Massage guns went from physical therapy clinics to gym bags in a few years. Every brand promises faster recovery, and most buyers never see the studies behind that claim.
This page looks at what the research has measured. It is general information, not medical advice. If you’re choosing a device, the recovery equipment buying guide covers models and prices.
Short answer: a massage gun reliably loosens a muscle for a short while. A 2020 trial found 5 minutes on the calf raised ankle range of motion by 18.4% without reducing strength. The evidence for soreness, strength, and speed is mixed, the studies are small, and none blinded participants. Therabody lists clotting, bleeding, heart, and nerve conditions as reasons not to use one, and pregnancy as a precaution.
What two 2023 reviews found
Sams and colleagues (2023) pooled 13 studies with 255 adults in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy. They linked a single session to short-term gains in flexibility and some strength measures, and repeated sessions to less back and shoulder pain. Every study had weaknesses in method or reporting.
Ferreira and colleagues (2023) reviewed 11 studies with 281 people in the Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology. Their conclusion:
“Massage guns could be applied in order to improve short-term ROM, flexibility and recovery-related outcomes.”
Ferreira RM et al., Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, 2023
They rated 10 of the 11 studies at moderate risk of bias and 1 at high risk.
The clearest single result
Konrad (2020) tested 16 healthy men in the Journal of Sports Science and Medicine. Five minutes of percussion on one calf, at 53 Hz with a soft head, raised ankle dorsiflexion by 5.4° (18.4%). Sitting still for the same time raised it by 1.6°, which was not significant. Calf strength didn’t change in either condition.
| Outcome | What the research found |
|---|---|
| Flexibility, single session | Improved in most trials (Konrad 2020: +18.4% ankle range) |
| Strength | Mixed; no change in Konrad 2020 |
| Jump height | No change in most trials; lower in a 2025 warm-up trial |
| Soreness after exercise | Mixed; better than stretching in a 2025 trial, no benefit in a 2024 trial |
| Back and shoulder pain, repeated sessions | Lower in small trials (Sams 2023 review) |
The soreness question
Li (2025) gave 30 active young men hard squats, then percussion or static stretching, in Frontiers in Public Health. Two 40-minute sessions, given by physiotherapists, cut soreness at 48 hours more than stretching did. There was no untreated group.
Leabeater (2024) ran a larger test of a typical home routine in the Journal of Athletic Training. In this study, 65 adults did calf raises, then got 5 minutes of percussion on one calf and none on the other. No physical or perceived measure improved over 48 hours. Soreness was slightly higher in the treated leg right after and at 4 hours.
The authors’ takeaway was that “caution may need to be taken” before using these devices for lower-body recovery right after hard exercise.
What Cleveland Clinic says
Physical therapist Gary Calabrese told Cleveland Clinic in 2023 that massage guns “have not been proven to improve speed, power or endurance.” He added that they may improve range of motion and the perception of fatigue.
Limitations
The trials are small: 16, 30, and 65 people in the three above. Most enrolled healthy young adults, mostly men. None of the 13 studies in the Sams review blinded participants. Speeds ran from 20 to 60 Hz in the Ferreira review, and single sessions from 30 seconds to 30 minutes in the Sams review, so results are hard to compare. Li 2025 used two 40-minute sessions, far longer than a typical home routine.
Here’s what the spec sheet won’t tell you. Speed settings, stall force, and amplitude numbers sell devices, but no trial we found compared one consumer model against another.
Who should check with a doctor first
Therabody’s own list of contraindications for its Theragun line includes deep vein thrombosis, bleeding disorders, blood-thinning medication, uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe heart, liver, or kidney disease, pacemakers, recent surgery or injury, and use on the face, head, neck, or throat. It lists pregnancy, diabetes, osteoporosis, and varicose veins as precautions.
Cleveland Clinic advises talking to your healthcare team if you have an underlying condition or are recovering from an injury.
My rule of thumb: buy a massage gun because it feels good and loosens you up, not because it promises faster recovery.
Bottom line: massage guns improve flexibility for a short while and may ease pain with repeated use, but they don’t reliably speed recovery or boost performance, and the trials are small. For models and prices, see the recovery equipment buying guide linked above.
Sources
- Sams L, Langdown BL, Simons J, Vseteckova J, “The Effect Of Percussive Therapy On Musculoskeletal Performance And Experiences Of Pain: A Systematic Literature Review,” International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, April 2023: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Ferreira RM et al., “The Effects of Massage Guns on Performance and Recovery: A Systematic Review,” Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology, September 2023: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Konrad A, Glashüttner C, Reiner MM, Bernsteiner D, Tilp M, “The Acute Effects of a Percussive Massage Treatment with a Hypervolt Device on Plantar Flexor Muscles’ Range of Motion and Performance,” Journal of Sports Science and Medicine, 2020: jssm.org
- Li H et al., “The effect of percussion massage therapy on the recovery of delayed onset muscle soreness in physically active young men: a randomized controlled trial,” Frontiers in Public Health, March 2025: frontiersin.org
- Leabeater AJ, Clarke AC, James L, Huynh M, Driller M, “Under the Gun: Percussive Massage Therapy and Physical and Perceptual Recovery in Active Adults,” Journal of Athletic Training, March 2024: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Cleveland Clinic, “Try a Massage Gun for Relieving Aches and Pains,” February 14, 2023: health.clevelandclinic.org
- Therabody, “Precautions” (Theragun contraindications and precautions), accessed October 23, 2026: therabody.com