ArticleInternational journal of sports physical therapy2023
The Effect Of Percussive Therapy On Musculoskeletal Performance And Experiences Of Pain: A Systematic Literature Review.
Article in International journal of sports physical therapy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 4 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 24 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effectiveness of a Proprioceptive Neuromuscular With One of Eccentric Exercise Plus Acute Electrostimulation in the Eccentric Exercise Plus Acute Electrostimulation on the Weight Bearing Weight Bearing Lunge, Lateral Step Down and Drop Jump Tests in Drop Jump Test, in Professional Paddle Tennis Players
Comparative Effects of Theragun and Dry Needling on Neck Pain, Range of Motion and Disability Among Heavy Weightlifters
Effects of Massage and Percussion Therapy on Muscle Viscoelastic Properties, DOMS and Vertical Jump Performance Parameters
Effects of Percussion Therapy on the Biomechanics of Pickleball Movement
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 42 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effects of percussive therapy dosages on recovery from acute exercise-induced muscle damage: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Chiropractic & manual therapies · 2026Pooled it
- Trial
- The Effectiveness of Passive Half-Time Interventions on Simulated Second-Half Performance in Elite Youth Soccer Players.Journal of sports science & medicine · 2026Trial
- Acute Effects of Percussive Massage Intensity on Change-of-Direction Performance, Vertical Jump Kinetics, and Neuromuscular Performance Across Morning and Evening Sessions in Trained Male Football Players.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2026Trial
- Percussion Massage Therapy Reduced EMG Activity During Standing Heel Raise.Journal of musculoskeletal & neuronal interactions · 2025Trial
- Instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization and percussion massage therapy in cervical disc herniation: a randomized controlled study.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2025Trial
- Trial
- Trial
- Effects of percussive massage therapy on fascia echo intensity and fascia thickness in firefighters with chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.BMC complementary medicine and therapies · 2024Trial
- The Impact of a Heated Effleurage and Heated Tapotement Massage on Low-Back Discomfort from a Seat.Bioengineering (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Bilateral anterior lens luxation with secondary glaucoma strongly associated with self-application of a percussion massage gun to closed eyelids: a case report.BMC ophthalmology · 2026Article
- Effects of different frequencies of percussion massage therapy on pain, range of motion, functionality, joint position sense, and quality of life in individuals with rotator cuff tears: a randomized controlled trial.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Acute effects of percussion massage therapy on balance, functional performance, and pain in adolescent cyclists: a randomized controlled trial.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- The effect of fascia gun on relaxation of exercise-induced muscle fatigue in athletes: a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in sports and active living · 2026Article
- Advanced materials and devices strategies of mechanical stimulation for tissue regeneration.Regenerative biomaterials · 2026Review
- Myofascial release and fascial-targeted mechanical interventions in musculoskeletal rehabilitation: mechanisms, modalities, and integrative physiology.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Review
- Does Massage Gun or Foam Roller Use During a Warm-Up Improve Performance in Trained Athletes?Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Vertebral artery dissection with cerebellar stroke after use of a percussive massage device: illustrative case.Journal of neurosurgery. Case lessons · 2025Article
- Physiological Effects of Local Theragun™ Application: An Observational Study in Healthy Female Participants.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2025Article
- The Immediate Effect of Percussive Massage Therapy on Iliotibial Band Tightness in Field Athletes.Cureus · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: There is a lack of specific research on the effect of percussive therapy (PT) delivered by massage guns on physiological adaptations. This systematic literature review investigates research conducted on the effects of PT interventions on performance in strength and conditioning settings, and on experiences of musculoskeletal pain. Purpose: To determine the effect of PT delivered by massage guns on physiological adaptations: muscle strength, explosive muscle strength and flexibility, and experiences of musculoskeletal pain. Study Design: Systematic literature review. Methods: Data sources (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, Psychinfo, PubMed, SportDISCUS and OpenGrey) were searched from January 2006 onwards for full text literature in any language involving adult populations receiving PT delivered by massage guns, directly to any muscle belly or tendon, with comparisons to an alternative treatment, placebo or no treatment. Literature with outcomes relating to acute or chronic physiological adaptations in muscle strength, explosive muscle strength, flexibility or experiences of musculoskeletal pain were included. Articles were assessed for quality using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme and PEDro scores. Results: Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. All studies had limitations in methodological quality or reporting of findings but still included contextually-rich details that contributed to the overall narrative synthesis. A significant relationship was found between a single application of PT delivered by massage guns and an acute increase in muscle strength, explosive muscle strength and flexibility, with multiple treatments eliciting a reduction in experiences of musculoskeletal pain. Conclusion: PT delivered by massage guns can help improve acute muscle strength, explosive muscle strength and flexibility, and reduce experiences of musculoskeletal pain. These devices may provide a portable and cost-effective alternative to other forms of vibration and interventions.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.