Our Top 5 Benefits of Using a Massage Gun
Massage Guns have been having a major moment in the world of wellness. You’ve seen them all over Instagram, and your favorite celebrities and athletes (and probably at least one of your neighbors) are singing its praises.
What is a massage gun?
A massage gun is a handheld tool that massages muscles by providing rapid bursts of pressure in concentrated, short-duration pulses.
The idea is that the impact, movement, and vibration will help loosen up tight and sore muscles, break up connective tissue adhesions, and stimulate blood flow to assist in speeding up recovery.
At Denver Deep, common and frequent questions that we have been receiving are if they are effective, what we think of them, and if said client should purchase one. We wanted to share our thoughts on why we support the use of massage guns in your personal recovery arsenal, and we also wanted to share why we don’t feel that they are the ultimate panacea for healing.
Because we have an abundance of information to unpack, this will be a two-part article.
In part one, we will be discussing our Top 5 Benefits of Using a Massage Gun.
Our Top 5 Benefits of Using a Massage Gun
DECREASED DOMS
DOMS, Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, is that sore, tight feeling that pops up anywhere from 24-28 hours after an intense workout. It’s caused by microscopic tears that naturally occur in muscle fibers during exercise. DOMS can hinder future workouts by leaving you feeling too sore and fatigued, and it could inhibit movement patterns because of the tension experienced in your soft-tissues (muscles, ligaments, tendons, and fascia).
According to a study in the Journal of Clinical & Diagnostic Research, vibration is effective in prevention of DOMS when used before exercise. Thus, the vibration of a massage gun could be a great solution to prevent this soreness.
INCREASED PERFORMANCE
The vibration of a massage gun is said to help decrease and break up adhesions in your soft-tissues. When you are able to move freely without restrictions, your improved range of motion will assist you in performing the way you desire.
INCREASED BLOOD FLOW
Whether you are receiving an actual massage, using a foam roller, or using a massage gun, all of these bodywork strategies facilitate circulation because the pressure created by whichever technique is utilized. Blood will be encouraged to move through adhered areas by applying pressure and then releasing it.
By using a massage gun, blood flowing to the affected area will send nutrients and oxygen to the muscle tissue. This stimulates faster recovery and regrowth the of the tissue.
FREQUENCY
We get it: committing to a self-care practice of foam-rolling, stretching, and mobility work isn’t easy to maintain. It is much easier to pick-up your massage gun and work on your affected areas. For all of our clients, we encourage a home bodywork routine, but if using a massage gun is the only strategy that you know you will stick to, then we feel that this is a better option than doing nothing at all.
PAIN RELIEF WHEN YOU WANT IT
Massage Guns provide pain relief at any time that you are seeking it. If you wake up at three a.m. with a sore shoulder from the day’s workout or a stiff neck from working out of your home office all day, you have immediate access to an avenue of pain relief.
***
If using a massage gun is providing you with consistent and lasting relief, then it is providing you with value.
At Denver Deep, we believe that the quality of your life is intimately connected to your ability to move and be free of pain. If using a massage gun is providing you with consistent and lasting relief, then it is providing you with value.
Being able to move freely without pain defines how you feel about your experiences. And at the end of the day, we just want you to be living your DEEPest life possible.
Look out for our upcoming post: Our Top 5 Disadvantages of Using a Massage Gun