Vibrating Massage Ball VS Massage Gun
Overview
Both the vibrating massage ball and the massage gun have been making the news lately. However, there’s always the question of what differentiates them and if one could be substituted for the other. While the common goal for both is to massage the muscles and relieve muscle tension and soreness, they still have their differences.
There are many claims today on what massage balls and massage guns can do and how much they impact the muscles. They both have a long-lasting effect on the muscles and can be used in the comfort of your home at your convenience.
Why Do You Need a Massage?
Massage therapy is important for various reasons. It can help relieve stress and anxiety, relieve lower back pain and pain in other parts of the body. It also helps to relieve and reduce the risk of sports injuries and plays a huge role in treating fibromyalgia and myofascial pain syndrome.
If you are dealing with insomnia related to stress, massage therapy can be a quick fix to that, as it helps increase serotonin levels for people that are sleep deprived. It is even more effective for insomnia in postmenopausal women, which also impacts their quality of life.
Massage therapy has been proven effective in varying medical conditions such as prenatal depression, preterm infants, full-term infants, autism, skin conditions, pain syndromes (arthritis and fibromyalgia), hypertension, autoimmune conditions (asthma and multiple sclerosis), immune conditions (HIV and breast cancer), and aging problems (Parkinson's and dementia).
There are several techniques used for massage therapy today but the current trend is the use of massage balls and massage guns, which several studies have also claimed to be effective. Most people would choose either of those over traditional massage therapy due to the convenience of getting a massage at their own pace, place, and time.
What Makes a Massage Ball Stand Out?
1. Decreased Pain
Both the massage ball and massage gun are effective in decreasing pain. However, their mode of action differs, which could lead to slightly different results.
A study was conducted in 2017 to examine the immediate effect of massage balls on the visual analog pain scale (VAS), pressure pain threshold (PPT), and cervical range of motion (CROM) in staff with work-related neck and shoulder muscle pain. The results of this study showed that massage balls could efficiently help decrease pain and increase PPT and CROM immediately.
The study conducted on the effect of vibration therapy and massage therapy in the prevention of Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) also showed how effective a massage ball or gun could help prevent DOMS. While both devices are effective in this case, a vibrating massage ball provides even many more benefits due to the level of vibrations it possesses.
2. Targets all Muscle Groups
The vibrating massage ball targets both small and large muscle groups. Unlike the massage gun that would require different attachment heads to target different muscle groups, the massage ball has a small size that can massage every part of the body. You can use it to target the small hard-to-reach areas, which also help in the self-myofascial release, as it works on the joint range of motion, muscle recovery, and performance. It targets the calves, hamstrings, hips, glutes, pecs, obliques, shoulders, thoracic spine (upper/mid-back), low back, IT bands, and feet.
3. Deep Tissue Massage
Deep tissue massage is often used as an alternative to physio and sports massage, as it treats strains and sports injuries while saving you time and money. The vibrating massage ball helps target large muscle groups to provide deep tissue massage, which is not that easy with the traditional massage therapy. It works by applying sustained pressure using slow, deep strokes to target the deep tissues in the muscles, thereby reducing tension in the muscle and preventing the build-up of scar tissue that forms injury. This also helps improve blood circulation, which contributes to the fast healing process.
The small size of the massage ball makes it easier to work through these muscle groups, regardless of their size, to target every tissue. This makes the device a better alternative to an experienced massage therapist; even modern-day therapists have attested to using it for their patients. Deep tissue massage helps with certain conditions, including sports injuries, fibromyalgia, plantar fasciitis, high blood pressure, sciatica, and tennis elbow.
4. Trigger Point Therapy
Trigger point therapy is an alternative form of medicine, focused on detecting and releasing trigger points in the skeletal muscle. It is used to treat a number of chronic pain conditions such as headaches, low back pain, and temporomandibular joint pain. A massage ball can also be used for your trigger point therapy exercises, as it works effectively to target tightness and discomfort in small muscles and hard-to-reach areas.
With the massage ball, you can simply apply pressure on a trigger point in the muscle and hold your position or move your muscles a bit, as the vibrating effect works the trigger point. This will help improve blood flow and circulation, release muscle tightness, and improve flexibility.
Which is the Best Choice?
The massage ball and the massage gun are great devices used throughout the world today for effective body massage. The question of which is better would depend on several factors, including the benefits each offer and how much you are willing to get from them. If you are looking for percussion therapy, the massage gun might be a better choice but if you would rather opt for vibration therapy, a massage ball does the work effectively.
Most people opt for massage balls due to how portable it is, as it weighs less and can easily be moved around to be used anywhere. It also costs less than the massage gun, which is great for those looking to save costs.
The Rubball vibrating massage ball has been proven effective, as it benefits the body in many ways. It is affordable and is used by professional athletes and rehabilitation therapists. It has three intensity levels to help target both the small and large groups of muscles and you can get it for as low as $129.
If you are looking for a device to help relieve the tension in your muscles, the Rubball vibrating massage ball is a great choice.
