We can all agree - muscle pain is not the one. Whether you’re a fitness fanatic, trying out a new workout or slouching at a desk all day, that achy feeling can really put a damper on your day. And it’s especially annoying when you’ve been training for something, only to be thrown off course by an injury.
There are a few things you can do to protect yourself from that kind of injury, like warming up, cooling down and watching your posture both in and outside the gym. But one thing that loads of athletes swear by is sports massage and physiotherapy. But going to a professional physio or masseuse regularly can be a faff, not to mention expensive. That’s where at-home percussive therapy can be really helpful.
What is percussive therapy?
So this might sound a little scary, but it’s really not! Percussive therapy is a kind of massage designed to help with soft tissue pain.
A special message gun uses strong, quick vibrations to get blood pumping to your muscles. This has a ton of different health benefits, like soothing any sore bits, improving your flexibility and range of motion, and helping with injury recovery.
That’s not to say you need to be all about the gains to get the benefits of a percussion massage gun. Working from home all day in an uncomfortable chair or with bad posture can take its toll too. So having a massage tool you can use as and when you need it can be really handy.
What kind of percussion massage gun should I get?
For desk slouchers and gym bunnies
The Therabody Theragun Prime Smart Percussive Therapy device is a great all-rounder for anyone whose muscles have been giving them jip. Like all Theraguns, the Prime has an ergonomic multi-grip design, so it’s easy to give yourself a massage without tying yourself in knots.
If you’re not sure where to start, that’s okay; that’s what the Therabody app is for. Find treatments (i.e. massages) based on the type of activity you’ve been doing or result you want. There are ones for warming-up, for recovery and just for general wellness.
The Prime even has Bluetooth connectivity so you can link your Theragun up with the app. This gives you feedback as you use the Prime, giving you tips and help on how to make your treatment super effective. So if you’re a novice, you needn’t worry.
And to make sure you can properly get into all those nooks and crannies, there are 5 different speeds and 4 different foam attachments to use with the Prime Theragun. Take the dampener, which you can use for bony bits that need a little less force, or the thumb attachment for hard-to-reach areas like your lower back.
For trainers and triathletes
With the Theragun Elite Smart Percussive Therapy Device, the clue is in the name. This one’s great for people who are pushing their body particularly hard and need a more powerful treatment to keep themselves in tip-top condition. Training for something like an Iron Man? This will help ward away any injuries or setbacks before the big day.
The Elite’s got all the same features as the Prime but with a few added extras. You’ll still get app connectivity, 5 speeds, 2 hours of battery life and QuietForce tech. But you’ve got an extra attachment to use and, more importantly, fast percussion amplitude.
Fast percussion amplitude is just another way of saying the gun can apply extra force (up to 40lbs) and go faster. This’ll boost your circulation even further, generate more heat and release tension in your muscles.
For travellers and on-the-go fitness fans
Need something a little lighter to take with you? The Theragun Mini Handheld Percussion Massager is a safe bet. It’s basically a smaller, slimmed down Theragun with 3 speeds, making it easy to slip into your backpack or even a pocket no problem. Super handy if you need to travel for a race or competition.
Like the Elite and the Prime, the Mini is cordless and rechargeable. With one charge, you’ll get 150 minutes’ use- more than enough time for multiple massages. And it’s also kitted out with QuietForce tech, so you won’t be getting funny looks from the noise.
Want extra help getting healthy?
There’s tons of tech that can get you reaching your fitness goals that much faster – whether it’s a smart watch to track your workout or earphones to make your run fly by.
