What are the Different Massage Gun Attachements for?

A massage gun is a special type of percussive therapy device that penetrates deep into the tissues with short, rapid bursts of strokes, that provide relief, recovery, and tissue repair to the muscles. Massage guns are gun-shaped hence the moniker, many massage guns may appear to be shaped like power drills.

The interesting about massage guns is you can use them from the comfort of your home, as they do not require an elaborate set-up, or expert knowledge, before the first usage and they can easily be carried about. From professional athletes to fitness enthusiasts to home workouts, a massage gun is meet for the occasion. When properly utilized the benefits are innumerable.

The attachment heads on a massage gun are designed for specific needs. For instance, you may not conveniently run a ball or round head attachment on say, your ankles or Achilles. Deep tissue penetration or break up of scar tissues might also be difficult or ineffective with certain types of heads. Although some massage guns can be designed to accommodate as many as 30 attachment types, but their structure and design are usually based on four general layouts: the ball or round type, the flat type, the bullet type, and the fork heads.

• The Ball or Round Heads. This is arguably the most commonly used or seen attachment on massage guns, and we could say they are the most versatile attachment head. They are also more common than other attachment types because of their suitability for all and sundry. So, if it’s your first time out (or the first few times) with the massage gun, you might want to try out the ball head.

Ball heads are also the softest class attachment head. They are usually made of soft foam material, or dense rubber, and in some cases, hardened foam. Ball heads are designed to effectively massage large muscle groups, as they are generally soothing with a relaxing feel or effect. They feel good on large muscles like the quads and hamstrings. They can be used on other parts of the body, such as the upper muscles of the arms, or the bottom of the foot (for sore foot massage), or the neck (for tech neck). 

• The Flat Heads. The flat head is denser than the ball head. It looks like a nail from top to bottom, and it sure hits the nail on the head from a massage viewpoint. The flathead doesn’t hurt; hence it can run through soft tissues efficiently. Some flat heads are flatter than the others. Some are shaped looking like casing nails while others are shaped like screw nails or straight nails.

Flat heads are a great multipurpose attachment type. They are effective for the breakdown of muscle stiffness or muscle soreness. They are suitable after draining drills on your main muscles such as the calf, pectoral, quads, or back muscles, and help alleviate lower back pain. Flat heads get the blood flowing in ad out of the muscles in a quick fashion. Due to their importance and multipurpose use, many consider flat heads to the best group of attachment heads of massage guns.

• The Bullet Heads. These kinds of attachments are usually pointed in design, or cylindrical and ending in pointed tips. They provide a niggling but relief effect on the muscles. They are designed so, to target trigger points in the body, and they effective for this purpose.

Like the name implies this type of attachment head is used to deliver killer blows to muscle areas. They are most effective for targeting and removal of muscle knots or tight points in the body. Due to their pointed heads, they can be used to focus on specific areas of the body such as the shoulders and can be used to maneuver smaller or more difficult muscles such as in between the toes and fingers.

• The Fork Heads. The fork-shaped heads usually come with two prongs. These attachment heads are tailor-made for some muscle types, to effective glide in between them or on them. Fork heads also promote blood circulation, particularly in areas like the ankles (as well as flexibility).

Due to its prong design, delicate areas such as the Achilles can be massaged with fork heads, they can also be glided across the shoulder muscles, as well as the calf muscles. They can be used to target the neck area and spine region of the body.

The value of massage guns can easily be seen in their versatility and streamlined designs to accommodate every muscle need, after all that is what a good device or invention should satisfy.

“Nothing can have value without being an object of utility.”

– Karl Max

The diversity of attachments on massage gun are for effective delivery of percussive therapy, so it is best enjoyed to the fullest. One may find the round or ball head most convenient, but as we progress in the use of percussive therapy, we tend to understand better the functionality of each ball head. However, you should avoid prolonged use of the massage gun, when you do familiarize yourself with the nitty-gritty aspects of the attachments.

Massage guns are best enjoyed when you start at a slower pace and gradually find your rhythm. You should ensure you do not press the massage gun on your skin or body tissues. Massage guns are meant to offer a soothing and relieving effect to the body, not just the muscles. Do not use massage guns if you have any respiratory condition or if you have medical implants or devices inside your body. This tool can also be a source of pain if used ignorantly or wrongly, so you must understand its use and maximize it in the right direction.