Summary
Coach Amy, a physical therapist, and Coach Liz, a massage therapist and triathlon coach, provide a cautionary yet balanced take on massage gun use for endurance athletes. Amy argues that for most athletes the risks of massage guns outweigh the benefits, particularly when used without anatomical knowledge. She presents multiple clinical cases where patients injured nerves, bursae, and inflamed tendons by using percussion devices on the wrong areas. The episode distinguishes between the downward jackhammer-like force of massage guns and the lateral vibration of foam rollers and vibrating massage tools, which spread force over a larger surface area and move parallel to tissue rather than pounding into it. Amy recommends consulting a physical therapist to learn proper usage rather than throwing the device away, and Liz confirms that even as a trained massage therapist, she only uses her massage gun on areas she fully understands anatomically.
Key Points
- Massage guns create a jackhammer-like downward force that can damage nerves, organs, blood vessels, muscles, and tendons
- A patient with psoas tendonitis used the device on the femoral nerve, risking vessel and nerve damage
- Another patient bruised her bursa thinking she was treating sore glutes
- The "hurts so good" mentality leads athletes to use too much pressure, worsening injuries
- Vibrating foam rollers and massage tools are safer because they spread force over larger areas and move parallel to tissue
- Limited research supports percussion devices for increasing mobility in healthy tissue when operated by someone with anatomical knowledge
- Don't throw away your massage gun -- get professional guidance on proper use from a physical therapist
- Additional risks include fractures, deep vein thrombosis, and rhabdomyolysis from improper use
Key Moments
Risks of massage guns without anatomical knowledge
Coach Amy explains that massage guns can damage nerves, organs, blood vessels, muscles, and tendons, and that without thorough anatomical knowledge, using these devices is risky for most athletes.
"Okay, there's a you could damage nerves organs and blood vessels and muscles and tendons Okay, you can just do damage to these structures and unless you have a thorough command and understanding of anatomy It's way too very risky"
Clinical case of nerve damage from massage gun misuse
A patient with psoas tendonitis used a massage gun on the area of pain, not realizing the femoral nerve, artery, and vein were nearby, risking serious damage while also inflaming the already-injured tendon.
"Well, this patient was like, oh, I'm hurting here. This is where I'm going to put my massage gun. Well, right near that area of pain that he's having is the femoral nerve artery and vein. And he was using the device on the femoral nerve."
Massage guns vs vibrating foam rollers explained
Coach Amy explains the key difference: massage guns create downward jackhammer-like force, while vibrating foam rollers spread force over a larger area and move parallel to tissue, making them a safer alternative.
"And so because those devices do not create a downward force and so they're, they're kind of like be more like a, like maybe like even like a sander, if you're going to stick with like tools analogy is it's going back and forth sideways rather than pounding deep into and down into a tissue."
Advice for safe massage gun use
Rather than discarding massage guns, Coach Amy recommends bringing the device to a physical therapist for proper training on safe and effective use for specific conditions.
"Finding a professional that can help you with it so you don't have to throw it away. Just make sure you're doing it right and that you're doing it for the right reasons and not hurting yourself. That's my recommendation."
