An avid runner and a fan of other self-myofascial release tools like lacrosse balls, which have helped through a variety of knotty situations, Ingrid has also had her share of physical therapy over the years. It is quiet at its slowest speed, but we had trouble hearing a TV show while using it on its highest setting. Rather than choose a singular best pick, we decided on six models that are likely to deliver a satisfying experience for people with different priorities.

Evidence shows that manual massage (using the hands only) helps decrease pain and improve function, at least in the short term.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. Great for personal use as well as professional physical therapists, chiropractors, personal trainers, athletes.

I've had my wellness and lifestyle content published in various online publications such as: Women's Health, Shape, Healthline, Popsugar and more. Choosing the Best Massage GunWhen choosing a massage gun, it's important to consider factors such as the weight, noise level, battery life, and overall ease of use.

Grant K Radermacher, a sports chiropractor, says, "Start with a small region of soft tissue and work with it for a maximum of 2 minutes. It also doesn’t vibrate down to the handle, although targeting hard-to-reach crevices on the body proved a bit difficult. But though its attachments stayed secure during use, our unit rattled, a result of the attachment connection point shifting ever so slightly from side to side within the device. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The handle—one of the slimmest among the models in our test group—is rounded at the bottom, a design that we found comfortable to grip.

Featuring 6 interchangeable attachment heads and an exclusive handle extension for hard-to-reach areas, R2 works effectively to relax muscles and relieve pain all over the body. This time around you get three attachments with your Mini instead of just the one that the original had. A massage gun might appeal to you if you feel the effects of hunching over a phone or computer regularly or any other work-related aches and pains; if you face chronic tight spots, sore muscles, or other soft-tissue complaints; or if you simply enjoy the sensation of a percussive massage. I enjoy using a massage gun for maintenance in between my workouts or when I wake up with sore muscles. The 20 pounds of stall force is the lowest of any of our picks, so people looking for more power and a deeper massage might look for a different massager.

Although you can't entirely eliminate the noise created by the massage gun, we took into account the size and decibels. Both beginners and well-established athletes will get good use from the Elite to break down knots and eliminate sore muscles. Supervising editor Ingrid Skjong is a certified personal trainer ( The National Academy of Sports Medicine) and previously covered fitness at Wirecutter. A pressure sensor uses green, yellow, and red lights to indicate increasing amounts of pressure being applied during use, but they’re tough to see when you’re using the device on yourself. The Renpho R4 Pro Massage Gun doesn't look as sophisticated as the other massage guns on this list, but it is still effective.

Nearly all massage guns are relatively noisy and, depending on your level of sensitivity, fairly intense.New upgrades include customizable speed ranges and visually guided built-in routines through the OLED screen: Sleep, Warm Up, Recovery and Theragun Break. It walks you through exactly how and where to use your device for treating specific ailments, like leg cramps or lower back pain, or to accompany workouts, be it pre- or post-session. Some online reviews criticized the battery life, and after a full charge we estimated that it would need a recharge after about six hours—still good, but short of the advertised limit of eight hours (higher power levels drain the battery faster).