This article looks at the effects of using a massage gun on dorsiflexion
What’s the deal?
Elite athletes will often have access to professional massages, which can help to improve performance. What about us non-elites? Massage guns feel amazing, but do they actually have any benefit?
What did they do?
16 volunteers were recruited to take part in this study, in which the range of motion of dorsiflexion (the act of contracting the calf muscle and moving the foot/toes upwards towards the shin) was tested. Participants underwent this test before and after either a 5-minute massage gun treatment (applied to the calf), or 5-minutes of sitting as a control treatment. Participants then returned two days later for another test, but received the other treatment.
What happened?
Dorsiflexion range of motion was increased by more than 18% (about a 5° increase in range) after massage gun therapy, whereas there was no change in the control group.
What can you tell me about the people?
All participants were male and were aged 27 years on average. Participants were healthy, with an average BMI of 24.7 and were regarded as recreational athletes.
What else should I know?
Dorsiflexion is very important. We use it when we walk and run and it is especially important when sprinting. Having a good range of motion is vital for performance (as you can find out by attempting a really deep squat). The massage gun used here was the Hypervolt, by Hyperice (CA, USA), but many other branded and non-branded versions are available, with a huge range of settings and adapters.
What will I do differently?
I bought a massage gun over a year ago and have thoroughly enjoyed it! It feels great during use, especially after exercise, but I am unsure if it has any benefits beyond that. The findings from this study suggest that massage guns could be used before exercise to improve dorsiflexion and that’s something I’m excited to try. I’m still waiting for a study specifically looking into the effect of massage guns on DOMS though…
Acknowledgements
This research was published in November 2020 by A Konrad and colleagues from the University of Graz, Austria.
This article highlights our personal take on their research, but there is so much more information available! Check it out here and see what you think!
Abstract Athlete 