HEALTH & FITNESS
Demystifying The Massage Gun I Category
BY TYLER HERRING, DIRECTOR OF TENNIS SPECIALTY SALES, THERABODY
Percussive Therapy vs. Vibration Therapy
f you’ve been on social media or YouTube and looked up a fitness video over the last few years, you’ve probably noticed an explosion of handheld massage gun devices intended to aid people in recovery from their day-to-day — whether that be intense athletic training, playing a tough three-set match, or just the stress and stiffness of working a 9 to 5. Recovery as a category is one of the most overlooked practices for the tennis athlete that contribute not only to a happy and healthy life, both physically and mentally, but also to longevity and injury prevention which can plague even the most physically fit among us. However, with so many massage gun products on the market — and with more coming out every day — it can be confusing to determine which devices and what types of treatment will provide the most benefit and support your specific recovery goals. It’s important to have as much information as possible when deciding what tools to use in your routine. We’ll take a look at percussive therapy massage guns compared to vibration therapy massage guns and break down the science to show you why percussive therapy massage gun devices are more effective and more beneficial to your recovery. What is vibration therapy? Vibration therapy is the application of vibration by a device to either the whole body or a localized part. For whole-body vibration therapy, the user typically stands on a platform device that vibrates. In localized therapy, a hand-held device sends vibrations through the area of the body in need of treatment. Vibration therapy massage guns make contact with the skin and feels good on the surface of the body, creating a “global” experience as opposed to the more targeted treatment percussive therapy delivers. Benefits of vibration therapy can include alleviating stress and a moderate increase in blood flow. Vibration therapy stimulates the muscles, causing them to contract and relax involuntarily. Vibration therapy can soothe the body from some pain and be a generally pleasant experience while providing some massage-like benefits to the user. The primary function is the contraction and release of muscles, which uses the body’s biomechanics to produce results.
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NETNEWS MAY/JUNE 2021
