Do Massage Guns Really Improve Recovery and Performance?
In recent times, massage guns (otherwise known as ‘percussion therapy’) have become widely popular with footballers.
Their application has been applied in both a recovery context following training/matches and also used as part of activation routines prior to sessions.
There has been huge financial backing from companies in this area to promote massage guns through high profile players.
This has also led to massage guns being widely used by the general public, particularly those in endurance sports.
But do they actually work?
This systematic review published in 2023 examined 11 studies that met the inclusion criteria around performance and recovery.
The authors found mixed results in terms of performance benefit. There was some evidence to show improved range of motion and flexibility.
However, overall it appears massage guns are ineffective at improving strength, acceleration, agility and explosive actions.
From a recovery perspective, it appears massage guns provide a short term (24h) benefit for recovery markers. However, there was limited effects shown at longer timeframes (>48h).
One of the issues with research in this area is the variance in the protocols and frequency used.
Due to massage guns being self administered, there is also the potential of harmful effects if used incorrectly.
Although rare, this medical case study presented a patient with a vertebral artery dissection following repeated massage gun use on their neck.
Therefore, practitioners should take care when providing massage guns for players, particularly if unsupervised at home.
Bottom Line - Massage guns may provide some flexibility and recovery benefits. However, caution must be taken if players are unsupervised, as incorrect use may lead to injury.
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James