5 Reasons Why You Should Consider Muscle Percussion Therapy

Percussion therapy has done a great deal to improve the overall feel of the body, particularly after workouts. Muscle soreness and pain have been associated with the quality or effectiveness of workouts, and it is common practice to think that intense or optimal workouts must come with delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Contrary to the popular assumption, DOMS does not signify a good workout, as research has shown, lack of DOMS is also not a yardstick for a bad workout.

While muscle pains or soreness, are almost inevitable, particularly after rigorous exercises or athletic performances, percussive therapy helps to alleviate this pain, if and when you may experience them. With the use of a percussive massager, you can easily work your way to muscle recovery. Here are 5 reasons why you should consider muscle percussion therapy today.

 1. You can...DO IT YOURSELF!

Conventional massages have a drawback with respect to percussive therapy, they cannot be self-administered. To get conventional massages, one would have to get the services of a massage therapist or some professional, or occasionally an acquaintance. While conventional massages are effective, we could learn from the pandemic that we may not always be able to go out to see a massage therapist.

Percussive massagers such as a massage gun which is a handheld device can be used for self-administration of deep tissue massage. These devices jolt the muscles they are being applied to, and provide rapid pulses from their thumping which alleviates muscle pain and improve blood flow. Gone are the days of waiting for turns to get your muscles relieved. With percussive therapy, help is available, accessible, and efficiently effective.

 2. Prevent Injuries Before They Happen

Lots of warm-up exercises are intense, and muscles can get strained or injured in quick time. This is a common occurrence in warm-ups of field sports. Also, during a routine exercise or fitness training, muscle fibers can tear internally. Percussive therapy increases the overall flexibility of the muscles and prevents major muscle injuries that occur when the muscles are in action.

A very important value that percussive therapy is increasing the flexibility of the muscles. With improved flexibility, the muscles can provide better posture and balance, as well as lower susceptibility to injuries. Also, by keeping the muscle fascia loose percussive therapy increases the mobility of the muscles and their range of motion. The flexibility of a muscle makes it less prone to injury.

3. Mental and Psychological Benefits 

Health is wealth, and the health of the mind is as valuable as that of the body. Anxiety and depression are two common issues that plagued our mental health. With an effective percussive massage, the stress hormonal secretion is reduced, and the body mood is improved. A study showed that with massage therapy administration to anxiety patients, anxiety symptoms were reduced by half in 12 weeks. Percussive therapy down-regulates the nervous system leading to improved sleep and stress regulation.

 4. Speeds Up Muscle Recovery

This is one of the most recognizable features of percussive therapy. Soreness is relieved by percussive therapy. Blood flow and its supply of oxygen are very important to relieving soreness. When a massage gun sends short and rapid bursts of pulse around the muscle area, the blood flow is improved for important passage or nutrients around the body. The build of lactic acid can also prevent blood circulation, percussive therapy increases blood flow to counter this effect and minimize the risks of muscle inflammation.

Lymphatic waste is built up due to intense muscle activity, and rapid blood flow in and out of the muscles is needed to allow their passage out of the muscles. Percussive massagers such as the massage gun are more intense than foam rollers, as they exert more force or pressure than foam rollers and can go deeper than foam rollers for a deep tissue massage. They use a smaller surface area to provide vibrations to specific target areas

 5. Effective Pain Relief

We have all experienced some type of muscle pain or the other. Shoulder pains are common after drills that involve the biceps and triceps muscles. Back pain or sore back is common for people who live a sedentary life or sit for too long regularly. Tech neck is also commonly experienced by hours behind the TV or computer screen. With a percussive massager such as a massage gun, you can focus your recovery on the specific points of pain you may experience. They provide temporary relief from pain by overriding the brain’s pain signal. Also, when experience body fatigue, massage chairs can be very helpful.

Muscle adhesion is a common source of pain or injury during and after a workout. Adhesions are common between the muscle fibers, and they restrict muscle movements and cause pain around the areas of restriction. Percussive therapy is very effective in the breakdown of scar tissues as well as in improving muscle flexibility, as the vibrations sent through the muscle fibers breakdown these adhesion points or muscle knots. It helps reduce and eliminate adhesions, trigger points that may have developed over time. 

Percussive therapy is beneficial to all who can use it. Massage guns are portable and can be enjoyed anywhere and anytime. It is especially useful for home workouts as you look to build your mini gym. Percussive therapy can also enhance your overall health. However, persons with muscle injuries, disease, or conditions should not use a massage gun. Also, pregnant women, persons with medical implants or devices, and persons with inflammations should stay away from massage guns. Medical advice from a professional should be sought if usage is considered. With advised or proper use, you can be sure of its immense benefits to your muscle health and general wellbeing.