Massage Gun Benefits: Relieve Stiffness, Soreness, and More

A massage gun is a handheld percussive device that allows you to massage various parts of your body where you are experiencing aches, pain, soreness, and tightness. And the massage gun benefits don’t just stop there; you can reduce nerve pain, increase blood circulation and lymphatic drainage, and even more. These devices are fantastic for pre-and-post workouts or just simply for the relaxation of your body as a whole. The benefits seem endless and therefore, owning a massage gun, whether a regular-sized one or a mini, is extremely beneficial. 

How Does A Massage Gun Work?

Percussive massage guns increase blood flow and loosen fascia and muscles through repeated bursts of pressure to the muscles. I never knew or understood the importance of the fascia until a massage therapist educated me a few years ago. I thought that it was all about the muscles when it came to relieving aches and pains through massage, but the fascia is just as important. 

The fascia is a connective tissue that wraps itself around individual muscles throughout the body and it has nerves, making it just about as sensitive as skin. So when it gets stressed, it tightens up, which can cause aches and pains. In order to alleviate this type of pain, massage guns have been shown to be an effective tool. 

The Benefits of Massage Gun Therapy

Ever since I purchased my first massage gun several years ago, I have used it virtually every evening when I am relaxing and watching TV. This device has truly changed my life in that the daily aches and pains that I felt, which included nerve pain, knots, tight shoulder muscles, pain in my arms and legs, tingling, and numbness, have all gone away. That is not to say that I don’t still experience aches here and there but it’s a world away from what I used to experience on a daily basis. The pain that I experienced got in the way of my day-to-day life. Even sitting in front of my computer, which I do every day all day, was painful. For me, the benefits of this investment that I made when I purchased a massage gun have been priceless. 

My massage gun became a way of life for me.

The more I learned about massage guns, the more benefits I realized they provided. When my body is not in pain, when my body is not aching, when my arms and legs are not tingling and going numb, I feel like I can do and achieve just about anything. I never knew that a massage gun goes beyond just loosening tight muscles, it gets to the root of the pain through the percussive and oscillating movements of the device, and it improves blood circulation and lymphatic flow, which is crucial to a properly functioning system. 

Massage guns provide numerous benefits pre-and-post workouts.

By using a massage gun as part of your warm-up, you loosen up your muscles, increase your range of motion, and decrease muscle fatigue which in turn can help give you a better overall workout. As well, it can help prevent soreness post-workout because it reduces the amount of damage to your muscles during a workout. And post-workout, massage guns can help alleviate soreness, and muscle tightness, and provide an overall relaxation to the body as your body recovers. 

Better circulation is an incredible benefit of massage guns.

The percussive motion of the device increases blood flow to the area that you are targeting which in turn can reduce numbness and tingling sensations in the area, as well as reduce swelling. If you would like to improve your overall blood circulation, you can use a massage gun throughout the day, though be sure not to overdo it, as too much of a good thing is not always good. And it is important to seek the advice and approval of a medical professional before utilizing such a tool for blood circulation-related issues.

Nerve pain can be alleviated through percussive massage gun therapy.  

Many people deal with nerve pain on a daily basis. This used to be the case for me. That is until I started using a massage gun consistently. It wasn’t an immediate remedy, but what I did feel instantly was relief. After consistent use, my nerve pain started to subside slowly but surely. And now I live a life free of nerve pain. Irritated muscles, such as strained and tight muscles, can irritate nerves. Once you massage the irritated muscles, it loosens up the area allowing blood flow to the affected area and decreasing inflammation, which alleviates pressure placed on the nerves. 

A percussive massage gun will ease muscle tightness, alleviate sore muscles, and provide relief from muscle pain. And a handheld massager can range in speed from 1,700 to 3,200 PPMs (percussions per minute), which can go deep into the muscles, getting knots out and loosening tight muscles. Once the muscles are loosened up, it will allow more blood flow and better circulation to the area, as well as decrease inflammation, which will in turn alleviate aches, pain, tightness, and soreness. 

Related: Best Deep Tissue Massage Guns That Relieve Tense Muscles

Now That You Know The Benefits, Which Massage Gun Is The Best?

With a market now saturated with massage guns, which one is the best? There are many elements to consider when selecting a massage gun, such as levels of speed, types of attachments, and ergonomic design. Also, I take into account who designed the massage gun. So, here are my top choices based on the above factors: