Whether you work or study for long hours over a desk or computer, you will probably get neck or shoulder pain at some time. Even after sport, you may feel muscle soreness even if you have stretched your muscles and warmed up properly before exercising.

These aches and pains can be really uncomfortable. To ease the discomfort, you can wait for your muscles to recover naturally or ask someone to give you a massage. But you can also consider getting yourself a massage gun to relieve your muscles.

Massage guns are more comfortable than a hand massage and you can get relief at anytime and anywhere you want. But massage guns are very powerful and inappropriate use could aggravate injuries and even cause a stroke or death. So before you use one be sure to read the safety instructions. To help you select the best massage gun, let me share the following guidelines and safety tips with you.

Principles and Function

When a muscle is injured, the related fascia may be damaged. This results in adhesions between the muscles and nearby tissues and it is this that causes tension and soreness. The repeated high-frequency pulsations from a massage gun can help release muscle tension, stimulate the fascia and accelerate blood circulation in sore areas to effectively relieve muscle stiffness and pain.

Shopping Tips

1. Speed and amplitude

Most models have more than one variable speed and amplitude. Select according to your personal preferences and needs. Generally speaking, 1,800-3,000 pulses per minute can effectively relax muscles and promote blood circulation.

2. Size and weight

Some models are lighter, more portable and less cumbersome to use, but performance or vibration intensity may be relatively lower in smaller and lighter models.

3. Noise level

To enjoy comfort without disturbing others, choose a massage gun with a quiet mode and low decibels.

4. Power capacity

If you exercise frequently or carry your massage gun around often, we recommend buying a model with a higher power capacity so you don’t have to keep recharging it or put up with it running out of power.

5. Massage head

Each has its own functions to use on specific areas. If you need to massage more than one area, purchase a model with different massage heads. Common types of massage heads include:

• Round head: suitable for large muscle areas such as arms, lumbar region, back, buttocks, thighs and calves
• Flat head: suitable for shoulders and limbs to stimulate deep muscle tissues
• Tapered head: suitable for meridians, joints, palms and soles of the feet to effectively impact deep tissue
• U head: suitable for neck, spine, ankle and Achilles tendon, but avoid some areas during use*

*areas such as the neck and cervical spine are weak spots and prone to injury so treatment by a doctor/physical therapist is recommended

Safety Instructions

1. Location

Since high-frequency vibrations could injure internal organs, nerves, lymph and aortic walls, the guns are not suitable for use on face, head, aorta, arm pits, chest and abdomen, spine, lumbar, joints, tendons, ligaments and femoral arteries. Also, avoid using on wounds, bruises and red, sore or inflamed areas.

2. Duration

The longer the massage, the better. However prolonged massage in the same spot could cause injury to the muscle tissue. It is generally recommended that the massage time for each session is around 5-10 minutes to be safe and effective.

3. Pressure

The massage need not be vigorous for it to be effective. Too much pressure could lead to the formation of blood clots or even fractures with serious consequences. If you feel pain, reduce the pressure intensity.

4. A massage gun is not suitable for infants, minors, pregnant women, people with pacemakers, fractures or metal parts in their body.

Usage Tips

1. Select the appropriate massage head according to your need to enhance its effectiveness.

2. Adapt to a lighter pressure first (start from the lowest intensity) and then gradually work your way up to avoid excessive pressure and injury.

3. Do not exert pressure continuously on one spot or one area.

4. A massage gun can help relieve muscle pain, but is not a substitute for exercise or stretching. Remember to exercise and stretch more.