We know what you’re thinking – they look like power drills, right? But they are actually one of the most popular recovery tools in the health and fitness industry right now: the Percussion Massage Device. 

You’ve probably seen them on Instagram, with professional athletes and trainers around the world showing them being used to help speed up recovery. Sometimes known as massage guns or muscle guns, a high-quality percussion massager isn’t cheap, so it’s worth asking: what benefits do they actually provide? And are they worth your hard-earned cash? 

We’ve put together this list of the top benefits of using percussion massagers for recovery to help you make your decision.

Benefits of percussion massage

1. Percussion Massage supports a speedy recovery

Percussion massage devices are extremely effective at increasing the blood flow to a specific muscle area in your body. Why is this important? Well, this increase in blood flow reduces any inflammation and muscle tension, and helps to break up those pesky knots that seem to linger after a tough workout. 

Percussion massagers also help to relax your muscles and relieve tension in the body, which can shorten the muscle recovery time between your workouts. This works by naturally increasing the blood flow and circulation in your body, to help clear cell waste that occurs during a workout (this is the cause of the familiar ache attributed to lactic acid - we’ll get to that later on). These percussion massagers help your muscles to bounce back within the shortest time possible.

2. Improved mobility & athletic performance

When using your percussion massage device, you put pressure on your muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons and connective tissue, all of which work together to improve overall mobility. Decreased range of motion can leave you prone to joint strains and sprains, which can negatively impact your athletic performance (as well as being very painful!). Percussion massagers work by relaxing your muscles and improving your overall blood circulation, as well as stimulating the release of our body’s naturally produced lubricants which assist in keeping the body flexible. If you want to improve your mobility, relax your muscles, and allow your athletic performance to soar - investing in one of our devices might be the right choice for you.

3. Breaking down scar tissue

As well as improving athletic performance, Percussion Massagers can potentially have medical benefits as well. Percussive Therapy is often used by professionals as a post-surgery treatment, concentrating on the massager’s ability to break down scar tissue. Scar tissue is made up of collagen fibers that help to repair any damaged fibers in the body, however the elasticity of the scar tissue is not the same as the elasticity of our natural muscle tissue. The Percussion Massagers help to provide a deep tissue massage which helps with the breakdown of any scar tissue, alleviates pain, relieves potential restrictions, and speeds up healing time. If you ever find yourself having suffered a severe sports injury one of these devices could come in very handy.

4. Lactic acid release

Lactic acid is produced in your muscles and builds up during intense physical exercise, which can lead to painful and sore muscles. The acid forms when oxygen levels in the body are low, and the body begins to compensate for this low level of oxygen by converting newly formed lactate into energy. This build up can make you feel exhausted, sick, and can create uncomfortable cramps in your muscles. 

Certain things can help to flush your body of lactic acid and to prevent it from building up again in the future, such as staying hydrated, resting between workouts, and taking control of your breathing. However, one of the best ways to release this lactic acid from your body is through Percussion Therapy. The pressure from the Percussion Massager will aid the release of lactic acid from your muscles to surrounding tissues in the body. It will also encourage blood circulation and tension release, which will help to bring more oxygen to your muscles. This increase in oxygen can actually reduce any further lactic acid production from happening, and also  encourages the release of any already accumulated in the body.

5. Stress management

As well as supporting a speedy recovery, enhancing athletic performance, and improving mobility, Percussion Massagers have been shown to offer a host of other benefits that support your overall health and wellness. The relaxing sensation can help your body reduce stress levels, which can encourage improved sleep (stress-related insomnia), potentially reduce depression and anxiety, as well as helping with a range of digestive disorders. 

Symptoms of stress are extremely common, and may be affecting your health without you even realising it. You may think an illness is to blame for that irritating headache, your poor digestion, or your frequent insomnia, when stress may actually be the cause. Taking control of your stress and relieving tension in the body by using a Percussion Massager can help to improve your athletic performance, as well as your overall health and wellbeing (sounds like a win-win!).

Our recommended percussion massager

So, you want one? Awesome! While we are admittedly a little biased, this is the percussion massager we recommend.

The Body Bolt Percussion Massage Device is the best percussion massager for athletes, and is also used by a large number of professionals, personal trainers, physiotherapists, and other people who understand the importance of post-training recovery. 

With free shipping, our hassle-free 30 day returns policy and a 1 year guarantee this choice of Percussion Massager really is a no brainer. Learn more or order your own percussion massager today.