If the ability to give yourself a muscle-pummeling massage sounds appealing, a massage gun might be for you. These devices are meant to soothe your body by melting away knots, increasing circulation, decreasing muscle pain and soreness, and reducing inflammation, among other claims. Definitive scientific evidence of their efficacy is scarce, and they can be noisy and expensive. But many people find a massage gun to be useful for post-workout recovery or after a long day on the job.
We compared 24 massage guns side by side. Rather than choose a singular best pick, we decided on five models that are likely to deliver a satisfying experience for people with different priorities. We assessed how satisfying a massage from each device was, using its specs—and how we felt during and after—as a guide. We evaluated the shape and orientation of the handle, how comfortable it is to hold, and if it allows for more than one grip position.
We looked for a variety of attachments, which helps you access a diversity of muscles more easily and comfortably. A massage gun is a handheld device that delivers percussive massage: quick, repeated strikes to the body patterned after a Swedish massage technique called tapotement. Most massage guns come with a variety of attachments that allow you to target specific muscles or deliver a particular kind of massage.
For instance, smaller, narrower attachments work well on areas like feet, hands, and calves; rounder, wider shapes work well on larger muscle groups such as quads, glutes, and hamstrings. Nearly all massage guns are relatively noisy and, depending on your level of sensitivity, fairly intense. They work by quickly and repeatedly punching the body, triggering blood vessels to dilate. This action assists in hydrating muscle tissue with blood and can help release knots, explained Ericka Clinton, dean of the massage therapy program at the Swedish Institute College of Health Sciences and a New York—licensed massage therapist.
Evidence shows that manual massage using the hands only helps decrease pain and improve function , at least in the short term. It can increase circulation—but so can taking a walk, as Aschwanden pointed out.
