ReviewJournal of functional morphology and kinesiology2023
The Effects of Massage Guns on Performance and Recovery: A Systematic Review.
Review in Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06949566 (Evaluation of Grip Strength and Reaction Time Following Induced Fatigue of the Wrist Flexors), which is 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.
Evaluation of Grip Strength and Reaction Time Following Induced Fatigue of the Wrist Flexors: The Acute Effects of Local Vibration
Who cites it
24 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- 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
- 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
- Trial
- Effect of percussive massage treatment and static stretching on muscle tone, stiffness, and strength recovery after exercise-induced muscle fatigue: A randomized controlled study.Sports medicine and health science · 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 percussive massage vs. foam rolling on hamstring function: a comparative study using shear wave elastography, tensiomyography, and MyotonPro.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Short-Term Tensiomyography Responses of the Vastus Medialis to Percussive Massage Therapy with Different Frequency-Duration Combinations.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2026Article
- Acute Effects of Percussive Therapy on Thigh Muscle Microcirculation and Oxygenation.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 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
- Myofascial release and fascial-targeted mechanical interventions in musculoskeletal rehabilitation: mechanisms, modalities, and integrative physiology.Frontiers in physiology · 2026Review
- Advanced materials and devices strategies of mechanical stimulation for tissue regeneration.Regenerative biomaterials · 2026Review
- Potential Effect of Intravascular Laser Irradiation of Blood (ILIB) in Improving Physical Performance: A Narrative Review.Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology · 2025Review
- Recovery for Professional and Elite Amateur Golfers: A Scoping Review of Evidence-Based Methods.Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) · 2025Article
- Effects of Foam Roller, and Massage Ball with and Without Vibration on Squat Load-Velocity Profile of Resistance Trained Adults.Journal of sports science & medicine · 2025Article
- Does Massage Gun or Foam Roller Use During a Warm-Up Improve Performance in Trained Athletes?Sports (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Novel insights into athlete physical recovery concerning lactate metabolism, lactate clearance and fatigue monitoring: A comprehensive review.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Review
- Comparative effects of recovery strategies on exercise-induced muscle fatigue:a randomized controlled trial.Frontiers in physiology · 2025Article
- Physiological Effects of Local Theragun™ Application: An Observational Study in Healthy Female Participants.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2025Article
- Short-Term Effect of Percussive Massage Therapy for Chronic Neck Pain Patients With Active Myofascial Trigger Points: A Randomized Trial.Journal of chiropractic medicine · 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
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The use of massage guns has become increasingly popular in recent years. Although their use is more and more common, both in a clinical and sports context, there is still little information to guide the practitioners. This systematic review aimed to determine the effects of massage guns in healthy and unhealthy populations as pre- and post-activity or part of a treatment. Data sources used were PubMed, PEDro, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, and the study eligibility criteria were based on "healthy and unhealthy individuals", "massage guns", "pre-activity, post-activity or part of a treatment" and "randomized and non-randomized studies" (P.I.C.O.S.). Initially, 281 records were screened, but only 11 could be included. Ten had a moderate risk of bias and one a high risk of bias. Massage guns could be effective in improving iliopsoas, hamstrings, triceps suralis and the posterior chain muscles' flexibility. In strength, balance, acceleration, agility and explosive activities, it either did not have improvements or it even showed a decrease in performance. In the recovery-related outcomes, massage guns were shown to be cost-effective instruments for stiffness reduction, range of motion and strength improvements after a fatigue protocol. No differences were found in contraction time, rating of perceived exertion or lactate concentration. Massage guns can help to improve short-term range of motion, flexibility and recovery-related outcomes, but their use in strength, balance, acceleration, agility and explosive activities is not recommended.
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.