If you have been following our recent blog posts then you will know that we subject our products to rigorous scientific testing. So, if you’re wondering to yourself, ‘are massage guns worth it?’ and ‘do massage guns actually work?’, this blog may answer some of your questions.
Why would we do put our products through scientific testing, you might ask? The answer is simple:
- We are always looking to create the most effective kit for health and fitness enthusiasts so with regular testing, we can modify our products and ensure we continue to lead the way in recovery, health, sports performance, and muscle recovery products.
- We know our products work because you tell us!! But that is not enough, we want to robustly test them and show you exactly how and why they effective and why you should invest in us.
The study
Let’s dive straight into the study design and results.
We approached SunSport Coaching, a Manchester based sports performance testing business, with our Pulseroll massage gun. We asked them if they could test how effective the gun was at improving flexibility, also known as increasing range of motion. Range of motion is very important to fitness and sports performance so it is worth reading up on this to see how it benefits your training.
How our kit was tested
They recruited 20 consenting participants. They ensured these participants were a varied bunch, including both male and female, young and old, and all with various levels of fitness.
Stage 1
The scientific team decided that the best way to measure the effectiveness of the Pulseroll massage gun would be to test how much our product improves range of motion and also if it is more effective than a standard foam roller, which has been tested many times in previous scientific studies (with equivocal outcomes).
In collaboration with ‘Wiva’, an Italian company that produces powerful wearable technology for motion analysis, the team were able to first accurately measure the range of motion of both (left and right) hamstring muscles in all participants. The Wiva is a small wearable device that contains accelerometers which can very accurately measure the angle of any joints within the body.
Stage 2
Next, the participants underwent 3 minutes of using the Pulseroll massage gun on one hamstring and a standard foam roller on the other. The legs were randomly chosen for the process, so participants and testers did not choose which leg to use for each treatment.
Stage 3
The team then measured the range of motion in each leg again with the Wiva wearable sensors. This was to accurately measure how much the Pulseroll gun had improved range of motion and whether it was more effective than a standard foam roller.
Results
All 20 participants that received treatment using the Pulseroll massage gun showed an improved range of motion in the hamstring muscles On average the increase was 14% but, in some cases, it was as high as 22%!
When we asked Sunsport Coaching head exercise physiologist, Stuart Percival, to explain the significance, this is what he had to say:
“We were really pleased to be involved in the study with the Pulseroll massage gun. We are always looking at ways to improve how we can support athletes so we make sure we use best research-based practices. We know that consistent training is the key to high levels of fitness, but this is only possible if we stay fit and healthy. All too often we see people with tight, weak, dominant muscles. We prescribe a lot of corrective strength and conditioning exercises, but it is always better to try to prevent these problems in the first place. We now have a new tool to help with this, the Pulseroll massage gun which significantly improves muscle health and flexibility in the joint. This reduces the risk of musculoskeletal injuries and also improves performance in competition as the muscles work more effectively.”
“We were impressed with how effective the treatment actually was with such a short application of only 3 minutes. It’s a great tool for athletes, health and fitness enthusiasts, and older people who might be struggling with some stiffness or lack of mobility.”
If you’re interested in purchasing a Pulseroll muscle recovery tool for yourself, head over to our shopping hub!
