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When you’ve gone too hard on leg day, you'll be glad you have one of the best massage guns to provide much-needed relief. These gadgets look nothing like a masseuse’s skilled hands; however, they’re designed to knead achy spots with dynamic massage settings (usually percussive-based) and interchangeable head attachments that precisely (or bluntly, depending on the shape) hit the right places and boost blood circulation, just like your favorite facial massage tools. “When the topic of the massage gun comes up, I describe it as one of many tools available to increase blood flow and energy to the muscles and help keep the body moving well,” says Joe Giangrasso, a New York City-based certified strength and conditioning specialist. After a long, tiring day, you deserve the soothing power of a deep-tissue massage, so treat your weary muscles to these handheld massagers, stat.
Our Top Massage Guns
- Best Overall: TheraBody TheraGun Relief, $149
- Best Smart Massage Gun: Hyperice Hypervolt 2, $199
- Best Temperature Settings: Renpho Power+ Thermacool Deluxe, $180
- Best Head Attachment Variety: Opove M3 Pro 2 Massage Gun, $130
- Best for Travel: Ekrin Athletics Bantam Mini Massage Gun, $150
Frequently Asked Questions
- How does a massage gun soothe muscles?
- How do I use a massage gun?
- Meet the experts
- How we test and review products
- Our staff and testers
Best Overall: TheraBody TheraGun Relief
Why it's worth it: The Therabody Theragun Relief was made for everyone, not just athletes. It has some of the gentlest speed settings on the market, so this device is ideal for anyone dealing with aches and muscle soreness who doesn’t need the intensive deep-tissue massages of other devices. (Though if you work out regularly, you may want to upgrade to the Theragun Pro Plus.) Its lightweight build, basically nonexistent noise level, and ergonomic shape make this muscle recovery gadget easier on your ears and wrists, too.
Massage settings: 3 | Attachments: 3 (dampener, standard ball, thumb)
Best Smart Massage Gun: Hyperice Hypervolt 2
Why it's worth it: Hyperice’s Hypervolt 2 is a souped-up gadget tailored to hard-working bodies in need of post-workout relief. Its three massage settings are intensive yet oh-so-soothing and feature the brand’s pressure sensor technology, showing you how much pressure is being applied to your body. You can access this info, along with an automated seed control setting, on the Bluetooth-accessible Hypreice app.
Massage settings: 3 | Attachments: 5 (fork, ball, cushion, flat, bullet)
Best Temperature Settings: Renpho Power+ Thermacool Deluxe
Why it's worth it: The beauty of Renpho’s Power+ Thermacool Deluxe is its combination of percussive- and temperature-based therapy settings. On top of the Bluetooth-accessible features (including a massage tracker, speed level controls, and step-by-step instructional videos for getting the most out of your massages), this massage gun features four temperature settings to calm sore areas with gentle, comforting heat or relaxing cryotherapy.
Massage settings: 9 (5 percussive, 4 heat) | Attachments: 5 (heating and cooling head, ball, air cushioning, U-shape, shovel-shaped, bullet)
Best Head Attachment Variety: Opove M3 Pro 2 Massage Gun
Why it's worth it: Soothing different areas of pain requires versatility from your device, and that’s exactly what Opove’s M3 Pro 2 Massage Gun provides. This massage gun is equipped with seven different massage head attachments to provide pin-point precision, blunt pressure, and everything in between. When paired with any of its five percussive speed settings, solace is guaranteed to come your sore muscles’ way.
Massage settings: 5 force levels (31, 40, 53, 62, and 70 lbs | Attachments: 7
Best for Travel: Ekrin Athletics Bantam Mini Massage Gun
Why it's worth it: Like to take your wellness essentials on the go? Then consider Ekrin’s Athletics Bantam Mini Massage Gun your new travel buddy. This compact device features three massage settings to minimize pains, aches, and knots—no matter where you are. Considering this device has a six-hour battery life on a full charge, you can expect it to last most (if not the entirety) of your trip.
Massage settings: 3 (2000, 2600, and 3200 RPM, a.k.a. revolutions per minute) | Attachments: 4 (flat, bullet, round, fork)
Frequently Asked Questions
How does a massage gun soothe muscles?
The muscle-soothing magic comes from percussive therapy, as in a combination of vibrations and pressure that kneads tissue. By utilizing percussive massage, these devices provide muscle relief from resting tension and stiffness by facilitating blood flow and lymphatic drainage throughout the muscles, according to Giangrasso. “I often use a massage gun with clients and on myself to reduce and manipulate any resting tension, open up blood vessels to increase oxygen to the muscles, which has a result of increasing blood flow to the muscle, and as an added aspect to a warm-up,” he says.
How do I use a massage gun?
Whether you’re using a percussion massage gun in tandem with a workout routine or for temporary tightness from, say, sleeping on the wrong side of your shoulder for too long, Giangrasso recommends incorporating it as the first part of your warm-up routine before performing any dynamic movement or lifting weights—for example, if you have a lot to carry or a long walk during the day, you may want to massage beforehand. If you’re new to massage guns, he recommends first testing a low setting on the palm of your hand to get acquainted with the feel and functionality of your device before using it to address muscle pain.
“Start at the belly of the muscle and gradually increase the surface area while avoiding any bony landmarks,” Giangrasso says, and “let the gun do the work,” making sure you don’t apply added pressure. Thirty seconds on each area should be enough, but if you need to go over a specific muscle group again, Giangrasso suggests giving the area up to 90 seconds of rest before trying again. Once you’re done, he says to lightly stretch and incorporate some dynamic movements that will stimulate your muscles with a full range of motion.
The golden rule of massage guns: Only use them on your muscles! “It is safest to stay in the big muscle groups like glutes, biceps, triceps, quads, and hamstrings,” says Giangrasso. “Do not apply a massage gun to the joints, bony landmarks, lymph nodes, organs, or highly-dense connective tissue sites.” The same advice applies to newly formed scars, surgical areas, or areas of chronic pain, as massage guns should only be used for temporary pain relief. To address these areas of tension, he suggests strength and mobility exercises, breath work, and hands-on soft tissue manipulation from a board-certified physical therapist.
Meet the experts
- Joe Giangrasso, a New York City-based certified strength and conditioning specialist and former strength and conditioning coach for the New York Yankees
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Our staff and testers
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