The Finest Theraguns in 2025 and Use Them
Ask any variety of health consultants, and most will inform you that the very best Theraguns actually are a reduce above the remainder. “I’ve used them since they hit the market years in the past,” Darleen Marshall, CPT, a NASM-certified private coach, tells SELF. “I’ve had different manufacturers they usually’re simply not pretty much as good. The standard of the instrument, the depth and energy of the motion, are all superior.”
When you’re in search of a splurge-worthy therapeutic massage instrument so as to add to your restoration routine, Theragun looks like the plain selection. However when you think about simply how a lot the model’s choice has expanded not too long ago, making your choose could also be a bit tougher than anticipated. With fashions that include a lot of attachments, travel-friendly massagers, and units that concentrate on exact areas of the physique, Theragun has a ton of high-quality choices—and we’ve narrowed them all the way down to the perfect right here. Learn on for our picks and to listen to from consultants about what makes these instruments—and percussive massagers on the whole—so widespread.
Our prime picks
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Sore calves? Tender shoulders? Knotty again? The answer to the aches and pains awaits.
Finest Total: Theragun Prime
The Prime is strictly what we consider once we consider a Theragun: highly effective, easy to make use of, and extremely efficient. “My neck and shoulders are always tense—one fast session with the Prime can unravel per week’s value of knots in minutes,” Sarah Felbin, SELF’s senior commerce editor, says. “I at all times really feel refreshed and relaxed after utilizing it.”
Skilled therapeutic massage gun customers will respect the Prime’s triangular form, which is much simpler to maneuver than historically formed fashions (“I can goal my higher again with out doing my greatest contortionist impression,” Felbin says). And folk who need extra steerage round utilizing their Prime can discover its capabilities via Therabody’s app, which seamlessly connects to the system.
Weight: 2.18 kilos | Battery life: 120 minutes | Attachments: Ball, dampener, micro-point, thumb
Finest for Theragun Newbies: Theragun Reduction
When you don’t want all of the bells and whistles however nonetheless need the total Theragun expertise, go along with the Reduction. It has the identical user-friendly form, however much less energy—excellent for newcomers who may discover the Prime overwhelming on the utmost setting.
“My dad is a licensed therapeutic massage therapist and swears by the OG Theragun Reduction for myofascial launch after figuring out, lengthy days the place you’re feeling a bit sore, or simply recreationally while you really feel like you want a therapeutic massage,” Paige Levinson, SELF’s particular initiatives coordinator, says.
Weight: 1.37 kilos | Battery life: 120 minutes | Attachments: Ball, dampener, thumb
Finest for Journey: Theragun Mini
A number of SELF staffers, in addition to SELF House Health Award testers, take into account the Mini their holy grail for on-the-go muscle aid. Clocking in at lower than a pound and operable with one hand, it received’t crush your health club bag or really feel exhausting to make use of for various minutes. “The system makes it simple to work on cussed tight or achy areas when you’re simply sitting round,” one in every of our Award testers stated. “No have to get on the ground and battle with a foam curler.”
Just like the Reduction, the Mini is one other nice possibility in the event you’ve tried standard-sized therapeutic massage weapons and located their settings to be too intense. “[The Mini could] do all the pieces the bigger model did, nevertheless it was extra compact and felt a bit gentler,” Christa Sgobba, SELF’s director of health and meals, says.
Weight: 14.10 ounces | Battery life: 150 minutes | Attachments: Ball, dampener, thumb
Finest for Unwinding: TheraBody SmartGoggles
We tried the SmartGoggles once they first got here out in 2022—our tester discovered them critically smooth, simple to make use of, and genuinely soothing. Worn like an everyday sleep masks, they comprise interior massaging nodes that concentrate on your temples, forehead bones, and in between the eyebrows. In addition they present vibration, compression, and warmth remedy throughout.
“I discovered the therapeutic massage nodes to be simply agency sufficient to ease pressure with out creating extra ache factors, and the addition of warmth felt so soothing—particularly after an extended day,” our tester wrote in her overview.
Weight: 14.80 ounces | Battery life: 150 minutes | Attachments: N/A
Finest for Facial Massages: TheraFace Professional
Half pink gentle remedy system, half microcurrent instrument, half massager, all-around luxe private gadget, the TheraFace Professional is an actual deal with in your self-care routine. It received a 2023 Wholesome Magnificence Award for simply how a lot it may do for our tester in a single fell swoop. They famous its smoothing and depuffing results, in addition to its light massaging energy.
“The percussive attachment actually helped relieve some TMJ ache I used to be having,” they stated. “It was tremendous simple to make use of and comes with a high-quality organizing pouch that makes it excellent for each storage or journey. It’s so versatile—I find it irresistible!”
Weight: 3.95 ounces | Battery life: 38 minutes | Attachments: Cleaning ring, LED gentle remedy ring, microcurrent ring, three percussive attachments (cone, flat, micro-point)
Regularly requested questions on Theraguns
What are the advantages of percussive therapeutic massage?
Percussive therapeutic massage is notably totally different from different therapeutic massage instruments within the sense that it appears like one thing is quickly hammering into your muscle tissues. “Not like foam rollers or fundamental vibration instruments, percussive massagers provide deeper muscle activation and extra exact concentrating on,” Ben LaNeve, a private coach at Life Time Annapolis in Maryland, tells SELF. You’re feeling an precise impression from the system because it pulls away and punches again into your muscle tissues, reasonably than sustaining fixed contact with them, Marshall notes.
The results of this propulsive therapeutic massage is extra relaxed, broken-up scar tissue in our muscle tissues and elevated blood to the realm that’s being massaged, Eric Busi, DPT, an orthopedic bodily therapist at Maven Bodily Remedy & Efficiency in Santa Monica, California, tells SELF. That’s why consultants take into account therapeutic massage weapons to be so helpful for warm-ups and restoration routines: Earlier than your exercise, they will stimulate circulation and assist your muscle tissues loosen up. Afterward, they will break down set off factors and ease soreness, Dr. Busi says.
What makes Theragun so particular?
Theragun was one of many very first names in therapeutic massage weapons—they did it early, they did it properly, they usually work with consultants on an ongoing foundation to vet and refine their expertise.
“Theragun is the gold customary in relation to being the lead innovator of therapeutic massage weapons and different wellness merchandise,” Dr. Busi says. “They have been the primary firm to introduce the sort of product and have continued to evolve their line, repeatedly bettering via the event of recent attachments, vibration modes, and mannequin sizes.”
After all, their value level can’t be ignored. There are many different, cheaper therapeutic massage weapons on the market that’ll get the job completed. However in the event you’re firmly set on shopping for a Theragun, Therabody affords licensed refurbished fashions at lowered costs.
Your Theragun will likely be best on knots in your higher again and shoulders, as properly as giant muscle teams liable to soreness like your quads, glutes, hamstrings, calves, and forearms, LaNeve says.
Fashions that include a number of therapeutic massage heads can present totally different sensations and ranges of depth. Rounded heads work properly for normal muscle teams; thumb- or bullet-shaped heads goal knots; and cushioned or dampened heads work properly with extra delicate or tender areas, LaNeve explains. “Match the instrument to your wants: softer heads for restoration, firmer ones for tight spots,” he says.
On the entire, therapeutic massage weapons are thought of secure for most individuals to make use of—simply don’t use one immediately in your neck or over your bones, Marshall says. And in the event you’re presently bruised or coping with an damage, keep away from utilizing your massager in these affected areas too.
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