'I tried Miranda Kerr's favourite $900 massage gun and this is what I found' - 9Coach

[massage]

In an era of self-care and social distancing, it's little wonder massage guns have exploded in popularity in recent times. Of course, the one most likely to have come onto your radar is the Therabody — formerly branded Theragun — with celebrities singing its praises.

Miranda Kerr dubbed the contraption "a lifesaver" when she discussed her isolation beauty rituals with Vogue Paris earlier this year.

She's not the only one who thinks so either, with A-listers and athletes all jumping on the massage gun bandwagon, from Kim and Kourtney Kardashian and Mark Wahlberg to Cristiano Ronaldo. Grand-slam champion Maria Sharapova is among its high-profile ambassadors, and they're even used on players in AFL and the Premier League.

Miranda Kerr swears by her Theragun for massages in isolation. (Vogue Paris)

9Honey road tested the Theragun PRO ($899), the brand's top-of-the-line device, to see if it lived up to the hype.

At almost $900, it's a huge splurge for massage lovers, but do the benefits outweight the astronomical price tag?

How does it work?


Basically, the Theragun PRO offers "percussive therapy" — a term coined by its chiropractor founder Dr Jason S Wersland, in which the gun's tip vibrates at up to 2400 percussions per minute to activate or loosen tight muscles, encourage circulation and hydrate tissue. It can used before training, or to help with post-training recovery — or as I discovered, to provide relief for a bad case of WFH laptop neck.

The Theragun PRO also comes with six different attachments — some that, frankly, look a little terrifying. They target different areas — for example, when tackling my traps, I opt for the intimidating-looking "cone" attachment, great for pinpointing problem areas — it's hard not to be put off by its pointed spear-like appearance. But when you've got stubborn knots, hooo-boy! Does it do the trick.

Therabody's Fourth Generation Theragun PRO (Therabody)

It also uses smart technology, with a downloadable app that can pair with your device and let you remotely adjust speed, or activate guided treatment presets, such as a "Run Recovery" or a "Sleep" to do 30 minutes before bed.

The pressure you apply is crucial. The app advises to simply let the device "float" over your body — so no need to apply pressure at all, really — and let the Theragun do its thing. The frequency of the motor, 40 times per second, is the perfect combination for you to have relief.

You can adjust percussions per minute between three different speeds. Your glutes might find 2400 too much, but 1900 may be just about right with a dampener attachment.

When 9Honey spoke with the Therabody's director on international education Ben McNamara he warned us to beware of competitor dupes, whose attachments aren't as safe.

Is it like a regular massage?


In a word, no. I'd say it's more akin to a remedial massage, as the gun design means you can only target one area at a time, and the intensity of it makes it quite the opposite of relaxing.

The first time you experience percussive therapy with a Theragun is strange — when I held it against my shoulders and neck, my throat tickled and it felt like my brain was being shaken rapidly inside my skull. Weirdly, you get used to it; to the intensity of the vibrations, and the initial pain of treating tight muscles.

The brand's founder, Dr Wersland, says this unique form therapy lets you go much deeper into problem areas.

"Theragun Percussive Therapy releases the tension in your muscles effectively and efficiently because it goes deep into the muscles to the area where the tension originates. the power is in your hands and very easy to use."

Pros


At the time I trialled it, I was getting terrible knots in my shoulders and lats from bad home office posture, with pain almost daily. Happily, the Theragun provided instant relief, as effective as a remedial massage.

The fourth generation devices use a proprietory QuietForce Technology, meaning as massage guns go, this is one of the quiestest on the market.

A button on the underside of the device lets you adjust the rotating arm for better leverage and access, depending on what area you're targeting — the gun's tip needs to be at a straight, perpendicular angle to the body at all times, so your wrist is straight, and not twisting or turning awkwardly to reach a spot, so this feature sets it apart from many on the market.

When I was training, I tested the device on my very sore lower calves — it was excruciating, but very effective. It's designed to help move the lactic acid in muscles, and I did feel a difference in the tightness and pain levels in the days following.

The device's battery power could go for several days straight before needing a recharge.

Cons


Is the device relaxing? Not in the slightest. But the end goal here is muscle and pain relief.

The relief didn't always last — sometimes just a few hours, before I'd managed to undo all that good work, hunched over a desk. In those times I would find myself using the device multiple times a day — but that's the beauty of having a handheld masseuse at your disposal, as you can use it anytime.

The glaring downside to this device is its eye-watering price tag, but for those who splurge on remedial massages regularly it may be a worthy investment. Considering massages can set you back between $70-$100 a session, it's well worth the coin to some — particularly those who suffer with chronic muscle or nerve pain, or who train daily.

There are cheaper Therabody products in the range, including a pocket-sized Theragun Mini ($349) and Theragun Elite ($649), for those uncomfortable dropping close to $1000 on a single device.

But for me, it delivered on its promise — the Theragun PRO provided almost instant relief without a trip to the physio, and particularly amid a pandemic, when lockdown seems imminent at any given time, it's a handy tool to have in your arsenal.

For more information visit theragun.com.

Seven of the world's weirdest massages