Does percussion therapy work? Find out!

A lot of people have reached me to ask “Does percussion therapy work?”. There has been a lot of buzz on the media lately regarding percussion therapy aimed at muscle therapy. The truth is percussion therapy has been around for many years. Medical professionals have used it for many years, but to treat other issues.

A lot of brands have released products that use this techology. The most popular ones are percussion therapy guns. They are devices designed to provoke targeted pulses at high speeds over muscle tissue. A lot of discussion, images, and videos have appeared on social media about them. Do they work? Are they worth their price? Let’s find out.

How does percussion therapy work?

In layman terms, it is a strong massage. But do not be mislead by this short statement. It is way more complex than that. The main fundament behind this kind of therapy is applying deep pulses of pressure over a target muscle. These pulses cause increased blood flow, along with a significant drop in stiffness and pain.

What are the benefits of a muscle massage gun?

Percussion therapy aims at reducing post-workout pain. The increase in blood flow produces better oxygenation of deep muscle tissue. This enhances the body’s ability to recover. It also reduces cramps and muscle soreness. It speeds up the recovery process after exercise. From weekend enthusiasts to professional athletes, anybody can enjoy these benefits.

On the other hand, some athletes prefer to use percussion as a warm-up method. It is a great way to focus on the preparation process on crucial muscles. This is more common before important competitions.

But manufacturers claim its benefits go beyond the athletic field. Some claim their products help with chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia. Some testimonies claim that it helps with the lymphatic system. Other sources mention that it helps with sleep problems. Yet, patients should talk to their doctors about it first.

Could regular massages achieve the same thing?

As much as this might seem like an obvious answer, there are a lot of reasons why regular massages can not cause the same effect. Most of the time, regular massager devices are not strong enough. Their vibrations are a weaker than percussion therapy devices. Their shallow vibrations are not enough to cause the effect that percussion therapy produces.

The same thing occurs with hand massages. Human hands often are not strong enough to produce a similar effect. This means a treatment involving only regular massages is incomplete. Take into account that their cost also tend to be higher compared to buying a percussion therapy massage gun.

To sum up

As in everything, percussion therapy is not for everybody. You should evaluate your situation (with a doctor, if needed) and evaluate if this is for you. There are a lot of testimonials out there vouching for percussion therapy. On top of that, there are some studies in the work looking at their benefits. There are plenty of alternatives in the market. Most of them are not much expensive. I would say: “Why not?”

Disclaimer: This is an informational piece of text. It does not constitute medical or professional advice. Make your own due diligence and talk to your doctor regarding this topic.