Many individuals mistake percussive massage with vibration therapy; however, the two are distinct processes. Vibration therapy uses vibration to penetrate muscle tissue whereas percussive massagers physically drive their heads into your muscles for stimulation.
Strong percussion treatments cause the blood vessels to dilate, producing an immediate blanching sensation and providing an incredible source of stimulation to muscles, tendons and ligaments.
Benefits
Percussion therapy uses rapid vibrations to stimulate blood circulation, providing oxygen and nutrients directly to muscles, helping them recover more quickly from strenuous workouts. Furthermore, it breaks down any buildup of lactic acid within muscle tissues that might otherwise lead to pain or soreness after exercising heavily.
Percussion therapy can also aid in increasing muscle flexibility and mobility, by using rapid pulses of vibration to relax the muscle, thus increasing range of motion. It has proven particularly helpful for those experiencing chronic muscle pain or stiffness as well as reduced delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), typically experienced 24-72 hours post exercise session.
Vibration therapy can raise muscle temperature through increased blood flow, helping break down scar tissue and adhesions that form during healing processes. Furthermore, vibration therapy improves proprioception – or the sense of movement within your own body – which is critical for avoiding falls and injuries while improving coordination and balance.
People often mistake vibration and percussion therapy for one another; however, these are two distinct forms of treatment. Vibration therapy uses a vibrating pad to contact your skin surface; it should not be used during pregnancy, severe diabetes or with pacemakers. On the other hand, percussion massage utilizes piston-like action to apply quick bursts of pressure directly onto muscle tissue – perfect for relieving chronic back pain, arthritis symptoms or tight muscles.
Percussion massage can provide a safe, noninvasive alternative to more invasive therapies like injections and surgery, while it can be combined with physical therapy as an adjunct therapy. When selecting an oscillatory percussion device from General Physiotherapy’s G5 line of oscillatory percussion devices with its flat head that facilitates vibration transfer and deeper penetration, choose carefully to maximize battery life usage throughout your day and use. Furthermore, opt for devices with long battery lives so they are ready for continuous use throughout the day; additionally consider one with long battery lives so they can use it throughout their day – the G5 line oscillatory percussion devices are scientifically-proven, safe for use, scientifically-proven safe to use with its flat heads offering maximum penetration capabilities allowing continued usage throughout your day of course.
Safety
Percussion therapy is an excellent way to increase muscle flexibility, relieve pain in injured or tight muscles, break down scar tissue and promote blood flow to muscles – benefits which are further amplified when combined with massage. Percussion devices like General Physiotherapy’s Theragun and G5 oscillating percussion devices have become increasingly popular over time.
Percussion massagers deliver vibratory massage and thumping movements that penetrate deeper into muscles than traditional massage. Some experts even believe percussion massagers may help prevent Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) following strenuous workouts because their vibrational massage and hammering motion disrupt pain signals sent from body to brain.
However, it should be remembered that these devices cannot treat open wounds or broken bones. Before making any decisions based on these devices, it is recommended consulting a healthcare provider. They will take into account your medical history and overall health to assess if it is suitable.
Vibration therapy, similar to percussion therapy, is used to treat various conditions. It has proven particularly helpful for treating rotator cuff problems and shoulder injuries such as frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). While evidence exists showing its efficacy for improving mobility of joint structures within these cases, such as with frozen shoulder. However, studies show less success for functional limitations caused by vibration therapy as opposed to those without mobility restrictions like those suffering from frozen shoulder.
Vibration has been shown to increase shoulder range of motion by encouraging tissue extensibility. Furthermore, vibration therapy could potentially decrease symptoms associated with tendonitis and fibromyalgia – however more research needs to be conducted in order to verify if these devices can provide equivalent treatment as other available treatments options.
There is a wide array of devices on the market, some more costly than others. When considering any purchase, it is essential to first compare prices and features as well as read user reviews to gain a fuller picture of the effectiveness and longevity of each product.
Precautions
Percussion therapy offers many advantages, but you must exercise caution and seek advice from medical professionals prior to beginning it. Without medical supervision, avoid applying percussive massage on open wounds or broken bones as this could worsen injuries further. Likewise for muscles, tendons or joints already experiencing inflammation; begin slowly increasing the intensity as you adapt to vibration sensation.
Selecting an oscillatory massage device requires careful consideration. Choose one with a long battery life to ensure uninterrupted use during sessions, a comfortable handle and simple operation; perhaps opting for one with either a rounded or pointed head for muscle tissue penetration, such as those offered by General Physiotherapy’s G5 oscillating percussion devices with lower amplitude that vibrate upon contact is preferable over rotary variants.
As with any form of massage therapy, when employing percussion massage you must be wary of how much pressure is being applied to your body. Excessive pressure could cause soreness and muscle fatigue – this is particularly pertinent if you suffer from conditions such as fibromyalgia or chronic back pain.
Some claim that percussion massage helps break up scar tissue or adhesions, yet no scientific evidence to support their claim exists. There is an aggressive and painful technique known as cross friction massage that may work; rotary percussion massagers likely won’t be as successful at breaking up scar tissue since they don’t provide targeted or intentional movements to target specific spots on the body.
Vibration has been shown to significantly reduce delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS), but only when used immediately following exercise. Vibration therapy could also potentially help with frozen shoulder (AKA adhesive capsulitis). However, its efficacy depends on each condition being addressed; frozen shoulder doesn’t involve physical limitations but rather neurological inhibition of joint movement (see Why is My Shoulder Frozen?) If you want your muscles, tendons, or joints healed quickly then shockwave therapy might be your go-to choice.
Conclusions
Percussive therapy such as that found in massage guns (sometimes referred to as muscle guns or percussion massagers) provides a unique method of pain relief that addresses trigger points while increasing blood circulation. Percussion also works to disrupt pain signals sent from the brain and is thought to reduce muscular soreness by disrupting them directly. Furthermore, percussion stimulates proprioceptors which aid balance and coordination during physical activities, thus decreasing injury risks while simultaneously decreasing effort expended when performing exercises.
Studies have demonstrated the efficacy of percussion muscle gun devices to increase range of motion, decrease tightness in muscles and enhance flexibility. They can also speed recovery process while eliminating some toxins such as lactic acid that cause soreness and stiffness during workout sessions. Percussion also acts as an excellent pre-workout supplement and has been proven to prevent delayed-onset muscle soreness after intense physical activities.
Vibration therapy works to strengthen muscles by increasing their thickness. It also expedites recovery from workout-induced muscle soreness by speeding up lactic acid removal from muscles, as well as increase mass and power output and potentially help prevent sarcopenia, an age-related condition in which we lose muscle tissue.
Studies conducted in 2020 determined that vibration therapy could be an effective pre-workout supplement in terms of preventing exercise-induced muscle soreness, increasing flexibility, range of motion, and flexibility. This may be because vibrational stimulation causes muscles to produce more elastic fibers which in turn allow greater joint mobility as well as help decrease build-up of lactic acid which contributes to muscle soreness post exercise.
As with any new training tool, it is advisable to seek guidance from healthcare professionals before beginning using a vibration or percussion massager. They can tailor guidance specifically to your individual needs, making sure it works safely for optimal results while advising whether a particular device meets those requirements based on injuries or conditions you already have.
