Massage Guns and Percussive Therapy: What the Research Says So Far

Percussive therapy devices, commonly known as massage guns, have become a fixture in gyms, clinics, and home recovery routines. Despite their popularity, formal research on these devices is relatively young. A 2023 systematic review published in the International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy, conducted by researchers at The Open University, gathered the available evidence to assess what percussive therapy can and cannot yet claim.

The review included 13 studies with a combined 255 participants, examining outcomes related to strength, flexibility, and experiences of musculoskeletal pain. The most consistent finding concerned flexibility: studies measuring range of motion reported improvements following percussive therapy. Some studies also reported gains in acute and explosive muscle strength and reductions in self-reported pain, suggesting the devices may have a role both in preparing tissue for activity and in symptom management.

These results warrant genuine but measured optimism. The total participant pool across all studies was small, protocols varied considerably in device settings, treatment duration, and target muscles, and few studies followed participants over the long term. The authors specifically called for standardisation of treatment parameters in future research so that clinicians can move from general impressions to specific, dose-based recommendations.

For patients, the practical picture is that massage guns appear to be a reasonable, generally low-risk tool for improving flexibility and managing muscle soreness when used sensibly and on appropriate tissue. They are best understood as one option within a broader recovery and treatment toolkit rather than a proven standalone therapy. Guidance from a qualified therapist on where, when, and how to apply percussive devices helps ensure they complement, rather than substitute for, the active components of a rehabilitation program.

Key findings

• The review synthesised 13 studies with 255 total participants examining percussive therapy delivered by massage gun devices.
• Reported benefits included improvements in flexibility and range of motion, with all included studies that measured flexibility reporting gains.
• Some studies reported improvements in acute and explosive muscle strength and reductions in self-reported musculoskeletal pain.
• The overall evidence base is small, with modest sample sizes and heterogeneous protocols, so findings should be considered preliminary.
• The authors highlighted the need for standardised treatment parameters, such as device frequency, duration, and application sites, in future research.

Clinical relevance

Patients frequently arrive at rehabilitation clinics already using massage guns; this review helps clinicians give balanced, evidence-informed guidance on their sensible use as an adjunct to hands-on treatment and active exercise programming.

Prepared by the Volt Health team as an educational summary of the cited publication. It is not medical advice; assessment and treatment decisions should always be made with a qualified health professional.