St. Louis Percussion Therapy

Percussion Therapy

What Is Percussion Therapy?

A percussion massage uses rapid vibration and pressure to stimulate muscles and surrounding tissues. The rapid vibration pressure acts similar to a massage, helping to relieve pain, relax muscle tension, and accelerate healing. The common form of percussion massage is using a massage gun. Although massage gun sounds intimidating, it's almost always described as relaxing and therapeutic.

What Are Massage Guns Used For?

Massage guns are most commonly used to treat muscle strains, joint sprains, and overall muscular tension. However, people with arthritis, fibromyalgia, sciatica, pinched nerves, and other joint injuries can benefit from percussion massage. Essentially, anyone that benefits from or enjoys myofascial release, will also enjoy percussion massages.

Athletes in particular have become big advocates of using massage guns to help manage injuries. The percussion massage seems to help people heal faster and more fully. Additionally, the pain relief benefits help athletes perform at their peak performance.

How Does A Percussion Massage Work?

A percussion massage is similar to other forms of massage and myofascial release. Massage in general helps to rejuvenate muscles and fascia by promoting blood flow and stimulating relaxation reflexes.

Massage Gun Therapy in Kirkwood, MO

Percussion therapy and chiropractic

Many chiropractors are integrating massage guns with traditional chiropractic adjustments. The additional myofascial release benefits of using a massage gun help to relax and release muscular tension. More relaxed muscles make it easier for chiropractors to perform spinal manipulations.

Why Do Chiropractors Use Massage Guns?

Chiropractors specialize in improving joint mobility and restoring proper alignment. The common form of therapy chiropractors use to adjust the spine is a spinal manipulation. However, when the surrounding muscles are stiff or restricted, the adjustments are not as effective. More forward thinking chiropractors find it valuable to perform some form of massage or myofascial release on the tense muscles prior to an adjustment. Percussion massages using a massage gun is an excellent option to relax muscles before spinal adjustments.

Sometimes chiropractors will also use percussion massage at the end of a therapy session to provide additional relaxation after other therapies such as decompression or spinal manipulation.

Does percussion therapy work? Is Massage Gun Therapy Right For You?

This is a question to ask your chiropractor or physical therapist. There are a large variety of therapies to consider when dealing with injuries and pain. Massage guns are valuable to help manage some conditions. However, a thorough exam should be conducted before deciding which therapy is best.

Top-rated percussion therapist in St. Louis

Emboody Performance & Recovery chiropractors use percussion massage (massage guns) along with traditional myofascial release, stretching, and spinal manipulations. Our combined therapies are often described as being more comprehensive and providing more relief than adjustments alone.