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Percussive massage therapy is the new foam rolling. Here's two tickets to the literal gun show
Scroll through #recovery on Instagram and you'll find a roster of athletes willingly pummelling their muscles with massage guns in the name of better performance.
Though they may look and sound brutal, the best massage guns won't make your teeth chatter. Instead, they reach deep into your tired muscles, speeding up recovery to get you back to training at your peak. In the age of softly-softly self-care, so-called percussive therapy is the physiological version of tough love.
The Men’s Health Lab has put the best massage guns to the test to bring you a list of the top models money can buy.
The Men’s Health editors have also chipped in with their own suggestions after using percussive therapy to recover from home HIIT sessions (and sub-optimal WFH conditions) over lockdown.
Invest in a high-quality massage gun and you can use it before training, to prime your muscles for a session, or post-workout to ward off any potential DOMS. You'll recover quicker, boost your circulation and lymphatic drainage, increase your flexibility and extend your range of motion – ultimately improving your performance across the board. Think of it as foam rolling turned up to eleven.
“Theragun Percussive Therapy has a variety of benefits from aiding in preventing body aches and pains, greatly reducing muscle tension in seconds, increasing mobility and range of motion, increasing blood flow to the area to reduce soreness, tightness and pain," explains Dr Jason Wersland, chiropractor and Therabody founder. "It can assist with accelerating the repair and growth of tissues."
Plus, it's super easy to do. Just point the gun at your fleshy target – around an inch away from your skin over whichever muscle you’re trying to loosen or warm up – and hit the trigger for instant relief. Move slowly up and down the length of the muscle for around 30 seconds – if you find a particularly sore spot (or 'trigger point'), spend a little more time on it. And try not to wince.
When you're browsing the best massage guns, ideally your purchasing priorities should centre on noise, battery life and quality. Generally, a higher price tag will indicate a more reliable product and, when fully charged, a decent massage gun should go for a few days to a week without a charge, based on around 15 minutes' use per day.
Our expert at the Men’s Health Lab tested the mettle of the best massage guns on the market. And, as the list below shows, they were more than up to the challenge.
Each massage gun was trialled for a three-week period, used to prime and recover our expert’s muscles around their fitness-filled schedule of weightlifting, HIIT, running, yoga and more.
They were judged on how easy they were to control, the impact they had on sore muscles, their ability to move across skin and muscle smoothly, and the effectiveness of the interchangeable massage heads they came with. The design (how ergonomic the handle was), portability and any other innovative features were also taken into consideration when deciding the final hierarchy. You'll find our winning massage guns have the Men's Health Lab Approved logo below.
However, our MH recommendations don’t end there. Our editors have also shared which massage guns soothed their legs and loosened their lumbars while WFH over lockdown.
So, if you’re ready to banish your foam roller for good, read on as we've picked a total of 19 of the best massage guns money can buy. Allow us to drill into the details...
Finding fault with this near-flawless massage gun was reminiscent of a hunt for a needle in a haystack, with our expert awarding it top scores for ease of use, design and performance. It moved smoothly over our muscles, working quickly to dissipate aches without causing any additional discomfort — in short, less pain, more recovery gains. It earned a few bonus points for its instructions too, which contain handy diagrams to help you get the most out of your percussive pistol.
The neat case it comes in might be slightly too big to carry around comfortably, but the gun itself is lightweight and surprisingly quiet considering its size. This makes it easy to wield, and a perfect partner for an evening recovery session in front of the telly. We also loved the option to crank up the heat or use a frozen massage head, providing hot and cold massages ideal for a pre-workout muscle primer and thorough cool down, respectively.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 914g Amplitude: 10mm Speed settings: 3 Battery life: 1.5 hours Warranty: Returns of merchandise purchased from the website may be made within 30 days of receipt for a full refund of cost of the merchandise. Included accessories: 6 interchangeable heads (barrel head, cold head, ball head, arrow head, heat head and smoothing head) and storage case
From the sleek black and grey colourway alone, you can tell this massage gun means business. The massage arm packs one hell of a punch and proved effective at flushing our aching muscles with blood, helping us to recover from high volume sessions.
It’s a tad heavy and the grip vibrated quite a lot when we cranked the speed setting to its max. But the long, curved handle meant we could easily reach awkward knots on our back, and all four interchangeable heads were able to glide over our skin, making for a remarkably relaxing massage.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: Not given Amplitude: 10mm Speed settings: 5 Battery life: Up to 5 hours Warranty: 2 years Included accessories: 4 massage heads, charger, recovery massage oil, carry case
There’s no hiding from the fact that most top massage guns will set you back a pretty penny, so we approached this affordable RENPHO offering with a fair deal of scepticism. But, while it may not be much of a looker, it soon put our pessimism in its place.
It comes with a choice of five massage heads, has the highest battery life on test and moves fluently over skin without dragging. The handle vibrated a lot on the highest speed setting, causing our arm to ache after a while, but this can easily be remedied by turning the power down for a more soothing percussive therapy session.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 2 Weight: 0.68kg Amplitude: 9mm Speed settings: 5, from 1800 to 3200ppm Battery life: Up to 6 hours Warranty: None Included accessories: 5 massage heads, USB charging cable, carry case
It’s hard to contest the credentials of a sports brand that boasts Cristiano Ronaldo among its clientele — the 36-year-old swears by Therabody sessions to recover from tough matches and training sessions. So, as you might expect, the Theragun Elite exudes quality from handle to massage head.
It doesn’t come cheap, but if you’re willing to invest in some TLC for your tired muscles you’ll get a piece of kit that claims to reach 60% deeper into muscle tissue than average massagers, thanks to an unmatched 16mm amplitude. It also has a handy app that guides you through warm-up and post-workout massages, helping you stay at the top of your game.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 3 Weight: 1kg Amplitude: 16mm Speed settings: 5, from 1750 to 2400ppm, plus app-controlled customisable speed range Battery life: Up to 2 hours Warranty: 1 year Included accessories: 5 massage heads, charger, carry case
Twee fridge magnets across the UK will encourage you to enjoy the little things in life. Luckily, Hyperice makes this advice easy to follow with its compact massage gun.
The Hypervolt Go can still compete with the big boys, in spite of its size, blowing our tester away with its strength. It’s also soothingly smoothe to use and considerably cheaper than its bulkier brother, the Hypervolt Plus.
As you’d expect, its condensed design earned it brownie points for portability, and we love the premium matt black finish. Access to Hyperice’s comprehensive app comes as standard, too.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 680g Amplitude: Not given Speed settings: 3 Battery life: 2.5 hours Warranty: 1 year Included accessories: 3 additional plug adaptors, two head attachments (flat head and bullet head) and an 18 volt charger.
The PRO is the Rolls Royce of the Theragun Range. And, while the usual £549 RRP might make your eyes water, you can currently pick up Therabody's premium massage gun up for a far more palatable £369.
It’s cleverly designed, with a hollow triangular handle and moveable massage arm (an upgrade from the Elite) that allows you to comfortably reach any ache. The PRO is much more powerful than its fellow Therabody guns, too, and comes with a wider range of interchangeable heads to choose from. But you still get access to the helpful Therabody App, which provides ‘guided, personalised wellness routines’.
Now, while this plethora of features may seem like overkill for casual athletes, we think these premium touches make the PRO a consummate recovery companion for the fitness faithful.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 2 Weight: 1.3kg Amplitude: 16mm Speed settings: 5, from 1750 to 2400ppm, plus app-controlled customisable speed range Battery life: Up to 5 hours (split between two batteries) Warranty: 2 years Included accessories: 6 massage heads, charger, carry case
This more economical HoMedics model has many of the benefits of the brand’s winning massage gun: it’s lightweight, a doddle to use and hits the Goldilocks optimum when it comes to attachments (enough to cover all bases, but not so many that it feels gimmicky).
It doesn’t have the innovative heat features of the Pro Physio Massage Gun, and lacks the oomph of its competitors, but if you’re an everyday athlete looking for a lighter touch then it’s more than up to the job.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: Not given Amplitude: Not given Speed settings: Variable, up to 3300ppm Battery life: Up to 3hrs 20mins Warranty: 2 years Included accessories: 5 massage heads, charger
Therabody’s third and final entry on our list, the brand makes some big promises from its smallest massage gun: ‘Theragun quality muscle treatment with unparalleled portability.’ Cynical as ever, we decided to wait and see what our expert had to say… and it was good news for the minuscule recovery tool.
‘I can't emphasise enough how powerful this massage gun is for its pocket-friendly size’, was our tester’s verdict as the gun pummeled their muscles back to life, scoring top marks for its ability to relieve soreness and provide a relaxing massage. The shrunken yet robust design means it’s easy to slip into your gym bag, or if you want to travel light it comes with its own travel pouch for easy portability.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 3 Weight: 0.65g Amplitude: 12mm Speed settings: 3, from 1750 to 2400rpm Battery life: Up to 2.5 hours Warranty: 1 year Included accessories: Charger, carry case
No one wants a knotted back (or the consequent sleepless nights), but attempting to massage an ache on your posterior chain is invariably an awkward experience. Fortunately, this massage gun solves the conundrum with its longer handle and massage arm, which allowed us to reach all muscles comfortably (eight hours, here we come).
Its larger size proved to be something of a double-edged sword, however, as the gun’s bulk meant it was hard to find a kit bag to accommodate it. The Pulseroll was plenty powerful though, and offered an impressive five hours of battery life, so we’d recommend it for at-home recovery sessions.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 1.1kg Amplitude: 12mm Speed settings: 4, from 1300 to 3300rpm Battery life: Up to 5 hours Warranty: 1 year Included accessories: 6 massage heads, charger, carry case
There are plenty of powerful products on this list, perfect for those of you looking to banish deep-set aches and pains with some tough love. But, for those of you seeking a gentler way to give your long-suffering muscles a spot of well-earned TLC, this might be your best bet.
While it can't compete with the Hyperices and MuscleGuns of the world when it comes to strength, it instead provides more relaxing recovery sessions. The long handle means you can reach awkward knots with ease, even if you've been skimping on your mobility work, and the four-finger massage head attachment (which, we'll admit, sounds a bit creepy) was able to soothe post-workout pangs.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: Not given Amplitude: Not given Speed settings: Variable, up to 3300ppm Battery life: Up to 3hrs 20mins Warranty: 2 years Included accessories: 5 massage heads, charger
While a higher price is usually a good signifier of quality in the massage gun world, budget options can be something of a mixed bag. However, this Snailax gun (a steal at less than £55) is one of the good guys.
It was able to get our expert’s blood pumping back to ravaged muscles post-workout, aiding recovery, and the inclusion of four attachments provided a welcome pre-massage pickle as we decided which one to plump for. We found the Snailax felt a bit cheap and wasn’t very well balanced in our hand, making it slightly uncomfortable to hold for longer spells. But it still performs its primary function well, making it a savvy entry-level purchase.
Key specifications Sizes: 1 Colours: 1 Weight: 0.77kg Amplitude: Unavailable Speed settings: 5, range unavailable Battery life: Up to 1hr 40minsWarranty: 2 years Included accessories: 4 massage heads, charger, carry case
It might be a wallet-friendly option, but this Cotsoco gun doesn't skimp on features. With eight massage heads, seven speed settings, and a percussion of 3,200 beats per minute, this is your opportunity to nab a versatile gun for a fraction of the price. The touch-sensitive LCD screen means you can switch up the settings with ease.
Runners will rate how hard this gun works on leg muscles. It’s surprisingly powerful for its size and weight, and a breeze to store and transport, but the fastest of its four speeds may prove too intense for some. It comes with four massage heads, but these could be better quality. The battery life is unsurpassable at six hours and there’s a USB charging cable and carry case included. If you’re not convinced, there’s a 90-day money-back guarantee.
Use code RECOVERY20 for 20% off Pulseroll massage guns and free shipping until 1 June.
Using a light and portable design, the Recovapro Lite massage gun is an ideal on-the-go device, weighing just 700 grams. It pumps at 2800 percussions per minute, comes with four attachments as standard, and packs three hours of use per charge.
At £275, this massage gun is considerably cheaper than its two senior models, and is a lot quieter than any other massage gun we've tried — in fact, it makes 70% less noise — making a similar sound output to an electric toothbrush. Off a single charge, you'll get 120 minutes of use, with benefits including natural stress relief, accelerated recovery and muscle repair and a boost in blood and lymphatic flow. Wave goodbye to your DOMS.
With a brushless motor and three individual speed gears, Opove's massage gun offers a quiet percussive therapy session, with a maximum noise output of 55db. It comes with a portable carry case and a range of massage heads to help target any pain.
The G3 is Theragun’s mid-range option. Though it can’t make the same claims of performance and quietness as the PRO model used by Mat Fraser, it is a bit cheaper. It has two speeds and plenty of fittings, and it claims to help fix anything from back pain to sleep problems. It charges fully in an hour and provides pain relief to post-workout muscles almost immediately. It was easy to work into a training regimen but was very loud – a problem if you want to use it at home at night. The comprehensive, app-based guide also sets all Theraguns apart from their rivals.
With a light, compact frame and robust motor, Theragun Liv is the ultimate in powerful portable pain relief. It comes with two attachments so you can target every nook and cranny of your body, packing 40 percussions per second at a respectable 30lbs of force.
This gun promises three hours of recovery work off a single charge. It has five speeds but, while it claims to be quieter than others, the max speed is loud. Its USP is the wide range of heads, so you can really pick your poison. The device is sturdy and feels like it’s made with high-quality material. If you have pain from hunching over at your desk, here’s your remedy: the unique nodule for the neck and spine relieved pain in our testers’ upper traps and shoulders straight away. Back day will never sting the same.