Should You Buy a Massage Gun? The Pros and Cons (3 of 3)

What does the research say about whether massage guns work?

Truth be told, there aren’t a whole lot of quality studies on the effectiveness of massage therapy guns. The Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology looked at 281 of them and determined that only 11 were worth including in their review. With that in mind, here is a summary of their findings:

• Massage guns seem to provide temporary relief when it comes to flexibility and range of motion issues.
• There is little evidence thus far that massage guns are effective in approving high-level physical functions such as strength, agility, balance, or acceleration.
• Ultimately, the lack of data makes it difficult to reach any definitive conclusions and, therefore, more studies on the subject are necessary.

Conclusion

So are massage guns worth purchasing? It largely depends on what you’re hoping to get out of it. It does appear that as a temporary relief measure, it can keep minor aches and pains at bay, improve mobility, and provide muscle relaxation. But as the go-to tool when you bang up your muscles or experience chronic pain, you’re taking a serious risk. The real takeaway is that you should always talk to a professional healthcare provider before deciding whether using a massage gun is a good idea.