How Often Should You Use a Massage Gun
Massage guns may be trending, but for good reason. Athletes can now get the same level of professional percussion massage used by physical therapists and athletic trainers at home. These tools are a convenient, affordable, and efficient way to cut recovery time and boost performance. However, this may leave athletes wondering if they’re using them too much. So, we’ve put together this post to help you understand how often you should use a massage gun.
Massage guns use percussion to penetrate deep into muscle to increase blood flow and muscle readiness. For efficient recovery, athletes can use these machines for up to 2 minutes on any given muscle group. And, for various warm-ups and cool-downs, massage guns can be used 2-3 times a day.
Benefits of Massage Guns
Percussion massagers use short, concentrated punches to penetrate deep into muscle tissue. And, whether you’re warming up or in the recovery stages of your day, these guns have loads of benefits.
Within a few minutes, a massage gun can effectively work over a large muscle group, loosening tissue, increasing blood flow, and temporarily easing pain and soreness.
Why you shouldn't use the massage gun repeatedly in the same place?
The whole purpose of using a massage gun is to reduce your pain.
If you keep the massage gun too long on one spot, the skin can become tender and sore, and you may experience bruising. So too much use of more massage guns isn’t always a good idea.
Now the question is How much is too much?
If your tissue is turning red really fast, that means blood is flowing through it very rapidly. When that happens, we recommend moving the massage gun to another part of the body.
It’s best not to hold the gun in one place for more than a few seconds at a time, and instead move it around slowly.
When to Use a Massage Gun
These machines are revolutionary. And, there are several times throughout the day you will find yourself in need of a massage session.
First, percussion massagers are great for activating muscle groups to improve flexibility and muscle mobility pre-workout. As with stretching, athletes will find their performance is greatly enhanced without restriction of tight muscles.
Additionally, using a massage gun during training will help re-activate muscles. This is especially helpful for areas that are prone to overuse or injury.
Furthermore, a massage gun will completely transform post-workout routines. You can use your massager to increase blood flow and rid the body of lactic acid buildup while relieving tension.
Finally, the benefits of percussion massage marry well with deep relaxation. So, you can use your machine whenever you have nagging muscle tension or stresses.
Regardless, these should never be used on a strain or pulled muscle as it can cause further damage.
How often Should You Use a Massage Gun? (Recomended Frequency)
Whether it’s to boost performance or recover from a hard workout, massage guns should be used in short sessions. Additionally, it’s recommended to use them when needed between 2-3 times a day.
For pre-workout sessions, float the massager over targeted muscles for 30-40 seconds to activate them for the task ahead.
During activity muscles can be re-activated periodically by floating the gun 10-15 seconds over specific areas. This helps with spasms and fatigue to keep muscles ready for action.
Post-workout, athletes can float the massager across any given muscle for up to a recommended 2 minutes for optimal recovery.
As described above, working muscles over 2 minutes may lead to injury or bruising. However, you’ll find this to be all that’s needed to receive any benefit from these machines.
Additionally, most recommended sessions will be between 10-30 seconds on any given area to start. And, there’s no real limit to how long you can use it around the body if you have different ailment areas, just keep it moving to prevent skin sensitivity.
Can I Use a Massage Gun Everyday?
In short, absolutely! Regardless the stage of your recovery, you can use your massage gun every day.
However, still keep in mind that percussion offers a deeper massage than vibration, So, always use a light hand with each session at first and only work on a muscle for a maximum of 2 minutes. We find that many higher end models offer technology that lets you know how hard you’re pushing. This will be key if you’re looking to apply pressure into super deep spots after getting the hang of the gun.
Additionally, most athletes find that rotating days between this and a foam roller benefits the muscles even more.
Tools for Better Recovery
Percussion massage is an exciting technology that we’re able to take from the therapists office into the home. Regardless of your chosen sport, these machines are essential for serious athletes looking to up their game. And, there are so many great models on the market to achieve these results. However, be sure to keep our above advice in mind for optimal recovery. And, grab your percussion massager and witness your body at its peak performance.
When should you Avoid massage gun?
Sometimes massage guns should be avoided because they can do more harm than good.
Some of such situations are –
- Strains
- Sprains
- Inflammation Injuries
- Broken Bone
- Pregnancy and chronic medical conditions
Conclusion
Although massage guns are a great self-massage tool for treating muscle pain and a variety of issues, massage gun overuse is a thing and can have harmful effects on your body.
Combining the fact that anyone can buy and use a massage gun on him/herself without any supervision, the chances of misuse only gets higher.
Luckily though massage guns are fairly simple to use and if you understand when and how often you should use a massage gun they are very safe.
As a rule of thumb follow the instructions given by the massage gun manufacturer.
Listen to your body, never use your massage gun for more than 2 minutes on a muscle group or for more than 20 minutes on your entire body.
If you are pregnant or have chronic medical conditions, always consult a doctor first.
Lastly, refrain from using a massage gun if you have injuries like sprains, strains, or broken bones.
What are you more concerned!
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