Do Massage Guns Help Build Muscle? The Science

Do Massage Guns Really Help Build Muscle?

Massage guns have become a popular recovery tool among athletes, trainers and recreational gym-goers. But can these powerful percussion devices actually help you gain muscle, or are they just for relieving soreness? Here's what the science says.

How Do Massage Guns Work?

Massage guns use a motion called percussion to deliver rapid bursts of pressure into the tissue. Most operate at a frequency between 30 to 53 Hz and an amplitude of 10 to 12 mm.

Percussive therapy increases blood flow, reduces muscle tension, improves range of motion and enhances recovery. Users report up to a 75% reduction in DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness).

The Role of Recovery for Muscle Growth

Exercise causes tiny microtears to muscle fibers. During rest and recovery, those tears are repaired to reinforce and grow muscle tissue. Recovery is when true hypertrophy (enlargement) occurs.

Massage guns speed recovery through enhanced blood flow, reduced swelling and muscle spasm relief. In theory, quicker recovery allows you to exercise more often while avoiding overtraining.

Muscle Growth Science: How Hypertrophy Actually Occurs

In order to understand if massage guns build muscle directly, it helps to know precisely how muscle growth works at the cellular level.

What Causes Muscles to Grow?

Muscle growth is triggered by excess stress to the muscle cells during strength training. As the fibers tear and repair, they get thicker and stronger.

Satellite cell activation is key. These stem cells fuse to muscle fibers, donating their nuclei to support growth. They multiply quickly after intense training, fusing to fibers wherever needed.

mTOR Activation Drives Muscle Protein Synthesis

Muscle protein synthesis (MPS) is the process of building new muscle proteins enforced by strands called myofibrils. This expands and strengthens the muscle cell.

A vital molecule called mTOR regulates MPS at the cellular level. Exercise, amino acids, insulin, testosterone and growth factors activate mTOR to signal the ultimate muscle growth cascade.

Rest Allow Muscle Protein Breakdown

Hard training breaks down muscle proteins via MPB (muscle protein breakdown). The see-saw between MPS and MPB determines net protein balance.

Rest periods allow MPB to taper off so MPS can dominate. Soreness resolves as satellite cells patch and reinforce strained sites. Massage supports by boosting blood flow to enhance delivery of nutrients and removal of waste.

Do Massage Guns Build Muscle Directly?

Based on the physiological process of hypertrophy, massage does not appear to directly stimulate muscle protein synthesis or activate muscle-building pathways.

Rather, it optimizes the environment for growth by:

• Enhancing blood flow to improve nutrition/waste removal
• Slowing muscle protein breakdown
• Supporting quicker recovery between workouts

This leads to the question...

Can Faster Recovery Lead to Increased Muscle Growth?

By supporting quicker recovery, massage guns allow you to increase your weekly training frequency and volume without overtraining, theoretically promoting greater muscle growth over time.

Let's analyze if science backs this up.

More Frequent Training = More Growth, But a Limit Exists

Studies confirm training a muscle group 2-3 times per week is better for hypertrophy than once a week. More sessions allow for greater total weekly volume.

But gains begin to plateau around 4 weekly sessions as overtraining risk increases. Without sufficient rest, myofibrillar protein synthesis cannot outpace breakdown.

This suggests faster recovery from massage can provide a muscle growth benefit up to a point. Optimizing weekly training frequency and volume is key.

Enhanced Blood Flow & Oxygen Delivery Promotes Growth

Human studies reveal localized massages substantially boost blood flow to massaged muscles. Improved circulation delivers fresh oxygen and nutrients critical for repair and growth.

One study applying 10 minutes of massage post-workout noted participants gained more muscle mass over 11 weeks compared to controls. The author proposed enhanced nutrient delivery played a key role.

Reduced DOMS May Lead to Greater Mechanical Tension

Less soreness may allow you to train harder during each session. This exposes muscles to greater mechanical tension, a key driver of muscle protein synthesis.

With less pain inhibiting force output, you can push closer to your true maximum effort. Overloading tension triggers the cells to adapt by getting thicker and stronger.

Best Practices for Using a Massage Gun to Support Muscle Growth

While massage guns likely don't build muscle directly, science indicates they can support faster progress by optimizing workout recovery and quality.

Here are some best practices for incorporating percussion therapy into your training plan:

Target Large Muscle Groups

Focus massage sessions on large muscle groups like quads, glutes, back and chest. These regions tend to get sore easily and benefit the most from enhanced blood flow.

Use Pre & Post-Workout

Prime muscles with a quick pre-workout massage to boost blood flow. After training, use for 10-15 minutes to reduce swelling and support repair.

Customize Based on Goals

If building muscle is the goal, focus more on training recovery. If simply reducing soreness, use as needed. Avoid overmassaging to prevent delayed healing.

Allow Rest Days

Even with faster recovery, rest days are vital. Schedule at least 1 full rest day between training the same major muscle groups.

The Takeaway: Massage Supports Muscle Growth Through Enhanced Recovery

Science confirms massage guns reduce DOMS, improve blood flow and support quicker recovery from intense training.

While percussive therapy does not appear to directly stimulate MPS or activate satellite cells, reducing soreness may promote higher quality strength training sessions.

By optimizing workout recovery, massage guns can help recreational and serious athletes alike push their fitness potential and become their strongest self over time.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.