more effective than static stretching in terms of reducing doms.

[@PictureFit]

Interestingly, this is how a good portion of the research on massage tools have been conducted.

[@user-wl7vw4cs1v]

I thought people liked post-workout soreness? To me it's satisfying and makes me feel like I got a good workout in

[@KAANTAMTUNALI]

it def helps your injuries and recovery time, it works for me like a wonder

[@jarivanderheijden5551]

I used to have hella back cramps on my bench during PL meets. Massage gun before every attempt on my lower back fixed it for me

[@AlexanderALZA]

The truth is that massage gun is much easier to use than foam roller (if you want to do it correctly). Also a good massage therapist in my city will cost me at least 80-150 dollars per session. Even the most expensive theragun costs around 400 and it totally works for soreness and knots. And it works even better if you combine it with some mobility routine and magnesium oil ;)

[@calloforestis3126]

💪💪💪great vid

[@chrisgriffin6779]

I got mine for like $40 a few years ago and it has really come in handy especially after long spartan races.

[@MaxPowerBSD]

This video improved my good vibes by 18.3%

[@ryuno2097]

I had a stiff neck and shoulder because I had slept in the wrong position. I did use the massage gun on my neck and shoulder and it did help fixing them.

[@Amesang]

I must still be half-asleep 'cause I misread that as _machine_ gun. 🤪

[@japphan]

Taking deep tissue massage to the next level.

[@tomkarate1]

Important. I tried desperately to increase my hip ROM so that I could kick higher. Static stretching did not work no matter how much I did it. Then one day I sat beside a retired physiotherapist on a bus and he said that if the tightness is near the ends/tendons of a muscle static stretching is the most effective, but if the tightness is in the belly/center of the muscle static stretching won't work very well. In this case, you would need a deep-tissue massage. Since I had nothing to lose I bought the thumper maxi pro deep-tissue massager and I was able to kick well above waist height in like a week and a half. So the tightness near the tendons vs tightness in the belly is worth investigating.

[@PictureFit]

Gratz on the kicks 👊

[@Alexander-rd7bi]

It surely worth it. My physical therapist recommend me buy the same one he do treatment with, which caused him losing lotta money from me.

[@keeper_of_memes4747]

could you make a video on beginners need to be doing at the gym?

[@lootmaster1337]

I got one, usually use it the day after a long workout when i wake up with a cramp. Could i just rub in some tigerbalm for 5minutes? Sure, but it's just a click button hold while watching yt videos.

[@alex96super]

Hey picfit or anyone in the comments, I got in a long boarding accident. Fell on my back and bumped my knees along the way. Got back on my board and went on the way. Two days later, I go and squat. I was able to complete my work out. But my knees swelled up. Now 3 months later. It seems like my knees feel pain a lot quicker. I’m only able to about 60% of the weight since the first time returning from the fall. I notice swelling occurs almost immediately. I guess I’m wondering if there are any exercises or any expectations I can have. I’m still able to run and hike with near zero pain. If that means anything ?

[@PictureFit]

I would ask your doctor for help, friend.

[@taoin5560]

I have two massage guns and have definitely had improved recovery, however I am older so I don’t think this would apply to everyone. I use to take 3 days to fully heal/rest and recover. Now if I use it at least once before bed I recover in a day. I also use it in the mornings if I am going to workout to warm up the muscle groups I am doing.

[@user-kx7vv8or7k]

It's called 'placebo'

[@yosemitesam9576]

@@user-kx7vv8or7kIn double blind tests they manage to figure out that its *not* placebo lmao.

[@madimc]

Oh man I love mine. I use it almost every day in areas that are hard to stretch or get at with a foam roller. Way cheaper than massage therapist.

[@Thehoneybadger90]

But what about muscle stiffness or idk how its called in english, im a spanish speaker and as a runner, when we train hard before a half marathon or a marathon we have appointments with therapist that massage really hard muscle knots

[@kitstertang]

only the incr bloodflow on muscles is already worth it. Resultwise. But the BIGGER upsideS which has not been mentioned are: 1/ effort taken to archieve the similar result (almost effortless), 2/ time taken to archieve same result (less time). 3/ compared to massage by therapist the costs is low in the mid and long run.

[@xecydez]

Nice. I bought one of this for “other” purpose now can i use it for fitness

[@PictureFit]

Oh that's cool! What else do you use the massage gun f---... oh.

[@SantomPh]

the biggest advantage is for people who are ticklish to the point of muscle stiffness. Autonomous massage using a gun helps a lot more than people know.

[@ShadowDestroyers]

Massage gun changed my life. Have minor nerve damage from injury and muscles that tighten up literally overnight even stretching doesn't work as well as it should. Massage gun before bed and I can sleep without feeling borderline cramping. I wake up more refreshed. If you are stiff and stretching doesn't work and foam rollers are annoying to you, massage gun is just fine.

[@oj6286]

Nice AltF4 soundtrack at the end

[@damassonlepcha6160]

i just brought a massager today wtf

[@Jeffdachefz]

use it right after the workout, shit clears out the lactic acid like crazy imo.

[@yungzed]

@@Jeffdachefzlactic acid doesnt cause soreness, thats a myth

[@firstlast2386]

Also olympic athletes, NBA and NFL use it between breaks. These guys are pushing their body to the limit for millions of dollars so I trust their regiment.

[@sohamthedude]

Please make a video on taking glycerin as pre workout.

[@Mods-Lover]

I just got my massage gun cause I have pain in calf muscles so I used it today, no more pain till now. It worked for me and i don't even used it for 5 min on each leg. Less than that

[@ehabmamdouh9519]

Hey:)) just sharing my thoughts on a video that i decided to move on and don’t buy a massage gun then after i read comments i found I still want to try 😅

[@pierrepier1270]

Got mine as a bday present so it worked out and it was smaller so convenient.

[@pandozmc]

I've never head of massage guns in the context of sports or working out. Just always wanted one for... well, massaging!

[@Qwerty-xh7hj]

sus

[@WhiskersAndWords]

I really like my theragun. Even if it doesn't do as much, I still feel value out of it

[@vikingthedude]

I've seen one of these on my mom's nightstand

[@Seventy5Percent]

I have found that my massage gun almost instantly soothes my restless leg syndrome after about a 10 minute session. It's the only thing I've found that works. YMMV. But man, does it feel good after a rough workout.

[@AMAMBT]

never tried it and i think it is inactive as we are not the same , for soreness a hot bath is fine for me

[@dhkim3986]

Got one for under 20 bucks and it's life changing.

[@Kevscabsdeletedvideos]

I think they're pretty helpful for leg doms/sore legs. Everywhere else I don't need it

[@jeffs3119]

I do martial arts and get sore every now and then. It’s great to have when my GF can’t give me massages. The negative is the lack of happy endings.

[@andremedeiros4275]

These are also good to use together with the vacuum to clean your car ahah

[@ominaroust1109]

wait, these are actually for massaging something above your waist?

[@chrisrascon969]

I strained my calf and was told to massage my calf for twenty minutes… I can feel where is most tender, and massage it for maybe three minutes by hand, but when I started using my massage gun

[@kuhuihuhfuihuih2308]

Whenever I experience stiffness in my neck that results in a headache, I use a massage gun for a few minutes. It works every time.

[@Aisenheim]

Empirically I can say it works on me. Not a magic tool, but it is way better than nothing when sore af and don't want to put even more energy into relaxing with a foam roller

[@Qwerty-xh7hj]

if you want a magic tool, search up magic wand massager

[@aroundandround]

I bought a massage gun a couple years back and haven’t used it in a couple years.

[@Drinkyoghurt]

Say what you want, I've tried physio, dry needling, foam rolling, yoga and practically everything under the sun to fix my insanely tight hamstring muscles. You know what fixed it? 2 stretching session with a massage gun targeting the knots I had. It instantly fixed something I struggled with for YEARS, and at the cost of basically one physio session. These days I barely have any knots anywhere, but when I do the massage gun quickly gets rid of them. Just for that they're worth it in my book, whatever the research says.

[@jamie5mauser]

What about breaking up painful muscle knots? That’s what I care about

[@michaelelkin9542]

Weather it helps you or not, there is no need to spend hundreds on a massage gun. The $20-30 Amazon option is just as good, if not exactly the same as the expensive ones.

[@MattyDCCollins]

you just saved me $50 thanks! foam roller it is!

[@actomobile]

The best use I've seen is for separate dusts to clean carpets

[@pickleyeet8844]

The main effect my massage gun has is to make my mum suspicious when I use it (innocently) at night before bed and she hears it vibrating through the wall

[@championbob1642]

She took my gun and left now I have sore shoulder and a broken heart

[@JimmyJoeBob]

Works wonders on foot cramps.

[@JoshBenware]

If you have an actual job and it causes tight muscles, it's definitely worth it. My job causes my traps and upper back to always be knotted up. The massage gun helps a lot and helps me to get injured less. If you have no job and just go to the gym, probably not worth it.

[@vasilikik8609]

Gym causes tight muscles too (and a lot more)

[@JoshBenware]

@Vasiliki K nah, it's not the same. Lifting weights will get you sore. Carrying awkward objects with one side of you body all day long will cause asymmetrical knots. It's completely djfferent for being sore and tight.

[@vasilikik8609]

@@JoshBenware in this case it's acceptable... I know, there are a lot of jobs that are not healthy for the body long term

[@Ett.Gammalt.Bergtroll]

I always thought they were poorly-disguised marital aids.

[@mharzelcuspanio5025]

NormaTec thoughts?

[@ATurkeySandwichGAME]

My mom is a massage therapist. She uses them quite a bit but she says they are just one tool she uses

[@PictureFit]

Mom sounds wicked smaht.

[@Rising.consciousness]

It gave me rsi/vibration damage to the gun holding hand…

[@LucyTgirly]

i used to work for a company called therabody, they make a massage gun called theragun, it is a scam, it doesn't do what it says it does

[@mrabc3621]

I got one on sale only $79, totally worth it

[@djredhareaus38]

What about ultrasonic massage

[@mach16j]

massage gun is crazy for knots

[@IL_Bgentyl]

I feel like a large difference is many people are more likely to use a massage gun vs stretching.

[@padraigmaclochlainn8866]

It made my sore neck a pinched nerve

[@anamethatsnottakenalready]

I use it to vibrate dust out of my car seats. Works great.

[@Ubeogesh]

From my personal experience, there is definitely aome adaptation happening with massage guns because they hurt a lot at first, but then become very pleasant - even when used on some aching muscles. They're also just a lot better than manual massage...

[@danyo5509]

Loved the video

[@105tacos7]

bro watched the video in 1 second XD

[@nigels9077]

Bro comment in 2 second

[@danyo5509]

@@105tacos7 🤣🤣🤣

[@Vnp99]

Are you from the future?

[@danyo5509]

@@Vnp99 playback speed 20x🤫

[@tanneredge9774]

You’re emphasizing to not buy it right at the beginning of the video. I’m sold. I bought 5. I don’t have kidneys anymore but I got them.

[@hulkman245]

Bought one about it 2 years ago... it's still in the box

[@abhayrohit]

i have one and i use it for everything other than massaging

[@pararera6394]

Wait, it's used for massage??? 😐

[@Dop4miN]

Alright, just bought one. Let's see how it goes :)

[@boss-yp3sf]

How its going

[@Dop4miN]

@@boss-yp3sf used it once or twice and forgot about it honestly.

[@sonukanhaiyalalmeghwal]

It works ( the other way ).

[@ivanfranco340]

Got one for Christmas so 🤷‍♂️

[@thundergod7344]

😂😂same

[@Jambo66328]

The bcaa own its still 😂

[@Alexor715]

Rule #1: if something is hyped on social sites, it's overhyped and most likely useless.

[@avy0010]

Instructions not clear accidentally used for something else but she liked it :P