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The Best Massage Gun

OnlyTree Black
This article was written by Staying Alive Crew Published at 07:36 pm
Massage Guns

A massage gun is the ideal recovery device for post-workout massages for avid athletes and fitness junkies who suffer from aching or delayed onset muscle soreness after intense workouts. 

Personal trainers, physiotherapists, chiropractors, are all adopters of using a massage gun to provide massage therapy for pain relief to fitness enthusiasts after they've conducted demanding exercises. 

With so many different massage gun models available, it can get confusing to know which is the best massage gun for your personal recovery routine and to promote blood flow. 

We've rounded up the best massage guns available, making it easy for you to plug and massage muscle fatigue away!

Theragun Pro Massage Gun
Theragun Pro Massage Gun
Renpho C3 Deep Tissue Massage Gun
Renpho C3 Deep Tissue Massage Gun
Theragun Elite Massage Gun
Theragun Elite Massage Gun

Table of Contents

10 Best Massage Guns in 2024

Massage Guns Buying Guide

Whether you are a runner, a weights buff, or a cross-fit enthusiast, most fitness enthusiasts will experience stiff and sore muscles. 

Even when you take rest days from working out, the soreness and pain may not subside. 

To aid recovery many athletes and fitness enthusiasts are adding hot and cold massages in addition to foam rolling, to speed up their recovery, and enhance their performance. 

There’s no better way of getting massage therapy than with a massage gun best suited to your needs. 

With so many massage tools serving different purposes from aiding muscle warm-up to post-workout tight muscles, how do you know which massage gun is best for you?

We’ve outlined the features you may want to screen for in the best portable massage gun.

Massage Guns

The best massage gun is an electrical handheld device, that typically functions with one hand and is operated by rechargeable batteries, providing bursts of pressure into the body. 

The head of the massager oscillates on the muscle providing percussive therapy or vibration therapy.

Depending on the speed applied, you’ll get a soft, gentle, and more relaxing massage or if the speed is greater you’ll get a more intense deep tissue massage to help muscle stiffness and relieve pain. 

Massage guns are beneficial for everyone, especially athletes and fitness enthusiasts, as they are able to target a specific problem area with an electric massager. 

A massage gun helps the muscles to recover and regenerate quicker after a strenuous training session. 

Chiropractors and alternative therapists along with physiotherapists are all adopters of a massage gun. 

Benefits of Massage Guns

Percussive therapy has many potential benefits and using percussive massage guns can provide several inherent benefits. 

The best massage guns are great in helping to promote exercise performance and aiding recovery, improving sports performance and sports treatment. 

Other massage guns may tailor needs for users to get a dynamic pre-workout warm-up. 

Massage guns are great in targeting pain in specific muscles, such as tennis elbow, or knee pain by increasing blood circulation to the area of pain.

Finally, like any massage, the best massage gun helps to reduce stress and tensions that are held in your muscles and improves your range of motion. 

Features of Best Massage Guns

Speed and Power

How fast the head fluctuates and the amplitude or depth at which the massage gun head moves. Both these factors will impact the level of massage you get.

What speed you like a massage will vary from person to person. Some people prefer a softer, more gentle massage, whilst others prefer a deeper more intense massage. You may want different speeds on different parts of your body.

You might want to select a massage gun that has a variety of speeds that you can select to suit your needs. Look at what the percussion speed per second is for the varying speed levels.

How deep or light the massage is, is impacted by the massage gun amplitude which is usually in millimeters. The more the massage head moves, the greater the force applied to the muscles is.

If you like softer, more gentle massages look for a massage gun with a lower amplitude. 

Type of motion

Do you like a percussion style massage or a vibration style massage? These are two distinctive style massages. Some massage guns offer additional head attachments allowing you to experience both styles of massages.

Noise

Balancing a massage gun to have speed and power with loudness can be a challenge. If you plan to use the massage gun at home around other people or near your neck area, you may want to be cognizant of how loud it is.

If you want a massage gun that is not aggressively loud, look for models that have noise levels 60dB and below.

Design

There are so many different designs that are sleek and modern, have anti-slip handles, and are ergonomically designed. 

You may want to pay attention to where the handle is placed, does the massage gun has a moveable massage arm, or where the buttons are to switch functions.

All of these things will impact the comfort of your user experience. 

Weight

You are most likely going to use a massage gun, held in one hand, so how heavy a massage gun is, is pretty important. You don’t want to get a fatigued arm a few minutes into using the massage gun.

Portability

It’s a safe assumption that the majority of people will use the massage gun either at home or at the gym. However, those of you who are frequent travelers may want to have the flexibility to take your massage gun with you when you are on the go. 

Keep an eye on whether the massage gun comes complete with a travel or gym bag, especially to keep all the various attachment heads that it might come with.

Battery Life and Charging

The lion’s share of massage guns are cordless and have Lithium-ion batteries. The average massage gun will have around 3 hours of battery life. 

If you want to use your massage gun frequently, you don’t want to be stressed daily about whether the massage gun is charged or not. You may want to look for massage guns with longer battery life.

Accessories

Many massage guns come with a variety of interchangeable attachment heads. These heads can offer a varied head angle, and a different massage experience, and some are designed to massage a specific part of the body. 

What kind of attachment head does the massage gun come with? A flat head? A cold head? A heating head? A barrel head? An arrow head? 

Think about the muscles and parts of the body you want to use the massage gun for and whether the different attachment heads address your massage needs. 

The best massage guns will come with several interchangeable attachment heads.

Price

At the budget-friendly end of the spectrum, a budget massage gun can start from $100 and go up to $600 at the more premium end. 

You can pick up a solid runner-up massage gun at a mid-range price point. 

Balance what your needs are, the features you are looking for, and the highest quality inversion table you can get within your budget.

Warranty

The best massage gun will come with a warranty, a money-back guarantee, or entitle you to a full refund within a reasonable period of purchase. 

This will give you peace of mind, to try the product out and know that it is protected if it breaks down. 

Most massage guns should come with a minimum of a 1-year warranty.

Massage Guns FAQ

How does a massage gun work?

Select the area of your body from your legs, back, hips, or elsewhere that you would like to use the massage gun. Hold the massage gun in your hand, and aim the massage head next to the target area. 

Keep the massage gun about an inch away and turn the device on. Let the massage gun pulse for a few minutes, before turning it off and moving on to another part of the body. 

Ideally, you want to use a massage gun in one spot for several minutes and not more than this. You don’t want to overstimulate the muscle. 

If you are using the massage gun as a pre-workout muscle warm-up, you might want to use it for only a few minutes on each target area of the body. If you are using the massage gun post-workout you will likely use it for several minutes on each target area to aid recovery. 

Make sure you read the instructions carefully of a massage gun, to familiarize yourself with all the settings and what all the various different massage head attachments do, and how much pressure is applied under various settings. 

How often should you use a massage gun?

How often you use a massage gun depends on you as an individual, and the region you want to use the gun on. 

It also depends if you are used to using a massage gun or new to using massage guns, as your tolerance may be lower. If you are a newbie, do not use a massage gun more than once a day. 

If you are using a massage gun as a dynamic warm-up before a workout, aim to use it for around 30 seconds to activate the muscles. 

If you are using the massage gun post-workout to aid recovery and pain relief, use it for a few minutes on each muscle group before moving on to another muscle. 

Can you use a massage gun for neck pain?

Ensure you consult with your doctor before using the massage gun on your neck. If you have your doctor's clearance you may use it. 

You may use a massage gun on your neck provided your doctor has okayed it, however, you must exercise caution. 

Ensure you select a low speed, select a cushioned massage attachment head.

Can I use a massage gun if I’m pregnant?

It is not advised that pregnant women use a massage gun. If in doubt consult with your primary care physician.

Massage Guns Sources

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