BEST Percussive Massager Review
If you’re like most people in pain you’re willing to try anything to get back to normal and you’ve probably tried every recommendation but you’re still not getting the pain relief you’re looking for, but you’re not alone.
With a rising trend in home treatment options, you’ve probably seen the popularity of self-treatment percussive massagers.
What massagers are these I’m talking about? High velocity percussion massagers!
These percussion massagers look like jigsaws with special adapters at the end that are used to massage different body parts of the body, mostly for conditions such as muscular pain/soreness or tendonitis.
Three of the most popular brands are JigSaw Massage, Theragun, and TimTam.
I know you’re probably wondering…
What Are These Percussive Massagers Good For?
Most people use them to decrease pain and speed up recovery and there’s even published studies that show the effectiveness of these devices to treat pain naturally and decrease the build up of lactic acid.
I’ve been researching a lot of these different type of massagers and they are gaining popularity in the competitive athlete space and clinics nationwide because they give you faster and better results then just visiting a massage therapist every so often.
When used in conjunction with an anti-inflammatory diet, these percussive massagers help you recover faster from injuries so you can go back to doing the activities you enjoy.
Scientific Benefits of Percussion Massagers?
Desensitization
When injuries are chronic your body constantly sends pain messages to your brain and your brain becomes accustomed to certain area(s) hurting all the time.
Through the use of a high velocity percussive massager, you can desensitize or break up that pain signal from reaching the brain.
This will block pain signals from reaching the brain so that you can move normally again without feeling chronic pain.
Pain Relief
To understand why high velocity percussive massagers are so effective, you need to understand the physiology of pain.
Imagine you burn your finger and you put it under cold water. Instantly you feel better right?
The reason that cold water decreases burning pain is not because a burn is hot and water is cold.
The reason is because pain nerves are easy to overcome.
High velocity percussion massagers trick your brain by sending non-painful signals to it.
This disrupts what’s called the Gate Control Theory of Pain and blocks the sensation of pain.
Trigger Point Relief
Muscular trigger points or “knots” are sensitive spots in muscles that are sore to the touch and can limit the smooth movement of muscles.
Usually these are treated by a massage therapist by applying constant pressure to a trigger point for about 10 seconds, then releasing the pressure, and repeating it over and over again.
This helps to remove waste and restore blood flood in the muscle knot so that you feel less pain and restore motion.
With a percussive massager, you’re speeding up the work of a massage therapist substantially because of the high speed of compression and percussion provided by the massager. This will cut your recovery time tenfold and save you money on constant massage visits.
Improves Circulation
Another benefit of using percussion massagers is that they improve circulation to areas that lack blood flow. In the medical world this is called reperfusion.
An increase in blood flow is important when it comes to recovery because through the blood is how tissues receive nutrients and remove waste (lactic acid) to stay healthy.
This is especially important for areas of insertion such as tendons and ligaments where blood flow is limited.
This is the reason why tendonitis problems or ligament sprains take a long time to heal.
A percussive massager continuously stimulates blood flow to the affected areas and you’ll see it working almost instantly as the areas being worked on turn red, meaning there is an increase in blood flow which enhances recovery, reduces pain, and improves movement and overall range of motion to joints.
Breaks Up Scar Tissue to Improve Mobility
Just like seeing an Active Release Therapy (ART) practitioner, a percussive massager let’s you put pressure on a tissue to hold it in place while you move the affected area at the same time.
The pressure, constant vibration, and percussion helps to break up scar tissue and restores the mobility of sliding tissues.
Through constant use this will improve the way your muscles move and improve mobility.
The Top Rated Percussive Massagers
#3 - JigSaw Massager
As its name states, the JigSaw Massager is a corded jigsaw (they also have a cordless option) with different deep tissue jigsaw adapters. The massager comes with a circular adapter included, the other 2 massager tips are sold separately.
The jigsaw massager adapters come in 3 options:
- Circular adapter - designed for deep tissue work. It's made of hard plastic to release the tightest muscles and restricted soft tissue.
- Pinpoint jigsaw massager tip - cone shaped and designed for those hard to reach areas such as the feet, knees, calves, glutes, low back, scapula, shoulders, and forearms. It is made of rubber so it is gentle, yet firm.
- Cylindrical shaped jigsaw massager adaptor - an all purpose tool designed to break up some scar tissue but can also be used to massage the deepest of areas.
These deep tissue jigsaw adapters are also available for sale on their own if you're just looking for replacements.
What I Didn't Like About the JigSaw Massager
The downside to a corded massager is that you're limited to places with power outlets to use it. Another thing about these percussive massagers that's very important to note, is that they are quite loud. If you're using it when you're alone they're not a problem but the noise may be inconvenient for others around.
- Cord operated so you need an outlet nearby
- May be too loud in a quiet setting
What I Liked About the JigSaw Massager
What I like about this corded percussion massager is that you don't have to worry about running out of battery which is convenient when you're in pain or want to treat multiple body parts in one sitting.
This is also good if several members of your household use the massager constantly. All you need is a power outlet and you're good to go.
The JigSaw Massager also has variable speeds (up to 6 speeds) which allows you to ramp up the intensity on areas that are very restricted and stiff.
- Cord operated so you can operate without battery dying
- Multiple attachments for different body parts
- Multiple intensity speeds
- Price on the low end compared to other percussion massagers
Where To Buy The JigSaw Massager
This is one of the most economical high velocity percussive massagers in the market, plus you can get a $10 discount by using the coupon code DRG. Click here to go to their official website
#2 - Theragun Percussive Massager
The Theragun is one of the most popular percussion massagers and you may have seen it being used by professional athletes in the NBA, NFL, and other pro sports.
It's a handheld percussion massager described on its website as a "Professional grade percussion therapy device providing a deep percussive massage to reduce muscle and joint pain, improve mobility, and enhance performance."
Unlike the JigSaw Massager, it is battery operated (comes with 2 rechargeable batteries) and comes with a moveable massage arm, giving you 4 different angles to use the massager.
It also includes 4 deep tissue jigsaw adapters, which they call AmpBIT's (Amplitude Blood Flow Improved Treatment).
- Cone - for small muscle groups such as wrists, feet, and trigger points
- Dampener - for bone and sensitive areas
- Ball - for general use
- Large ball - for joint soreness and large muscle groups such as quads, back, and chest.
What I Didn't Like About the Theragun
Aside from being one of the most expensive percussion massagers, the Theragun only has 1 speed. According to it's website, the speed is "physician calibrated" but sometimes you just need that extra intensity for those trouble spots.
- Only has one speed setting
- May be too loud in a quiet setting
- Most expensive out of all percussion massagers
What I Like About the Theragun
One thing that I did like about the Theragun is that it comes with 2 rechargeable batteries so while you use one, the other one is powering up and you can continue to alternate back and forth so you're never having to wait to use it.
It also gives you the option to move the arm into 4 positions for a full body treatment.
- Cordless so it's portable
- Multiple arm positions
- Multiple attachments for different body parts
- Comes with 2 batteries
Where To Buy The Theragun Percussive Massager
You can purchase it from their website by clicking here. Theragun also offers a payment plan option (if you quality).
#1 - TimTam Percussive Massager
The TimTam is a highly sought after percussive massager among coaches, trainers, and elite athletes to speed up recovery. I've seen it used by MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) athletes such as George St. Pierre and trainers across many gyms.
The TimTam is very similar to the Theragun in which it is battery operated and has a moveable arm, but it only comes with 1 rechargeable battery and 1 massager tip (the round one seen in the picture above).
What's cool about the TimTam is that they have the option to purchase other massager adapters that are made of metal, some that can be heated, and some that can be kept in the freezer to give you another way to increase circulation (heat) and numb the pain (cold).
This is something that the other two percussive massagers do not offer.
Although more expensive than the Jigsaw Massager, the TimTam offers similar quality to the Theragun without the high price. It's $200 less than the Theragun and it's just as effective.
What I Didn't Like About the TimTam Massager
- Only has one speed setting
- May be too loud in a quiet setting
- Only comes with one battery
What I Like About the TimTam Massager
- Cordless so it's portable
- Multiple arm positions
- Multiple attachments for different body parts
- Mid price range compared to other massagers
Where To Buy The TimTam Percussive Massager
You can purchase the TimTam and other pain relief products and get a 10% discount by clicking here.
Which One Will You Try?
Overall I believe these percussive massagers provide an effective way to relieve musculoskeletal pain from home.
While I was a bit intrigued when I first came across these machines, my doubts were quickly gone once I started using them. These percussive massagers are effective, reliable, precise, and pretty straight forward to use.
During my time using them I certainly noticed a decrease in my muscle stiffness, an improvement in my mobility, and found it to be a lot more efficient to use then some other self-massage tools since they are going at such a high velocity (get more done in less time).
That being said, I still feel the companies have room for improvements. Noise reduction and more options to control speed and intensity would be a good place to start but with feedback from users I'm sure they'll get that figured out.
Overall, I have no hesitation recommending these devices to anyone looking for an effective self-treatment tool to reduce pain and speed up recovery.
