How Do Massage Guns Work?

The basic mechanism of therapeutic massage guns is geared toward improving muscle flexibility and decreasing pain through the stimulation of blood flow, and deep massage of the fascia and muscles. These are usually. battery-operated, handheld devices that function in a combination of vibration and percussion to knead and massage soft tissue, similar to getting a deep tissue massage. A variety of attachments are available with most of the top models and can be used to target different muscle groups, based upon variables such as the size of what muscles need massaging.

By theoretically increasing the flow of blood and the movement of lymph to and from the tissues, massage guns fight sore muscles (especially workout-related pain) very well, according to fans of the product. The idea behind the gun’s mechanisms includes the stimulation of pain receptors to aid in avoiding muscle stiffness. The engineering was geared toward the use of a massage head that is rapidly fired in a gun-like manner into the knotted or stiff muscle group, to increase the production of normal biological chemical cascades that cause us to feel relief. The idea is that, post-massage, there will be a reduced perception of pain, and an increased amount of joy in the user. 

Easy Enough For A Child To Use

The mechanism involved is as simple as pointing and pulling a trigger. The second and third-generation designs of some popular brands of massage guns have introduced smaller, easier to maneuver models. As well as being lighter, more portable, and able to fit in tight spots, these are lower priced for those with a tight budget. Small and light enough to easily fit in a purse or a gym bag, they can be toted to and from the gym with ease, and better facilitate daily use as a pre and post-workout tool. Battery-powered operation means that they can be used by outdoors enthusiasts who prefer to take their exercise off-road: running, cycling, skiing, diving, or pretty much anywhere that the massager won’t be subjected to submersion in water or extreme climates.

Not Just For Athletes

As it continues to climb in popularity, the massage gun has found use in homes everywhere for pain relief of all sorts. Chronic, debilitating back pain is a problem for a staggering number of people, and sadly it is a traumatic injury that is difficult to treat and verging on impossible to fix, in most cases. The after-effects of car accidents, construction site accidents, and many other common life-altering injuries has left working-aged people everywhere struggling to get through their days. Many have tried everything available to treat their chronic back pain, and just as many have tried to cope with the ill effects of addictive narcotic pain medications, the awful side effects of which range from constipation to full-blown withdrawal. Corticosteroids, while effective in the short term for pain relief, can have awful side effects when taken in a long term situation. Sexual side effects like gynecomastia in men (formation of large breasts) and hirsutism in women (abundant, coarse facial hair) are just two common side effects. Others include the development of a hunched back (large fatty deposits on the upper back, referred to as ‘buffalo hump’) and a swollen rounding off of the face that is called “moon face”. 

When faced with these kinds of issues from pharmaceutical help, it is no wonder that there are so many people trying to find drug-free answers to their chronic pain problems.Massage guns often provide immediate relief in acute flare ups of crippling pain that is chronic and sporadic in its nature. When combined with other holistic methods of controlling pain, it is possible to approach chronic pain with both barrels drawn, so to speak: combining heat and cold treatments, alternative pain treatments such as acupuncture and deep tissue massage, as well as guided imagery/meditation to find the way back to an active life after an accident has sadly left chronic pain in its wake.