Massage Guns: What Do They Do?
Their effects on recovery from exercise-induced muscle damage.
This study explored whether percussive massage (PM) aids neuromuscular recovery after muscle damage from eccentric exercise, focusing on strength, flexibility, and soreness in the biceps of untrained young adults.
Key Points
Aim
To determine the effects of percussive massage on maximal isometric torque (strength), range of motion (ROM), and muscle soreness (using an 11-point scale) following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage.
Methods
Participants: 17 healthy, untrained college-aged volunteers (14 females, 3 males).
Design: Randomised into PM group (n=9) and control group (n=8).
Protocol: All performed 60 eccentric elbow flexion reps with the nondominant arm.
Intervention: The PM group received 1 minute of percussive massage to the biceps immediately and at 24, 48, and 72 hours post-exercise. The control group rested quietly.
Measurements: At baseline and 24, 48, and 72 hours post-exercise, researchers measured:
Maximal isometric torque (MIT; strength)
Range of motion (ROM)
Muscle soreness (NRS)
Muscle activation (EMG and MMG during strength testing)
Related
Results
Strength & Muscle Activation: PM did not improve maximal isometric torque or muscle activation compared to control at any time.
Range of Motion (ROM): From 24 to 72 hours post-exercise, the PM group had significantly greater ROM (by about 6–8°) than the control group. The PM group returned to baseline ROM by 48 hours, while the control took 72 hours. By 72 hours, the PM group exceeded baseline ROM by about 4°.
Muscle Soreness:
Before treatment, both groups reported similar soreness.
After each PM session, the PM group's soreness immediately decreased by about 1 point on the NRS and was lower than the control group's by 2–3 points at each time point.
PM group returned to baseline soreness by 72 hours; the control group did not fully recover within the study period.
Practical Takeaways
Flexibility: One minute of percussive massage after hard eccentric exercise can help restore and even improve joint flexibility within 2 days.
Soreness Relief: Percussive massage provides immediate, moderate relief from muscle soreness right after each session, though full recovery from soreness is not accelerated until 72 hours post-exercise.
Strength: Percussive massage does not speed up recovery of muscle strength or muscle activation; traditional recovery strategies remain essential for strength restoration.
Key Takeaways
Percussive massage is effective for improving flexibility and providing immediate, temporary relief from muscle soreness after eccentric exercise.
It does not enhance recovery of muscle strength or activation in the first 72 hours.
Use percussive massage as a complementary tool for flexibility and soreness management, not as a replacement for established recovery methods.
Summary:
After intense eccentric biceps exercise, 1-minute percussive massage sessions can help you feel less sore right away and regain flexibility faster, but won’t speed up strength recovery. Use PM for comfort and mobility, but rely on rest, good nutrition, and other fundamentals for full muscle recovery.
Reference
Ye, Xin; Hale, Cassandra; Brown, Emma; Clausi, Emily; Hudak, Joshua; Marino, Amber; Mezanko, Taylor. Effects of Percussion Massage Therapy on Neuromuscular Recovery From Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research ():10.1519/JSC.0000000000005110, April 29, 2025. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000005110
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