If healing is a huge part of the recipe for better fitness and total health, then deep tissue massage has actually been an age-old secret active ingredient for helping muscle discomfort and aching muscles.
The emergence of foam rollers showed that there was more than one method to enhance your soft tissue and bring pain relief.
But, is it possible that there’s an even better method?
The Theragun by Therabody— and it’s rival, the HyperIce Hypervolt— is part of a brand-new physical fitness product trend that enables you to deliver “percussion massage treatment” in the palm of your hand.
To put it simply, it’s a portable gadget that’s developed to provide you elements of a physiotherapist who does massage or trigger point therapy– however without the actual therapist.
At Born Fitness, we have actually gotten unlimited concerns from our customers (like the one below) about whether this new age of healing tool deserves the financial investment.
Theragun vs. HyperIce: What You Required To Know
The battle for handheld massage gun supremacy likely has more to do with minor details today.
In regards to what each gadget will provide for your body, the methods are extremely similar.
Both Theragun and HyperIce are ergonomic devices. They are both technically a” percussion massager”due to the fact that they are formed like a jigsaw and provide quick(yet soft)bursts of pressure to your
muscles. That pressure is delivered at some serious speed. The Theragun completes about 40 revolutions( touching your skin and then taking off) every 2nd, while the HyperVolt assures as much as 3200 revolutions per minute (~ 53 revolutions every second).
Theragun claims that these percussive massage blows help reduce muscle stress and promote blood flow.
Both gadgets can be utilized for a warm-up or to target muscle groups that may be causing some discomfort or are slow to recovery.
If you enjoy anecdotal evidence and popular opinion, many people swear by them. Professional professional athletes in practically every sport use the devices. Even Cristiano Ronaldo has actually been spotted using one while relaxing on leopard print pillows.
But, exist any studies supporting the effectiveness of these devices?
Massage Weapon Research Study: Are They Reliable?
Research on the exact gadgets is very restricted today, mainly because both Theragun and HyperIce are reasonably new devices.
But, the idea of a massager gun is rooted in research done on vibration massage.
The earliest research predates the convenient devices. Back in 2014, researchers compared vibration massage, routine massage, and no massage. If you got any type of massage– vibration or routine– it led to improvements in muscle pain, muscle damage, and enhanced variety of motion. And, the advantages appeared to last in between 24 to 72 hours.
And, in 2017, a research study team discovered that vibration therapy could help reduce DOMS (postponed onset muscle soreness) and improve range of motion. For those not familiar, DOMS is the pain that tends to kick into high equipment about 1-2 days after your exercise.
While vibration training provided an advantage, it wasn’t special to the vibration. Standard massage supplies the exact same muscle-soreness-reducing benefits, so that most likely isn’t a distinct benefit.
More just recently, vibration was compared to foam rolling. After all, a $20 foam roller is simply a bit less expensive.
The most recent work was this study, which was one of the first to focus on the advantages of a massage weapon.
The researchers found that utilizing a percussion massager (AKA the massage gun) for 5-minutes enhanced ankle series of movement yet had little impact on strength. This indicates you could possibly utilize the tool before your exercise to assist enhance your motion on workouts, such as being able to go deeper on a squat thanks to enhanced calf mobility.
What’s the Difference In Between a Massage Weapon and Foam Rolling?
Whether you’re utilizing your fitness center’s old foam roller or a high-grade percussion gadget, you’re not really “changing” tissue in your body.
That’s since you can’t make a muscle longer. Not even deep tissue massage does that.
But, it is possible to increase blood circulation (not backed by research just yet as it’s difficult to determine) and, more notably, decrease muscle tone. This is where you enhance your range of movement.
The foam roller finishes the job in numerous ways, similar to massage. That stated, portable devices provide adaptability and might have some real benefits that make it more practical for you to help your recovery.
A foam roller is a blunt-force item. It’s fantastic for striking wide, accessible locations like the front of your legs however the incorrect tool for targeted treatment.
With percussion devices like the Theragun or HyperVolt, you can look for and damage smaller sized locations like your shoulders.
Each of them likewise provide different head attachments that are created to deal with different areas of your body. For example, Theragun provides a massage head called the Supersoft Accessory, which is designed for incredibly aching muscles and delicate locations.
Plus, have you ever attempted to carry on a foam roller? Both Therabody and Hypervice have developed smaller gadgets created to take anywhere.
For Therabody, it’s the Theragun Mini and for Hyperice, the Hypervolt Go. The smaller percussion massage devices offer more flexibility with the ability to fit in your knapsack, so you can take them anywhere.
The Theragun also has a quite cool app that will direct you through various massage classes. The device notifies you when it’s time to switch to a various body part throughout the course.
And although they are pricey (beginning at ~$200), if you’re somebody who gets regular massages at $100 a pop, your Theragun or Hypervolt is going to pay for itself in one month.
We normally advise our clients to make the purchase based upon a combination of advantages and budget plan.
If you can afford it, then the device certainly has some advantages and it can assist with muscle recovery and soreness.
Not into shelling out the cash or trying to find an option that suits your rate point? Present research suggests that any type of massage may have similar results, which indicates you can attain similar results with foam rollers, lacrosse balls, and potentially sweet-talking your significant other.
And remember, massage weapons and other types of healing equipment will never change your recovery foundation. No quantity of massage treatment will balance out bad sleep and nutrition, so make sure you continue to focus on those objectives.
B.J. holds a B.S. in Health and Human Performance and numerous certifications, consisting of Precision Nutrition Level 1 and BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. Over his 14-year training profession, he’s been lucky enough to coach a vast array of customers. From online customers seeking to get in excellent shape to CEO Nate Checketts (Rhone) and CEO Marcelo Claure (Softbank), and expert skateboarder Sean Malto. Prior to starting his training career, he was a sports science laboratory research assistant.
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