Under the Gun: Percussive Massage Therapy and Physical and Perceptual Recovery in Active Adults

Abstract

Context: Handheld percussive massage devices (ie, massage guns) are a relatively new and under-researched recovery tool. These tools are intended to increase range of motion and reduce muscle soreness by delivering targeted vibration to soft tissues. Empirical knowledge about the potential influence of these devices on perceptual recovery and the recovery of performance characteristics after exercise is scarce.

Objective: To investigate the effect of a 5-minute massage gun application, using a commercially available device, on physical and perceptual recovery after a strenuous bout of lower body exercise.

Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Setting: Physiology laboratory.

Patients or other participants: A total of 65 active young adults (age = 21.3 ± 1.4 years; age range = 18-30 years; 34 women: height = 165.8 ± 6.1 cm, mass = 66.0 ± 7.4 kg; 31 men: height = 181.1 ± 6.0 cm, mass = 81.5 ± 11.8 kg).

Intervention(s): Participants applied a massage gun on the calf muscles of 1 leg after strenuous exercise (massage gun recovery group) for 5 minutes and used no recovery intervention on the other leg (control group).

Main outcome measure(s): Ankle range of motion, calf circumference, isometric strength, calf endurance, and perceived muscle soreness measures were collected at baseline and at various points after lower body exercise.

Results: No significant group × time interactions were recorded for any of the performance or perceptual measures (P values > .05). Effect sizes were mostly unclear, except for a small increase in perceived muscle soreness in the massage gun recovery group compared with the control group immediately (d = -0.35) and 4 hours (d = -0.48) postrecovery.

Conclusions: Massage guns appeared to have little effect on physical measures when applied for 5 minutes immediately after strenuous calf exercise. Given the small increase in muscle soreness up to 4 hours after their use, caution is recommended when using massage guns immediately after strenuous lower body exercise.

Keywords: delayed-onset muscle soreness; massage gun; vibration therapy.

Figure 1

Testing timeline.

Figure 2

A, Isometric calf-raise rig setup without participant. B, Participant applying a plantar-flexion force and pressing the knees into a foam pad below a rigid bar.

Figure 3

Changes in perceived muscle soreness over a 48-hour period after strenuous exercise in the control and massage gun recovery interventions. ^a Difference in perceived muscle soreness for both groups compared with baseline (P < .05). ^b Small effect size in the massage gun compared with the control recovery group (−0.35 ± 0.35). ^c Small effect size in the massage gun compared with the control recovery group (−0.48 ± 0.39).