Theragun
Chances are you’ll be aware of Theragun, a handheld therapeutic massage gun that is taken over Instagram with slow-motion movies of athletes’ muscle mass rippling underneath the machine, which appears (and sounds) form of like an influence drill.
The Theragun, and different gadgets prefer it, use a tactic referred to as percussive remedy to deal with muscle soreness in everybody from skilled athletes to weekend warriors. Percussive remedy is alleged to be efficient at rushing up muscle restoration time and decreasing ache after a exercise.
However does percussive remedy — and gadgets just like the Theragun — dwell as much as the hype? And are they the fitting selection for everybody? This is what you must know.
What’s percussive remedy?
Additionally referred to as percussion remedy and vibration remedy, percussive remedy is a type of gentle tissue manipulation (the identical factor therapeutic massage therapist does to you throughout a therapeutic massage) supposed to cut back muscle soreness and improve vary of movement.
Regardless that some individuals check with percussive remedy as vibration remedy, most percussive remedy gadgets really use a hammering or thumping motion along with vibrations. Some fashions additionally use round motions, and most provide various speeds and strain.
What does it do?
A percussive remedy machine delivers focused vibrations and strain to your muscle mass as a solution to deal with and handle muscle soreness, stiffness and decreased vary of movement.
As a result of they’re so highly effective, it is thought that these gadgets can attain deeper layers of muscle than human arms, a foam curler or different muscle restoration strategies can.
Does percussive remedy really work?
That depends upon what you imply by “work.”
A standard false impression is that percussive remedy can completely eradicate soreness as soon as it is already current. The reality is that no form of remedy exists for that. I do not learn about you, however even after I get an hour-long deep tissue therapeutic massage, soreness persists — the therapeutic massage simply reduces the period of time I undergo.
Percussive remedy roughly does the identical factor as therapeutic massage or self-myofascial launch (foam rolling): It will increase blood move to the handled areas, will increase pores and skin temperature, reduces muscle irritation, releases muscle rigidity and breaks up muscle knots.
Percussive remedy helps relieve muscle rigidity and soreness in the identical means foam rolling does.
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One examine concluded that percussive remedy is perhaps very efficient as a preventative methodology for managing delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), or the sluggish soreness you possibly can really feel creeping up on you till it painfully units in about 48 hours post-exercise.
However in contrast to therapeutic massage remedy and foam rolling, analysis on the effectiveness of vibration or percussive remedy for muscle soreness is restricted.
In line with TheraGun, the principle objective of percussive remedy is not really therapeutic massage. As an alternative, percussive remedy goals to masks and override ache indicators to your mind, which might make you’re feeling as if the soreness is gone.
That idea was developed on the idea wholesome mind reacts to ache indicators in milliseconds. By delivering a sensation to the muscle mass that is even sooner than that, your mind cannot sustain, so you’re feeling no ache. It is the identical philosophy behind transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) models, like Livia.
Does a Theragun work higher than going to a therapeutic massage therapist?
Therapeutic massage has lengthy been used as a method to cut back muscle soreness, and most of us can agree 60-minute Swedish feels improbable for thoughts and physique.
As a result of percussive remedy gadgets just like the Theragun do basically the identical factor — however a lot sooner and maybe deeper — it is sensible to suppose therapeutic massage gun works higher than a therapeutic massage therapist.
Theragun’s web site claims their gadgets present “deeper and extra environment friendly outcomes than therapeutic massage,” however as with many more recent gadgets and modalities, not sufficient science exists someway to be conclusive.
Some analysis reveals that vibration remedy is not efficient in any respect as a restoration methodology, however different analysis has decided that it is a minimum of as efficient as going to get a therapeutic massage.
How a lot do they value?
They value exponentially greater than an hour-long (or perhaps a 90-minute) therapeutic massage: Theragun runs between $299 and $599. Different high-end manufacturers, like Hypervolt and Booster additionally value $200 and up.
There are cheaper choices, although. In the event you search “therapeutic massage gun” on Amazon, the retailer will spit again greater than 800 listings starting from simply $30 all the best way as much as $600.
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Do you have to attempt it?
In the event you commonly get conventional massages (which regularly run upwards of $100 per 60-minute periods), the associated fee all year long could very effectively exceed the worth of a Theragun or different costly therapeutic massage gun. In the event you’re on the lookout for one thing much less time consuming and structured than your common massages, one in every of these gadgets is perhaps definitely worth the funding.
Therapeutic massage remedy is confirmed to be helpful for extra than simply our our bodies — analysis hyperlinks therapeutic massage to enhancements in anxiousness, stress and melancholy. Therapeutic massage has additionally been linked to raised sleep and improved temper, so these issues alone could also be sufficient encouragement to proceed your regular therapeutic massage routine.
Before you purchase, you would possibly have already got one thing on-hand that may give you a way of what percussive remedy looks like: At my CrossFit fitness center, athletes go round a automotive buffer that delivers an identical vibration and, in my expertise, works successfully to work out muscle knots and soothe soreness.
The place to purchase a Theragun (and different therapeutic massage weapons)
In the event you’re thinking about making an attempt out percussive remedy however do not wish to drop a month’s value of groceries on a therapeutic massage gun, check out one of many cheaper choices first, such because the Renpho rechargeable mannequin.
An costly mannequin like a Theragun or Hypervolt is finest for very energetic individuals who expertise muscle soreness typically, wish to implement a restoration routine to cut back soreness and stiffness, and would favor an at-home, handheld machine reasonably than a conventional therapeutic massage.
Need to evaluate choices? Learn our roundup of the very best percussive remedy gadgets.
