Percussive massage therapy is beneficial to anyone and everyone, with a wide range of benefits for athletes, those recovering from injuries, and the everyday person.
What is percussive massage?
Percussive or percussion massage is a type of massage that uses a massage “gun” that delivers a series of rapid “blows” at high speeds. that penetrate deep into the soft tissue to promote pain-relief, relaxation & tissue repair, whilst improving blood flow and range of motion of the muscles.
Is Percussion Massage good for you?
Generally, percussion massage therapy is beneficial to anyone and everyone, with a wide range of benefits for athletes, those recovering from injuries, and the everyday person.
Sitting at an office desk all day can develop neck and back soreness, and percussion therapy can help relax your muscles and relieve pain.
Athletes can benefit from this type of treatment as it helps to improve oxygen distribution and blood circulation in the body, which in turn reduces post-workout muscle soreness & cramps, whilst accelerating the body’s ability to recover and heal quicker. It is also an amazing pre- competition or pre- match warm-up!
Percussive massage gives balance and tone to the targeted muscle group, whilst relieving muscular tightness and reducing physical stress on joints & bones.
How Does A Percussion Massager Work?
A percussion massager is a handheld device that is powered by a 2,000 RPM motor, and has a dense foam ball or other shaped attachment.
The foam attachment moves in a back and forth motion at very high, but variable rate depending on intensity required, and this strikes the muscle repeatedly, relaxing the muscle and allowing you to penetrate deeper into the tissues (much deeper than you could with just your hands).
The machine has various frequencies that I can adjust according to your specific needs.
What does it cost?
I can use the percussive massage gun integrated into any other massage treatment for an additional €5 euro on your treatment cost.
I can also offer standalone percussive massage treatments for:
- €10 euro for a 15 minute session
- €20 euro for a 25 minute session
- €30 euro for an 40 minute session
Benefits Of Percussive Massage
There are a variety of benefits and applications for percussion massage therapy.
Percussion massage is also useful for athletes, since it stretches the muscles and connective tissues, which in turn improves overall responsiveness and performance. Flexibility and mobility is improved due to relaxation and stretching of muscles tissues and fascia. Percussion massage generates 30x more powerful contractions of the muscle, which enhances muscle strength and recovery time and improved blood circulation reduces muscle soreness or fatigue, enabling athletes to perform for longer and more often.
Percussive therapy can be used for post-surgery treatment, as it can break down internal scar tissue whilst increasing both venous and lymphatic circulation, which can help to speed up healing time. It can also be used to treat clients with stiff joints or muscle spasms, as it helps to elongate the muscle fibers, which relaxes both the muscles and fascia, preventing any future muscle spasms occuring.
Percussive massage also helps speed up the rehabilitation process of muscles that have been injured due to disease, injury or surgery. The contractions caused by the percussor help to strengthen the muscles, which is highly beneficial for those who can’t partake in physical therapy. It can also be used on patients with partial or full paralysis, to stimulate their muscles, prevent non-use atrophy, and improving reflex responses in which the nerves respond to stimulation.
There are also overall health and wellness benefits for anyone, including lowering blood pressure and reducing stress levels & anxiety (due to improved blood/oxygen circulation), improving sleep/sleep patterns, improving digestion and organ/tissue health, building immunity/eliminating toxins and balancing the autonomic nervous system.
Percussive massage can also help to free any adhesions, break down any scar tissue, and decrease inflammation that can sometimes follow cosmetic procedures, accelerating healing and reducing down time.
Is Percussive Massage safe if I am injured?
Percussion massage is relatively safe, but it’s not for everyone. As always, be sure you consult your doctor, since intensity could be high and it could make certain conditions or pain worse.
Some contra-indications for percussion massage however include:
- Cardiovascular diseases
- Advanced diabetes
- Chronic back pain or injuries or lumbar injuries
- Clients using blood thinning medication
- Pregnancy
